Abraham Cassell was a Revolutionary War veteran who entered service in Frederick County, Maryland, in 1776 and again in 1778 – both for three-month tours of duty. According to his war records he was allowed pension on his application executed February 11, 1833, while a resident of Jessamine County, Kentucky, receiving $20 annually.
He married April 24, 1782, in Frederick County, Caterina Lingenfelter, who later anglicized her name to Catherine. After Abraham’s death in 1844 she was allowed pension, at the same amount, on her application executed December 21, 1844, being a resident of Jessamine County, aged 84 years.
Abraham was born May 25, 1756, in Frederick County, died May 26, 1844, in Jessamine County. Caterina Lingenfelter was born November 29, 1761, and died May 27, 1849, same counties. The couple had eight children, listed in records below. The most interesting part, in my opinion, are the births and deaths of Abraham’s family, written in his handwriting. This pension record gives a substantial amount of information about this couple.
Abraham received $20 annually for his part in the Revolutionary War.
State of Kentucky
Fayette County
On this 11 day of February 1833 personally appeared Abram Cassell before the court of the county aforesaid (a resident in the adjoining county of Jessamine) and state aforesaid, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the proclamation made by the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. That he entered into the Army of the United States in the year 1776 with Captain Abram Huff in the County of Frederick, Maryland, Col. Charles Beatty, and General James Johnson being in command – we first went to Philadelphia and then to Jersey and stayed three months and then returned home in March 1777. He was in no battle occurring that time, but stayed mostly at a place called Basking Ridge – there was about one Regiment he thinks there at the time. He thinks they marched more than 100 miles from Philadelphia.
Second term three months
The next time he entered the service in 1778 in Captain Smith’s Company, in Col. Wood’s and Major William’s Regiment in the same state and county and marched to Georgetown where the Federal City now is, and stayed three or four weeks and then went back to guard the British prisoners at Fredericktown and stood guard over the prisoners till our three months expired. Then discharged – his whole service was six months.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present. He declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state.
Sworn to and subscribed he day and year aforesaid in open court. And this affiant recollects no continental regiments in service. He has no discharge or other written evidence of his services and never recollects to have had any and knows of no pension he can procure to prove his said services except John G. Boyer of Lexington, Kentucky
to prove the last town and John Lingenfelter of Fayette County to prove the first. He has many respectable neighbors who will testify to his good character, among others, he names Anderson McCampbell, Rev. Nathan Harris, John Castle there at Lexington and Major John Tilford. He has no record of his age but believes he will be 78 years old next September 21st.
Abraham Cassell
We, Nathaniel Harris, a clergyman residing in Jessamine County, and Andrew McCampbell, residing there also, and near the Fayette County line, and Thomas W. Jones of Lexington, Kentucky, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Abram Cassell, the above named applicant, who has signed and sworn to the above declaration, and we believe him to be about seventy-five or eighty years of age; that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and we concur in that opinion. Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Nathaniel Harris, Sen, Andrew McCampbell, Thomas W. Jones
I, John G. Boyer, know of the 2nd term of three months service as within stated as I was a fellow soldier of said Cassell.
John G. Boyer
I, John Lingenfelter do state on oath that I recollect the above-named Abraham Cassell as a soldier of the Revolutionary Army in the Jersey’s on one campaign.
John Lingenfelter
And the said court doth hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the Act of Congress and the War Department, that the above named Abraham Cassell was a soldier of the Revolution and the court further certifies that it appears to them that Nathan Harris, who has signed the proceeding certificate is a clergyman, resident in Jessamine County, and that Andrew McCampbell and Thomas W. Jones, who have also signed the same are residents, viz., Andrew McCampbell in Jessamine and Thomas W. Jones in Lexington, Kentucky, and that John G. Boyer of Lexington and John Lingenfelter of Fayette County are also, one and all credible persons and their statements are entitled to credit.
Wm Boon, presiding Justice for the time being
Commonwealth of Kentucky, Fayette County, to wit:
I, James C. Rodes, Clerk of the County Court for the county aforesaid, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court, in the matter of the application of Abraham Cassell for a pension and that William Boon, Esquire, presided at said court and that three entire lines on page 2 erased and the British prisoners are inserted on said page and the words ‘Thomas W. Jones, Lexington, Ky’ inserted in of his certificate before sworn to in court.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 18th day of February 1833 and of the Commonwealth the 41st year.
Att. J. C. Rodes, Clerk, F.C.C.
