Pierre Teller (abt. 1747 - 1783)

Born about 1747 in Tellers Point, New York

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Hains) Hammond — married about 1769 in Van Cortlandt Manor, Westchester, New York

Descendants

Died 19 Feb 1783 at about age 36 in Sugar House Prison, New York

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Genealogically Defined

Biography

Pierre Teller was a New Netherland Descendant 1674-1776. Join: New Netherland Settlers Project Discuss: new_netherland

Pierre was born the sixth child and second son of Jacobus and Maritie Teller in Westchester County, New York. Pierre married Margaret Haines and they had eight children. He enlisted in Colonel Drake's company in the 3rd Regiment of the Westchester County, Militia. Pierre was wounded in the war and taken prisoner by the British. He died of his wounds in prison in 1783.

Early Life

Pierre was born about 1747 to Jacobus Teller and Maritje Vermilyea in Tellers Point, Westchester County, New York.^[1] Pierre is named in his father's will which was proved on September 14, 1761 in New York.^[2]

Westchester County showing Teller's Point.

Pierre's grandfather William Teller was one of the earliest settlers of an area in Westchester County called Croton Point. The area came to be known as Teller's Point over the years and it was here that Pierre was born and grew to manhood. The Westchester county government provides the following history of the area on their website.^[3]

"Cornelius Van Bursum was the first to purchase Croton Point from the Indians in 1682. A few years later William and Sara Teller were given permission to live on the point and operate an Indian trading post. In the 18th century the area came to be known as Teller’s Point. Soon after, Stephanus Van Cortlandt incorporated the property into his Cortlandt Manor. By the end of the 18th century the Tellers, who married into the Van Cortlandt family, were in full possession of Croton Point. The Van Cortlandt Manor House still stands on the Croton River east of Croton Point Park."

Pierre's grandfather William Teller, Jr. was an elder in the Sleepy Hollow Church. He acquired large tracts of land in Westchester County — there is still a Teller Avenue there — one tract now the town of Ossining, a portion projecting into the Hudson River was known as Teller’s Point, separating Tappan and Havershaw bays — two miles in length, and was purchased by him of the Indians (who called it Se-was-gua) for two barrels of rum and twelve blankets. His old stone house was standing in 1866, when, according to “Lossing’s History of the Hudson River,” he visited it. ^[4]

Sleepy Hollow Bridge

Abstract of the Will of Pierre's father, Jacobus Teller:^[2][5]

"First I give and devise and bequeath unto my eldest son John, my gun or fowling piece which now remaineth with me and five pounds to be paid unto him as soon as he comes of age. Likewise I give and devise and bequeath unto my beloved wife Marietie, the income of my whole estate both real and personal as long as she shall remain my widow with full and absolute power to sell as much as my real estate as actually shall be wanted for the maintenance and bringing up of my younger children, also my Will is and I do hereby give and devise and bequeath whole estate both real and personal for the use and benefit for my said four sons to wit, John, Pierre, Tobias and James, and my said four daughters to wit Rachel, Jozyntie, Margaret and Mary, and the survivors of them, to be divided among them share and share alike.."

Military Service

Private Pierre Teller served with 3rd Regiment, Westchester County Militia, New York Militia during the American Revolution.

Pierre Teller is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P302801
Rank: Private

Pierre Teller was a Prisoner of War during the American Revolution.

Pierre Teller was Wounded in Action during the American Revolution.

Pierre enlisted as a private in the Westchester County Militia Third Regiment in 1776. The leaders of his regiment were Colonel Pierre Van Cortlandt and Colonel Samuel Drake.^[6] He was on the pay rolls for Col. Drake's company from 1776 to 1781.^[7]

At the start of the American Revolution, the county of Westchester was the richest and most populous of the rural counties of New York. By war’s end, most of the county, especially a twenty-mile-wide region labeled the neutral ground, would be totally devastated. Farms were abandoned and entire communities became ghost towns. Roads were vacant of traffic. Bridges destroyed and left in ruins. Most of the county’s residents eventually fled the carnage. Those who remained witnessed frequent clash of arms between British and American troops stationed in and around the borders of the county; dragoon horsemen and light infantry who left their posts to forage and gather information on their enemy’s movements. But most horrific to those who tried to continue their lives in the war-torn region were the constant threat of ‘barbarous behavior’ by bands of thugs and highwaymen who claimed loyalty to both England and America. Labeled cowboys and skinners, they professed their actions as sanctioned by passions of patriotism or loyalty to the crown. But in reality, their actions were governed by greed; often they would switch sides in a heartbeat, claiming loot and battling both American and British forces equally. It was a harsh reality that the people of Westchester County found themselves embroiled in and as such, after the guns were finally silenced, left scars that would take decades to heal.^[8]

Pierre and Margaret had children baptized at the Dutch church in Cortlandtown between 1774 and 1783. It appears that the family remained in Westchester Country during this period.

