Wartime Service

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King William's War

King William's War was the North American theater of the Nine Years War (1688 - 1697) between France and several other European countries. In 1690, French and Indian forces from Montreal attacked Schenectady NY where my ancestor Adam Vroman lived. There is a plaque honoring those who died in the "Schenectady Massacre," noting Adam's wife and child died while he resisted the attack.

Those who served in the Revolutionary War: 

Captain Walter Vrooman (Served under Lt. Col. John Harper and Gen. Robert Van Rennssalaer. In 1780, Walter lead troops that destroyed Fort Canaseraga, a British supply base. The company was captured by Col. Sir John Johnson the next day, marched to Canada, and held prisoner for more than two years.)

? Chambers (grandfather of Catherine Chambers Vroman)

Stephen Finch (Capt. Forward's company of the Connecticut Militia, under Gen. Puthnam. Then Issac Owen's company, which was present at the surrender of Saratoga, then as a guard marching Gen. Burgoyne and prisoners to Boston)

Abraham Reece (Forage master for the Surry County N.C. Militia)

David Austin (Minuteman. In battles at Newport, Trent, Point Judith, and Boston Neck)

Henry Finch (Capt. Turner's Camp, Fall River MA. This is a possible ancestor. Researchers believe he had a son, Henry, who is our proven ancestor)

The War of 1812

Robert Chambers served as a volunteer from Virginia. 

Samuel Lewis was discharged in New Orleans and walked to St. Louis

Mexican War

Jeremiah Pender enlisted to fight in the Mexican War in 1847. He served at Ft. Jackson, LA, where he was hospitalized with chronic diarrhea and was discharged. He received an $8 a month disability pension.

Sylvester Griffin served with the 14th infantry. He was honorably discharged in July 1848.

Edwin (Edward) Griffin was a private in Company I under Capt. King in the first US Regiment. He was discharged with a disability in New Orleans in 1848.

Those who served in the Civil War: 

William Reece Southard (served in Company A of the 32nd Iowa Infantry under L.N. Cutler. ) William's parents had moved (ca. 1850) the family from NC to IA because of their opposition to slavery.

Sylvester Griffin (at age 61, enlisted in the 12th Regiment of the Iowa Infantry. A private in Company K, he served under Capt. Fowler. The company was at the Battle of Shiloh (6 April 1862); Sylvester died of wounds received during the first day of battle). Sylvester also served in the Mexican War. 

Those who served in WWII

Jim Southard (enlisted in January 1943 in the Army Air Force. He trained in Texas and New Mexico and became a bombardier. He was a Lt. He was sent to Hawaii and joined the 7th AAF, 11th  Heavy Bombardment Group, which was stationed in the Marianas and then Guam, and which flew missions over various locations in the South Pacific, including Iwo Jima. He was awarded the Air Medal.)

Marjorie Smith (later, Southard) (was a civilian employee of the War Department in Washington D.C. She remembered typing lots of Lend-Lease documents. She was working at the Department when it moved from downtown D.C. to the newly-constructed Pentagon.)

Those who served in other wars: 

Adam Vrooman (Lt. Schenectady Militia, King William's War 1689. In February, 1690, Adam's father Hendrick, wife and child were killed by Mohawk in the so-called "Schenectady Massacre." His son Wouter (Walter) was captured and taken to Canada; Adam was able to secure his release in 1697)

Peleg Austin, War of 1812 (Served under Gen. Uric Mann at the Battle of Lake Champlain (AKA the Battle of Plattsburgh). This was the final invasion of the British; after the British retreat on 21 September 1814, Peleg was discharged.)

Jeremiah Pender, Mexican - American War, 1846 - 1848. (Private in the 4th Indiana Regiment of Volunteers; served at Fort Jackson, LA. Was discharged from there due to illness).

Edwin Griffin, Mexican - American War 1846 - 1848. (Private Company I, First United States Regiment, serving under Capt. King. He was on garrison duty at Vera Cruz after its capture; in January 1848 he was sent to Mexico City and from there to Cuernavaca. He was discharged with a certificate of disability in New Orleans 1 August 1848. (This information is on his pension application, but I haven't been able to verify it.))