Revolutionary War Veterans

In development, draft outline provided:

Jacob Cous (1750-1840+)

Born at Livingston Manor in Columbia County in 1750. Lived in Milan 1793 to his death after 1840.

Andrew Frazier (1744-1846)

African American. Served as a private. Born 1742 in Morrisania, the Manor of the Morris and Graham families in what is now the Bronx. It is not clear if he was born enslaved or free. He moved first to what is now Pine Plains with Morris Graham, the later building a house on land allotted to his family and taking several roles in “NorthEast Precinct” before becaming a Colonel in the war. Frazier served as wagon-driver, then “waiter” or body servant to Colonel Graham.

Buried on the family lot in Milan on Willow Glen Road, his remains and that of his family were later removed to Rhinebeck. Descendants lived in Milan until the 1940’s, some descendants still live in Dutchess County. In his testimony he mentioned that he saw General Washington. He was involved in confiscating enemy arms and having them melted and repurposed in Amenia furnace.

Over time (by the 1930’s) the story grew that he as body servant to General Washington (it seems to have been developed by the woman chairing the 250th Anniversary of Washington’s birth). This may not be the place to speculate why such an outcome was so popular a claim by some many, but by 1868 Mark Twain had written a parody of how frequently this specific claim had emerged.

Andrew Frazier was originally buried (as was common practice) on his farm in Milan, but was at some time removed to Rhinebeck Cemetery with other family members.

Susan “Susie” Frazier, a great-granddaughter lived in Milan through the 1940’s.

Susan Elizabeth Frazier, a great-granddaughter, was the first person of color allowed to teach white students in New York City in 1893.

Frazier’s mention in 1833 that he saw General Washington during the war had been “upgraded” a century later to being Washington’s body servant.

Burtis Soper (1753-1827)

Samuel J Haight (1748-1809)

Born in Amenia, moved to Milan in 1813 until at least 1833. Joined under age of 16 but his mother caught him out. He then enlisted 6 days after his 16th birthday. Witnessed the raising and lowering of the chain across the Hudson River at West Point/Highlands.

Jacob Lyle (1762-1844)

Nicknames “Yorick” and “York,” this African American lived in Milan from 1813 to his death in 1844. He and his wife Betsey are most likely buried on their homestead lot on Turkey Hill Road, in the African American burial ground which has come to be mislabeled as an Indian Burial ground, and “Chief Crow.” A half dozen or so tours of duty in native state of New Jersey between 1776 and 1780 as Fifer, armed guard, runner (bullets) adding up to over two years service.

Nathaniel Meade (1750-1816)

James Stewart (1752-1800)

James Stewart was born May 20, 1752. He was a captain of the 3rd company of the Fifth regiment of the New York line, mustered Nov. 21, 1776, and continued until a derangement of officers was effected in January, 1781. He married Dec. 3, 1778, Mary Rowe, in the Lutheran Church in Red Hook, Dutchess County. He died July 6, 1800, aged 48 years, 1 month and 16 days, and was laid to rest in the Rowe family burying ground in Milan. On Sep. 13, 1800, his brother Henry of Stanford signed an affidavit as to his death, and the widow Mary and son Henry L Stewart were appointed administrators of his estate.

The births and baptisms of four of his children were recorded in the Rhinebeck Flats Dutch Church. Children: Henry [L], May 13, 1779; m. Mary Lewis John, Dec. 9, 1780 Isabella, Dec. 5, 1782 William, Sep. 18, 1784 James. ~ “Stewart Clan Magazine,” 1922.

William Stewart (1738-1788)

Captain in the war. Born 1738 in Scotland, he lived in what is now Milan from 1769 until his death March 10, 1788. He married Catherine Rowe, daughter of founder Johannes Row, who received a veterans pension until her death in Milan in 1844. Their son James received the pension as late as 1855 at which point it was actually increased, and he is cited as the only living child.

Profile of Captain Stewart by his descendant Sarah Hermans

Honoring Our Veterans

Blog Post #1: 2017 DEC 10 ~ Keeping History Alive

Reading “Burton Coon Tells of Trip” to Gettysburg is timely as we honor our veterans. As Burton describes his visit, we not only follow along with him (about 80 years ago) but are also there with the soldiers fighting in the Civil War. We stand in memory at “the 150th NY monument – General Ketcham’s regiment, whose ranks were filled with Dutchess County boys.” Then, we enter “the Valley of Death where brave men fought brave men with the fury of madness”…