In January of 1783, Pierre was wounded and taken prisoner by the British forces. Westchester County During the Revolution includes the details of a final raid by Americans seeking to capture Col. Delancey in Eastchester. Once the party reached the home where Delancey was resting, the enemy was alerted and the Americans were forced to leave without capturing the Colonel. They retreated north and stopped at the farm of Alfred Orser near present day Sing-Sing. They thought they were safe and did not post any sentinels, a neighbor with Tory sympathies alerted the British party who were in pursuit of the Americans. They were surrounded and in the struggle an American was killed, a few wounded and fifteen taken prisoner.^[9] It is likely that Pierre was wounded and captured at this time since records show that he died in February of 1783 from his wounds. New York in the Revolution included the following entry regarding Pierre^[10]:

"Teller, Pierre, Priv., Col. Sam Drake. Died of his wounds Febr. 19, 1783."

Family

Pierrre married Margaret Haines about 1769. This estimate is based on the birth of their twin daughters Miriam and Eunice in August of 1770.^[11]

View of Croton Point

Westchester County, New York, had the misfortune to be situated between the American and British lines for seven years, from 1776 to 1783. During that time detachments from both armies, as well as local militia for both sides and outlaws and plunderers for neither side, ravaged the countryside and the population.^[12]

By 1777, after Washington’s main army headed south to counter any move British General William Howe might make towards Philadelphia, Westchester County became a ‘no-man’s-land of hostilities. General Lee and later General Putnam, after Lee’s capture in New Jersey, was left with a division of troops who established a ring of outposts and stations in and around the county. During the remainder of the war, there was no systematic campaign in Westchester county, but continuous fighting.^[8]

Pierre and Margaret had children born in Westchester, New York:

1. Miriam (twin) b. 8 Aug 1770
2. Eunice (twin) b. 8 Aug 1770
3. James b. 1772
4. Tobias b. 1774
5. Isaac b. 14 Oct 1775^[13]
6. Mary b. 14 Oct 1777^[13]
7. Daniel b. 31 Oct 1779^[13]
8. Perry (Pierre Jr.) b. 22 Mar 1782^[14]

After Pierre's death in 1783, Margaret was counted living with her children in Cortlandt, Westchester County, New York for the 1790 U.S. census.^[15]

Timeline & Residence

1747 - Teller's Point, Westchester County, New York: Born to Jacobus Teller and Maritje Vermilyea^[1][2]

1761 - Teller's Point, Westchester County, New York: Death of father Jacobus^[2]

1769 - Westchester County, New York: Marriage to Margaret Haines

1770 - Westchester County, New York: Birth of twin daughters Eunice and Miriam on August 8^[11]

1772 - Westchester County, New York: Birth of son James

1774 - Westchester County, New York: Birth of son Tobias

1775 - Westchester County, New York: Birth of son Isaac on October 14^[13]

1776 - Westchester County, New York: Enlisted in the 3rd Regiment^[6]

1777 - Cortlandtown, Westchester County, New York: Birth of daughter Mary on October 14^[13]

1777 - New York: Residence on payroll for Col. Drake's Company^[7]

1779 - Cortlandtown, Westchester County, New York: Birth of son Daniel on October 31^[13]

1782 - Cortlandtown, Westchester County, New York: Birth of son Pierre on March 23^[13]

1783 - New York City, New York: Died as prisoner of war in Sugarhouse Prison on February 19^[6]

Death & Legacy

Three sugarhouses along the waterfront area of New York, which were used to store rum, sugar and molasses were converted into prisons for the British. Van Courtland's, Rhinelander's and Liberty Street sugarhouses were commandeered and refitted into prisons. The largest and most infamous of the three was the five-story Liberty Street building.^[16] It was in one of these "sugarhouse" prisons that Pierre died in 1783.^[10]

His remains were likely interred in the crypt at the Prison Ships Martyr's Monument in Brooklyn, New York.^[17][18]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "THE VERMILYEA FAMILY (VERMILYA, VERMILYE, VERMILYEA, VERMILYER) DESCENDANTS OF JOHANNES VERMELJE NEW YORK 1662 - 2003." Accessed July 29, 2018. http://math.uww.edu/~mcfarlat/pictures/xtradata/vermilyeasixgenerations.pdf. pg. 9 citing son of Jacobus Teller and Maritie Vermilye, Pierre who married Margaret Haines
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Record of Wills, 1665-1916; Index to Wills, 1662-1923 (New York County); Author: New York. Surrogate's Court (New York County); Probate Place: New York, New York Description. Notes: Wills, Vol 023, 1761-1763. Ancestry.com. New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Original data: New York County, District and Probate Courts.

