William Lighthall (1756 - 1822)

Born 1756 in New York

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 5 Oct 1822 at about age 66 in New York City, New York, United States

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Biography

William was born in 1756 in New York. He was the son of Claas. Lighthall

On June 12, 1776, he enlisted under Lieutenant Walter Swits and was attached to a company of New York State Rangers commanded by Captain John A. Bradt. On March 5, 1777, he reenlisted for the duration of the war in Captain Giles Woolcott’s Company of Colonel Seth Warner’s Additional Continental Regiment. Soon after on March 12, 1777, he was promoted to Sergeant. Sergeant Lighthall was commissioned as an Ensign on November 14, 1778. In March of 1780, Ensign Lighthall was further promoted to Lieutenant.

During the autumn of 1780, the tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy that did not join with the Patriots were thirsting for revenge from the expertly planned and executed offensive launched by Major General Sullivan that drove them from much of the then frontier. The tribes planned an assault on American settlements to be led by British Colonel John Johnson, Chief Joseph Brant, and the famous Corn-Planter.

The Indians met at Tioga Point. Ascending the Susquehanna River, they formed a junction at Unadilla with Johnson and his British forces, which consisted of 3 companies of his “Greens” (The King’s Royal Regiment of New York), one company of German Jaegers, 200 men of Butler’s Rangers, one company of British regulars under Capt. Duncan, and a number of Mohawks. They came from Montreal by way of Oswego, bringing with them 2 small mortars, a brass 3-pound cannon, and a “grasshopper” cannon.

The plan of invasion was to proceed along the Charlotte River to its source, thence across to the head of the Schoharie, sweep all the settlements along its course to its junction with the Mohawk, and then devastate the valley down to Schenectady, New York. The valley of the Schoharie was devastated, acts of cruelty by the Indians were committed, and the dwellings, barns, and recent harvest were destroyed.

On October 19, 1780, the British crossed to the north side at Keder’s Riff. A greater part of the British forces continued up the river, destroying crops and buildings, but a detachment of 150 men was dispatched from Keder’s Riff (Spraker’s Basin) against the small stockade called Fort Paris, in Stone Arabia, about 2.5 miles from the Mohawk River. This fort was located a few rods northeast of the crossroads of this little hamlet, and at the time mentioned was occupied by Col. John Brown with a garrison of 130 men.

General Robert Van Rensselaer, with the Claverack, Albany, and Schenectady regiments, pushed on by forced marches to encounter him, accompanied by Governor Clinton.

As Van Rensselaer’s advance was impeded, no diversion was created in Brown’s favor. Fort Paris was 3 miles from the river, and undoubtedly, Brown could have defended it successfully against any force that Johnson would have sent against it; and yet, obeying the orders of a general who in other ways that day proved himself to have been incompetent, this brave man met the enemy two thirds of the way to the river, where the contest began.

Overpowered by numbers, he continued the fight, slowly retreating, expecting every moment to hear the firing in the enemy’s rear – but in vain. Contesting the ground inch by inch for some distance, until observing that the Indians were gaining his flank, he ordered a retreat, at which time he received a musket-ball in the breast, killing him instantly. About 40 of his men were killed and the remainder sought safety in flight.

Lieutenant Lighthall was captured in this engagement. He was sent to the province of Canada where he remained a prisoner of war until the November 1782, when he was paroled and returned home, to remain until he was exchanged or otherwise ordered.^[1]

Vermont: The Tuttle Company, 1904, 831: "The fact that the 'Green Mountain Boys' were at Quebec in 1776; that two of the officers on these rolls - Captain and Commissary Elijah Babcock, and Capt. Robert Cochran are identified in name and rank with those on a list handed to the Provincial Congress of New York by Ethan Allen and Seth Warner, on July 4, 1775, as officers of the Green Mountain Boys; and the further fact that none of the men are recorded in any other place, or with any other organization, all confirm the belief that the soldiers on its rolls herewith were a part of that historic band." Lieut. William Lighthall [also possibly different men, Ens. William Lighthall and emlisted man, William Lighthall].

William, son of Claas, married Sarah, daughter of Ahasueras Marselis. ^[2]

Children (guessed as per the Census Records):

1. Dau born between 1774 -1784 (1800 Cen) (10-16)
2. Dau born between 1774 -1784 (1800 Cen) (10-16)
3. Dau born between 1790 and 1800 (1800 Cen) under 10
4. Son born between 1790 and 1800 (1800 Cen) under 10
5. Son born between 1790 and 1800 (1800 Cen.) under 10
6. William N. 2nd, b.1787 (1810 Cen) 16-26
7. Son born between 1784-1794 (1810 Cen)10-16
8. Dau born between 1784-1794 (1810 Cen) 10-16
9. Dau born between 1800-1810 (1810 Cen) under 10
10. Son born between 1810-1820 (1820 Cen) under 10
11. Ahasuerus, b. 1799 (1820 Cen) 16-26
12. Male born between 1794-1804 (1820 Cen) 16-26
13. Anna, married a Peek, b. 1804 (1820 Cen)16-26

By the 1800 Census they had 5 children, 2 boys under age 10, one girl under age 10 and 2 girls between the ages of 10-16.^[3]

In the 1810 Census the family had 4 children at home and they were listed as 2 males between 16-26 (probably William and Ahasuerus), and a male over 45. (William) Along with, a female under 10, (Anna) another between 16-26 and one over 45. (Wife)^[4]

In the 1820 Census the children listed numbered 4 and the family dynamics were; 1 male under 10, 2 aged 16-26 (probably Asauarus and William) and one male over 45.(William Sr.) The females listed were 1 aged 16-26 (probably Anna) and one female over age 45. (Wife)^[5]

He held a commission of Lieutenant in the War of the Revolution, and was highly distinguished for his bravery in the battle of Bennington,^[6]under General Stark. He was a member of the Stickney's Regiment of Militia.^[7]<...Needs name associated....>

He passed away about 1822. Evidence for this is that his last pension payment was made in September 1822 (payment for the second half of 1822).^[8] Mar 1822 in New York City, New York, United States.

Revolutionary Pension Record

Family-William Lighthall, myself aged 64 past;

Sarah Lighthall – wife- aged 59 years.

Nicholas Lighthall – son 25 years [?]

Asasuarus Lighthall—apprentice shoemaker, aged 19]

Ann Lighthall—daughter 17 years.

This document signed by Jelles A. Fonda, Clerk of the County of Schenectady, 15 May 1820.^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ Francis B. Heitman, Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army, (Baltimore, 1914), 350; John E. Goodrich, The State of Vermont: Rolls of the Soldiers in the Revolutionary War, 1775 to 1783, (Rutland, 1904), 831-832; Pension application made by Lieutenant William Lighthall; The Battle of Fort Keyser; Selected Wartime Service Records of Lieutenant William Lighthall.
2. ↑ http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/resources/yates/gen-marcellus.html Schenectady History excerpt from page 278
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHRC-LYX : accessed 28 November 2018), Wm N Lighthall, Schenectady Ward 1, Albany, New York, United States; citing p. 6, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 22; FHL microfilm 193,710.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH2Z-NXR : accessed 28 November 2018), William N Lighthall, Schenectady Ward 1, Schenectady, New York, United States; citing p. 942, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 37; FHL microfilm 181,391.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHL8-JQZ : accessed 28 November 2018), William N Lighthall, Schenectady Ward 1, Schenectady, New York, United States; citing p. 122, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 65; FHL microfilm 193,720.
6. ↑ Battle of Bennington (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bennington)
7. ↑ Stickney's Regiment (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stickney%27s_Regiment_of_Militia)
8. ↑ "United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-VXLR : accessed 28 November 2018), William Lighthall, 31 Mar 1818; citing New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 1; FHL microfilm 1,319,381.
9. ↑ "Revolutionary War Pensions, New York State, transcribed by James F. Morrison and A. J. Berry.(http://www.revwarpensions.com/pensioninfo.html)