Friday, July 3, 2015

Martin Adsit Fought for Independence - 52 Ancestors #27

For this week's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge from blogger Amy Crow Johnson of No Story Too Small, the theme is Independent, as in Independence Day! Which ancestor fought for America’s independence?

I have several Revolutionary War ancestors. I have previously blogged about 4th great grandfather, John Gorin (my DAR patriot), 4th great grandfather, Noah Davenport and 5th great grandfather, John Willet.

Another 4th great grandfather who served in the Revolution is Martin Adsit.

The NSDAR (National Society Daughters of the American Revolution) Genealogical Research System Ancestor Search summarizes Martin Adsit's service as:
Service Source: Roberts, NY in the Rev, p 70
Service Description: 1) Col Wessenfield [sic: should read Weissenfels]

New York in the Revolution as Colony and State can be found at Google Books with Martin Adsit listed as an enlisted man in "The Levies" under Colonel Frederick Weissenfels (page 54). (Col. Weissenfels has an article at Wikipedia.) The Weissenfels' Regiment of Levies (1781–82) was a militia unit from New York which fought in support of the American cause.

At Ancestry.com, there is an index for the Muster and Pay Rolls of the War of the Revolution, 1775-1783 indicating that Martin Adsit, serving under [Frederick] Wissenfells, was listed as a patient in the General Hospital at Albany between October 31, 1781 and November 7, 1781, with a fever.

I have not been able to determine if Martin participated in any battles. It appears that "Levies" were a group of soldiers selected from the ranks of the militia for additional training. These troops were then used to fill in the ranks of regular troops or as independent units. Often Levies served in the forts along the frontier counties in New York in order to stop raids carried out by Indian forces and Loyalists led by British officers.

I also found his name on a list of men due payment for their services:

[Source: Ancestry.com. U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783. Original data: Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls); War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Record Group 93; National Archives, Washington. D.C.; Regiment : Van Rensselaer´s Reg of Militia (Folder 160) - Whiting´s Reg of Militia, 1777-1781 (Folder 172)]
~~~~~~~

Martin Adsit was born on December 4, 1762, in Dutchess County, New York to Benjamin Adsit (who also served in the Revolution) and Rhoda Chadwick. [Source: Frank J. Doherty, The Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Dutchess County, New York, as well as the NSDAR GRS.]

He lived in Hillsdale, Columbia County, New York between 1790 and 1810, where I find his name in census records. The Adsit Family genealogy [Newman Ward Adsit, Descendants of John Adsit of Lyme, Connecticut] states that he married Rhoda Haight in Dutchess County, and that she died in 1813. His oldest child, Charlotte, was born about 1780, so he must have married very young (age 17 or 18) before being conscripted to fight in the Revolution.

After the war, he returned home and fathered ten more children, though I don't have dates for all of them. It's a little unclear when he died. Settlers of the Beekman Patent notes that there is a will for him dated June 13, 1842, and the Adsit genealogy has a death date of August 13, 1844, but the NSDAR GRS notes that his death date is after May 17, 1845. In any case, it looks like he lived into his 80s.

More information about my Adsit line can be found at Surname Saturday ~ Adsit of Lyme, Connecticut.

I descend from Martin Adsit through his second child as follows:

Martin Adsit
|
Charles Chapin Adsit
|
Elizabeth Adsit
|
Charles McAlpin Pyle, Jr.
|
Me

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