   Name Jacobus Tellor

   Probate Date 14 Sep 1761

   Probate Place New York, New York

   Inferred Death Year abt, 1761

   Inferred Death Place New York

   Item Description Wills, Vol 023, 1761-1763

   https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/8800/005519019_00095/4870251
3. ↑ Sharon. “Croton Point Park History.” Westchester County Parks. Accessed November 27, 2019. https://parks.westchestergov.com/croton-point-park/croton-point-park-history.
4. ↑ Wells, Caroline T. “Teller Family History.” Stoutenburgh. Stoutenburgh-Teller Family Association , February 25, 2008. https://www.stoutenburgh-teller.com/teller-family-history/.
5. ↑ Pelletreau, William S. Abstracts of Wills on File in the Surrogate's Office: City of New York, Volume 30. pg. 105 citing abstract 109. GoogleBooks
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Roberts, James A., and Frederic Gregory Mather. New York in the Revolution as Colony and State: Vol. I, a Compilation of Documents and Records. Albany, NY: J.B. Lyon, Printers, 1904. Pg. 213 https://archive.org/details/newyorkrevolution01statrich
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} "United States Revolutionary War Compiled Service Records, 1775-1783." Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. From "Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War." Database. Fold3.com. http://www.fold3.com : n.d. Citing NARA microfilm publication M881. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1976. Roll 0734. Name: Piere Teller State: New York Regiment: Samuel Drake's Regiment Record Type: Individual Full Name: Teller, Piere Conflict Period: US Revolutionary War Branch: US Army Served For: United States of America
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Schenawolf, Harry. “Westchester County New York, Neutral Ground in the American Revolution Suffered Their Own Horrific War.” Revolutionary War Journal, July 1, 2019. https://www.revolutionarywarjournal.com/westchester-county-new-york-neutral-ground-in-the-american-revolution-suffered-their-own-horrific-war/.
9. ↑ Hufeland, Otto.. Westchester County during the American Revolution : 1775-1783. White Plains, N.Y.: Published for Westchester County by the Westchester County Historical Society, 1926.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Fernow, Berthold. New York in the Revolution. Albany: Weed, Parsons and, Printers, 1887. Appendix. "Fourth Westchester County Regiment - Wounded or Died in Service". pg. 549. https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/48346/NYRevolution-000782-549
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 November 2019), memorial page for Miriam Teller Williams (8 Aug 1770–15 Mar 1865), Find A Grave: Memorial #23286112, citing Bethel Cemetery, Croton-on-Hudson, Westchester County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Pat (contributor 46871295) *Gravestone photo included.
12. ↑ “No-Man's Land around New York City.” Encyclopedia of the American Revolution: Library of Military History. Encyclopedia.com, November 27, 2019. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/no-mans-land-around-new-york-city.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6} Holland Society of New York; New York, New York; Rochester and Cortlandtown, Book 9. Ancestry.com. U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989 [database on-line]. https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/18311024?h=8869c6
14. ↑ U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989. Holland Society of New York; New York, New York; Rochester and Cortlandtown, Book 9. Content Description: Rochester and Cortlandtown, Book 9. Ancestry.com. U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Dutch Reformed Church Records from New York and New Jersey.

    Name Margaret Hains

    Gender Female

    Spouse Peire Teller

    Child Peery Teller

    https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/6961/42037_2421401574_0609-00188/300242888

15. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHK5-27T : accessed 22 November 2019), Margaret Teller, Cortlandt, Westchester, New York, United States; citing p. 214, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 6; FHL microfilm 568,146.

    Name: Margaret Teller

    Home in 1790 (City, County, State): Cortlandt, Westchester, New York

    Free White Persons - Males - Under 16: 2

    Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 1

    Free White Persons - Females: 4

    Number of Household Members: 7

16. ↑ “POWs During The American Revolution.” Private Tutoring. Accessed November 28, 2019. https://www.varsitytutors.com/earlyamerica/early-america-review/volume-6/pows-during-the-american-revolution.
17. ↑ “Fort Greene Park.” Fort Greene Park Monuments - Prison Ship Martyrs Monument : NYC Parks. Accessed November 28, 2019. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/fort-greene-park/monuments/1222.
18. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 November 2019), memorial page for Pierre Teller (1747–1783), Find A Grave: Memorial #61142672, citing Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument, Brooklyn, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave (contributor 8) .