Declaration
In order to obtain the benefits of the Acts of Congress of the 3rd March 1842 and 17th June 1844, entitled an ‘Act Continuing Pensions To Certain Widows’
State of Kentucky
Jessamine County
On this 21st day of December 1844, personally appeared before the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, in and for the county aforesaid, Catharine Cassell, a resident of Jessamine County, in the state aforesaid, aged about 84 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provisions made by the Acts of Congress passed on the 3rd March 1843, and 17th June 1844, entitled ‘Acts Continuing Pensions to Certain Widows”
That she is the widow of Abraham Cassell, who was a private in the Army of the Revolution, and as such received a pension Certificate from the War Department, granting him a Pension of twenty dollars per annum, and dated the 16th day of April 1833, and which certificate accompanies this declaration. She further declares that she was married to the said Abraham Cassell on the 24th day of April 1782, her maiden name being Catherine Lingenfelter, that she was married in the County of Frederick in the State of Maryland, and that she knows of no record of such marriage, with the exception of the family record kept by her husband, the said Abraham Cassell, that her said husband died on the 26th day of May 1844, that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the 1st day of January 1794, viz; at the time above stated. She furthermore declares that from age and infirmity she is unable to attend court.
Catherine Cassell
Sworn and subscribed this 21st day of December 1844, before me, Newton Berry, J.P
In the presence of Thomas J. Cassell, John Lingenfelter
I, Newton Berry, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Jessamine and State of Kentucky, do certify, that I am personally acquainted with the above-named Catharine Cassell, who is the widow of Abraham Cassell, deceased, that the said Catharine has not intermarried but continues the widow of said Abraham Cassell, and from age and infirmity is unable to attend court. Given under my hand this 21st day of December 1844.
Newton Berry, J.P.
State of Kentucky
Jessamine County
Be it known that on the 21st day of December 1844, personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in and for said county, Thomas J. Cassell, personally known to me, and a credible witness, who being by me first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath state that he is the son of Abraham Cassell, deceased, and that the annexed record of births and marriages and is the record kept by his said father and in his, the said Abraham Cassell’s own proper handwriting, and which record has since his father’s death been kept in his and his mother’s, the said Catherine’s, possession – his residence being with her.
Thomas J. Cassell
Sworn and subscribed the day and year last above mentioned before me.
Newton Berry, J.P.
State of Kentucky
Fayette County
I, Daniel B. Price, Clerk of the Court of Jessamine County do certify that Newton Berry is a magistrate as above, and that the foregoing signatures purporting to be his are genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my seal of office and subscribed my name this 28th day of December 1844.
Daniel B. Price, Clerk of the Court of Jessamine County
The list of Abraham Cassell’s family
- Abraham Cassell was borne in the year of our Lord 1756 on the twenty-fifth day of September.
- Caterina Lingenfelter was borne in the year of our Lord
- Took Caterina Lingenfelter to wife in the year of our Lord 1782 on April the 24
- Mary Cassel was borne in the year of our Lord 1783 on January the 17th
- John Cassell was borne in the year of our Lord 1785 on January the 10, John Cassell died the 30th day of March 1815
- Elizabeth Cassell was borne in the year of our Lord 1787 on July the 1, and died in the year of our Lord 1789 on the sixth day of June, age one year and eleven months and six days.
- A little one borne March the 14, 1790 and died in the year of our Lord 1790 March the 26
- Caterina Cassell was borne in the year of our Lord 1791 on October 21
- Barbara Cassell was borne the 15 of August in the year of our Lord 1794
- Susannah Cassell was borne on the 22 of November in the year of our Lord 1798
- Thomas Jefferson Cassell was borne the 30 of August in the year of our Lord 1803
State of Kentucky, Jessamine County
Be it known that it was this day proven in open court for the October County Court term, 1848, by the testimony of Thomas J. Campbell and James H. M. Campbell, two creditable witnesses known to this court that Catherine Cassell, the widow of Abram Cassell, deceased, is unmarried and remains living the widow of the said Abram Cassell, deceased, and the following is presented to this court as a copy of a certificate, the original is stated to have been returned to the Pension Office at Louisville, Kentucky, and delivered to the agent of Pensions to enable the said Catherine Cassell to draw the last pension due on the 4th day of March 1848.
And this court now admits to record the following copy, to enable the said Catherine Cassell to obtain another certificate under an Act of Congress providing for the widows of Revolutionary Pensioners.
War Department Widows pension
I certify that in conformity with the act of June 17th 1844, Catharine Cassell of Kentucky, widow of Abram Cassell who was a private and died on the 26th May 1844 is inscribed on the pension list at the rate of twenty dollars and ___ Cents per annum, commencing on the 26th May 1844, and terminating on the 4th of March 1848, unless the pensioner shall marry or die before the last mentioned date in which case the pension is not payable after the time of such marriage or death.
Given at the war office of the United States this 22nd day of April 1845, W. L. March, Secretary of War
Examined & Countersigned, J. L. Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions
Categories: Family Stories
