Jeremiah Everett, Private of Marines

Jeremiah Everett. According to his pension application #W-21081, Jeremiah Everett enlisted as a Marine Private on the Confederacy in New London on 22 February 1779 and served for 2 years 5 months until he received an honorable discharge in Philadelphia. This would put the date of his discharge about July of 1781, several months after the capture of the Confederacy. A man with this name appears on the prisoner list of the Jersey prison ship suggesting that he served on the Confederacy when captured. His original pension application inaccurately claims he was wounded in action with an English vessel off the Coast of France, a part of his shin bone carried off by an enemy cannonball. Later records suggest the incident occurred on the Delaware River near Chester, his right leg fractured by the carriage wheel of a cannon. Other records indicate Everitt’s service from 22 February to 20 August 1779 when he was discharged. In any event, his right leg was broken below the knee and worsened over time requiring the use of two crutches to walk. Apparently, his leg broke again after marriage to his wife Maria born in 1769, whom he called Polly. They were married by the Reverend John Schuneman at Catskill, Greene Co., NY on 9 August 1786. They had three children, the first born who died at birth, a son who was killed in the War of 1812 and their youngest daughter Lydia who was born on 3 March 1791 and was married to Caleb Carpenter. Caleb and Lydia had children Elizabeth, Catherine, Jeremiah and Henry Hiller, all born between 1813 and 1823. Jeremiah Everett’s occupation is noted as “maker of mast hoops for vessels.” Jeremiah Everett died of the mortification of his leg wound on 27 December 1827 in Livingston, Columbia Co., NY where he lived from his marriage until his death. After Everett’s death, his wife Maria resided first in Hudson later moving in with her daughter and living in Granfort in 1848. Jeremiah’s pension allowance was $30 per year. His invalid pension was granted on 4 March 1794. He got a increase in his allowance to $48 beginning 24 April 1816. He was placed on the pension rolls again on 24 August 1819, with the commencement of $96 per year pension beginning 18 May 1818.