THE SMITH FAMILY AFFAIR
Some actions of the Tories struck closer to home than
others. John Smith, ancestry unknown, but possibly the
John Smith in Capt. Isaac Ter Bush's company which
mustered 1762 for the French War. This John Smith was
born New England, age 54 [b. ca. 1708] a carpenter, in
Lt. Conklin's Co. 5" 8'. [NYMR 450]. Our John Smith was
living on a 201 acre farm in lot 19, at the intersection
of Waterbury Hill and Parliman Roads in present day
Union Vale, at the time of the Revolution. His rent was
20 bushels of wheat, 2 fowls and 1 days riding per
year. He was most likely the man taxed as John Smith
"on Ketcham's farm" June 1765-69 and then as 'John
Smith' through 1778. He was appointed 1st Lieut. in
Captain Israel Vail's company of Militia under Col.
James Vanderburgh 10 March 1778. When changes were next
made in this company, 20 Oct. 1779, the records show,
"Samuel Curtis, 1st Lieut, Vail's Company, vice John
Smith, deceased." Our story is about Lieut. John Smith,
deceased, and his sons. [Our sources are affidavits
from pension applications, newspaper accounts of the
time, Clinton Papers manuscripts, and data we have
gathered for the genealogies of the several families
involved.] We begin with a newspaper account of the
final chapter of the story:
New-York Journal and General Advertiser of 11 Oct
1779.
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"We hear from Oswego, in Dutchess County, that Lieut.
John Smith, lately died there of the small-pox, a few
days after his return from New-York where he and his two
sons had been prisoners, and where, when he came out by
exchange, he left them confined. They were all, about
three months ago, feloniously made prisoners (by the
notorious Charles Vincent jun. and Gabriel Wright, now
prisoners for felony, in Poughkeepsie goal) and carried
to New-York, where among other instances of barbarous
usage, persons infected with the small pox, were brought
into the room where they were confined, on purpose, it
appeared, to give them the infection. Mr. Smith, at the
time remonstrated, tho' in vain, against the cruel
treatment, telling them that they might as well murder
him at once."
The pension application of John Smith Jr. provides
more detail of the events: [Rev. Pens. W-19061]. [John
Smith Jr. was born at Beekman 27 Feb. 1759, and died at
Clinton, Dutchess County 14 Nov. 1836.]
Affidavit of John Smith Jr. On 26 Sept. 1832 he test-
ified for a pension and gave some details about his cap-
ture and that of his father and brother. "He enlisted
in Captain Israel Vail's Company .... in 1779 ....
returned to Fishkill, was guard to a court martial and
was then between the 4th and 8th of July taken prisoner
by a party [of] the enemy, Cowboys &c. Was carried to
headquarters of the enemy at Philips near Kingsbridge,
was there put on board a vessel and two days after sent
to New York, was put in prison in the sugar house[;]
there were about 500 other prisoners there at the time,
deponant remained in the sugar house a prisoner about
seven months, was then removed to the jail in New York
(late the debtors jail in the Park), staid there two
months a prisoner & was exchanged the latter part of May
1780, and went home to Beekman. Deponant served six
weeks before he was taken and was a prisoner ten months.
His father's Bible is in the possession of his brother
Moses in Albany."
Affidavit of Moses Smith, son of John Smith Sr:
"Deponant also well remembers that the said John
Smith afterwards went out with the regiment in 1779, and
was taken prisoner and remained a prisoner until the
next summer[;] deponants father John Smith and brother
Alexander Smith were taken prisoner by the enemy at the
same time and said Alexander was exchanged and came home
together with the said John Smith."


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Affidavit of Daniel S. Dean: