The following Herkimer County Revolutionary War pension abstracts were contributed by Lighthall family researcher Neal Smith.

LIGHTHALL, Francis, Sarah, W20470, Cont & NY Line, sol m Sarah Fye 26 Feb 1786 at Mohawk in Montgomery Co NY, sol was b in Jan 1761 at Schenectady NY, he lived at German Flats in Herkimer Co NY at enl & after the Rev he moved to Johnstown NY for a few yrs then moved to Palatine NY & was living there in 1832, sol d 28 May 1836, wid appl 18 Jul 1850 at Minden in Montgomery Co NY aged 86, a daughter Margarete or Margaret was baptized 6 Aug 1786 & in 1859 she was res of Minden NY & signed her name Margaret Nellis, a son Frederick was baptized 26 Feb 1792, sol's bros William & John both srv in the Rev War.

LIGHTHALL, George, S13341, NY Line, sol was b in 1747 at German Flats in Herkimer Co NY & he lived there at enl & during the last two years of the Rev he lived at Schenectady NY & afterwards lived in German Flats & Columbia in Herkimer Co NY then moved to Oriskany in Oneida Co NY, he appl 9 Oct 1832 at Columbia NY.

LIGHTHALL, Nicholas, S9929, NY Line, sol was b 17 Aug 1750 at German Flats NY & he lived there at enl, he appl 17 Oct 1832 Schenectady Co NY aged 83 (he lived there since 1780).


Some notes from Neal:

"I have been getting a lot of info about Lighthalls lately. Just after I sent you the Rev War abstracts, I got a detailed genealogy of the branch of the Lighthall family that I am descended from. It came from a second cousin once removed who lives in Ft. Dodge, IA. She is 88 and is descended from George Benton Lighthall, who was my great-grandmother Ida Lighthall's brother.

The George Lighthall you found is my 4th great-grandfather. He was born ca. 1740 in Schenectady. No death date, but he was living in Columbia, Herkimer Co. in Oct. 1832. He was married first ca. 1776 to Margaret _____; second ca. 1787 to Catherine _____."

Children of first marriage:
Maria, born June 21, 1777, German Flatts, NY
Maria Barbara, born July 8, 1778 German Flatts

Children of second marriage:
George, born Sept 24,1788 (my 3rd great-grandfather) German Flatts
Abraham, born April 11,1795, German Flatts
Catherine, born April 1795, German Flatts


Additional research by the site coordinator:

A George Lighthall is listed in the 2nd Regiment of the Albany County Militia, together with Abraham W. and Nicholas Lighthall, serving under Colonel Abraham Wemple. Men named Nicholas Lighthal (sp), George Lighthall and Abraham Lithall (sp), probably the same three men, also served in the 4th Regiment of the Tryon County Militia, under Colonel Peter Bellinger. An A. Littall (sp) was listed as serving in the 1st Regiment of The Line under Colonel Goose Van Schaick.

Listings for John Lighthall are for the 1st Regiment of The Line and Colonel Cornelius D. Wynkoop's Regiment. Listings for the name William Lighthall include both Lieut. and Ens. William Whitehall (serving in "Major Brown's Detachment" as part of the Green Mountain Boys in Quebec) and a William Whitehall who received Land Bounty Rights for serving under Major Jelles Fonda in the 2nd Regiment of the Albany County Militia.

Reference: "New York in the Revolution as Colony and State", by James A. Roberts, Comptroller, 2nd Edition, Albany, N.Y.: Press of Brandow Publishing Company, 1898

Additional research from Neal:

Here is something additional on Abraham that is in the Lighthall genealogy I talked about: The following is a quote from papers in Abraham Lighthall's Revolutionary War records: He was said to be a great raw-boned, good natured dutchman and was 6' 7" tall. His wife was a "little bitty" woman and very smart. Abe could speak many Indian languages and because of this, Washington gave him command over 300 friendly Indians. Abe was a frontier scout, was ambushed by Tories and Indians. He escaped and Washington then chose him for his waiter. Abe was a tailor by trade and made Washington's last military coat which he made in duplicate for himself. Very interesting. I hope it's all true.

2/14/00  Additional info from Neal:

Here is an interesting story about George Lighthall you might be able to use. It is from the book "Frontiersmen of New York" by Jeptha R. Simms, Vol. 2, pp 181-2.

PRISONERS MADE IN MINDEN

At the invasion of Brant (the Indian Chief working with the Tories) in 1778, George Lighthall, John, son of Godfrey Brookman, and John Cramer were captured, though it is believed they were not together -- by a small party of Indians. On reaching Andreastown, for some unknown cause, Cramer was killed and scalped, and further on after Lighthall had made several attempts to escape, and the party were journeying with Brant, to whom he was well known, that chief happened along and saw the prisoner with a very downcast look; and in a spirit of raillery, he asked him what the matter was? "I suppose," said Lighthall, "you know that my captors are about to kill me for attempting to escape." Brant at once investigated the matter, and appeased the enraged captors by the promise of two gallons of rum on their arrival in Canada. Thus was the life of the captive saved and his countenance brightened. Arriving in Canada, he was offered his choice, to enlist into the British service, or go to Oswego and work on the fortifications. He chose the latter, but had not been there very long ere he made his escape, and this time reached his home. When first captured, he said he was pursued by three Indians, who drove him into a marsh where he mired, or else he would have escaped. Brookman seemed to find more favor with his foes than did some prisoners--not suffering so much in running the gantlet. He was exchanged and returned home at the end of six months. [Testimony of] Baltus Dillenbeck and others.

2/24/00 And still more new info from Neal:

Here is the Abstract of the Rev. War Pension File for Abraham Lighthall.

Lighthall, Abraham, Katharine, W10197, NY Line, sol was b 14 Sep 1740, sol appl 25 May 1818 Otsego Co NY, sol m Katharine Bellinger 12 Jul 1775 at Herkimer NY, sol d 31 Dec 1831 at the home os his son-in-law Benjamin Huntley, wid appl 14 Mar 1838 while living with said Benj Huntley at Sandstone in Jackson Co MI & she d there 5 Jun 1843, sol's daughter m Benj Huntley prior to 1820 & in 1820 both sol & wid were living with Margaret & Benj Huntley at Richfield NY, another daughter of sol named Magdalene m Daniel Gibbs prior to 1820 & she d in 1842, in 1854 the only surviving chil of sol & wife was Magaret Huntley of Sandstone MI, in 1820 Daniel Gibbs of Richfield NY made aff'dt.

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