AMASA STEPHENS

BY

JAMES F. MORRISON

    In April of 1779, Amasa [was part of] Captain John Littel's Company on Colonel Frederick Visscher's Regiment as a Corporal.  Corporal Stephens was stationed at various times at Fort Johnstown.

    On May 22nd, Colonel Sir John Johnson with about 500 Indians and Loyalists were in the Mohawk Valley burning and killing.  Just about dawn the enemy appeared at the Stephens home.  They broke the door in and immediately headed to where the Stephens were sleeping.  The Indians dragged Stephens from his bed and took him outside.  On reaching outside, the Indians tomahawked and scalped Amasa and then hung him on the fence near the house.  The enemy then plundered the house and then left without harming Mrs. Stephens or her children.

    After the enemy left, Mrs. Stephens went looking for husband and on going outside she discovered him hung on the fence.  She took him down and took his body back into the house.  Mrs. Stephens immediately grabbed her two children and headed for Fort Johnstown and she arrived there a few hours later.  On arriving at fort Johnstown Mrs. Stephens met her mother and learned that her father and brother were killed.

    It is not known if Amasa had any prior service in the militia.  It is possible that he had served in Captain Andrew Wemple's Company or Captain Samuel Rees' Company.  Unfortunately no muster rolls are known to exist for these companies.

    Amasa married Margaret Putnam, daughter of Lodowick Putnam in 1776 and they had two children, Lodowick and Clarissa.  Mrs. Stephens died in 1835.

  

~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~

Sr
Plase to pay to the Bearer John Putnam all the wages that are Due Amasa Stephens Desd for his services As a Militiaman in Col Frederick Fishers Regt and you will much oblige   your Humbel

18th  January 85

hir
Margerat X Stephens
mark

witness

John McCarthy
John Littel

            Col Volkert Veder Esqr

Tryon County Militia - 3 (Regt.) No. 30, Doc. 002171  Box 14, New York State Dept. of Archives and Manuscript, Albany.

 

   The Following certificates were paid to John Putnam for Margaret Stephens widow of Amasa Stephens.

Sworn February 16, 1786 for payment on June 24, 1785

No		Amt
	£	S	D
32448	1	1	6
32639	2	2	8
32415	2	16

 

SOURCE:  REVOLUTIONARY WAR ROLLS 1775-1783, SERIES M246, ROLL 73, NATIONAL ARCHIVES, WASHINGTON, D.C.

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State of New York D to Margaret Stephens widow of Amasa Stephens late Private in Col Jacob Klock's Regt of Militia ____________

For Seven years half pay which I am entitled to by the Death of my Husband who was slain in the Field the 22nd May 1780 as V Col Klock's certificate

1st yr	Pensn due	22d May	1781				16 ..___..__
2d	do	do	1782	of 1 yr	Intt	16 ..__	16 ..___..__
3d	do	do	1783	of 2	do	1. 12..__	16 ..___..__
4th	do	do	1784	of 3	do	2.  3..__	16 ..___..__
5th	do	do	1785	of 4	do	3.  4..__	16 ..___..__
6th	do	do	1786	of 5	do	4.__..__	16 ..___..__
7th	do	do	1787	of 6	do	4.16..__	16 ..___..__
						16.16..__	112..___..__
						16..	16..__128  16

Medium time 22d May 1784
Audited 3d September 1785

SOURCE:  AUDITED ACCOUNTS, VOL. A., PAGE 275, MANUSCRIPTS AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY, ALBANY, N.Y.

Copyright ©1999,2000 James Morrison
Copyright ©1999,2000 Jeanette Shiel
All Rights Reserved.

Last updated Tuesday, 13-May-2008 13:35:29 PDT