Jonas BELKNAP

                   Jonas Newton Belknap - however, this compiler can find no
primary record where this man is named Jonas Newton.  It appears
that genealogical researchers arbitrarily assigned the name to
distinguish him from his son.
Belknap Genealogy:  Probably falssifying his age, since he was
less than sixteen years old, Jonas Belknap enlisted on 3 May,
1775 in the MA Militia in the Revolutionary War.  Sometime in
the fall of 1776, in NY, he enlisted in the Continental Army. On
30 May, 1778 he was wounded at Cobers Kiln.  He served to the
end of the war and was discharged with the rank of Sergeant, 10
Jun., 1783, at Newburgh, NY (Belknap genealogy, page 81).
Elsewhere, Cober's Kiln is spelled Cobuskill. Both of these
could be a phonetic spelling of the location known as
Cobleskill, NY (ibid., pages 85-86).  While on leave from the
Army, he married Esther Parker, 17 Jan., 1783, at the
Belchertown (MA) Congregational Church.  Their first two
children were baptised at the Belchertown church (ib9d. page
81).
Jonas and family migrated to Cherry Valley, Otsego county, NY
where at least two children were born.  He then moved on to
Ontario county, NY (ibid, page 82).  Ontario county at the time
covered the entire western portion of the state.  They lived in
and around Middletown (then known as Pittstown or Richford) and
Hobbs Hollow (later known as Honeoye) Ontario county; and then
in Springwater, Livingston county, NY.  In this area the
children grew up, married and started their own families. Jonas'
first wife Esther died at Springwater in 1809 (ibid.).
Soon after 1815, the children migrated in what could be called
a zigzag fashion forming close knit family colonies;  Hart and
Hardwin counties, Kentucky; then Licking county, OH and onward
(ibid).
Jonas married his second wife Rachel in time to be enumerated in
the 1810 census, Bristol, Ontario county, NY.  She died in that
county in 1815.  In December, 1820, a pension affidavit showed
he is in Hardin county, Kentucky with third wife Tamar and a
daughter Diantha, age nine.  It is not known if Diantha is a
natural daughter or step-daughter (ibid.).
Jonas died in 1824, and by 1830 all the Kentucky children had
moved to Licking county, OH. Orin, the youngest son of Jonas
stayed in Ontario county, NY and came to Licking county, OH
sometime before 1830 (ibid., page 83).
Compiler's comment:  The author of the Belknap genealogy does
not give his reasoning for Orin staying in Ontario county. While
the 1820 pension document does show Jonas in Hardin county,
Kentucky in late December, there is reason to believe that in
the summer of 1820 both Jonas and son Orin are in Martin county,
IN wherre they both showed up on the census.
Town of Springwater:  In the late 1790s, Jonas Belknap came to
the Springwater, NY area, being one of the first settlers.  Many
of the early settlers of this area exchanged their farms for
some wild land in Hardin county, Kentucky.  Jonas may not have
been one of these, but he did sell out in 1813 and went to
Kentucky (Town of Springwater, pages 55-56).
Compiler's comment:  Perhaps he sold out in 1813, but in 1818 he
applied for his Revolutionary War pension on 7 May, 1818 in
Ontario county, NY (Pension application file).
Census analysis:  This compiler has made an attempt to track
Jonas Belknap through the years.  The census is conducted every
ten years beginning in 1790, as required by the US Constitution.
This task is complicated because jurisdictions were constantly
changing boundaries in the early years as the population
migrated westward.  Another complication is that prior to 1850,
only the head of household was named.  From 1790 to 1840, the
other occupants of the household were listed by gender and age.
This is all further complicated by the fact that the household
members could be servants, hired hands, boarders, relatives,
etc.  Names in parenthesis below can be called the best guess
of the compiler.  In NY of 1790, Montgomery county took up a
large center portion of the state, which later consisted of over
twenty counties, including Otsego.  Jonas Belknap can not be
found, but in Canajoharie Town, Montgomery county, there is one
Jonas Belknap.  The gender and ages of this family are similar
to that of Jonas Belknap; one male over sixteen (Jonas), five
males 0-15 (Samuel, Elijah, Jonas, jr., Elisha, one unknown);
two females (wife of Jonas and one unknown).
in 1790, in the same Canajoharie town is found Elijah Parker and
Elijah Parker, Jr., probably father-in-law and brother-in-law of
Jonas.
In NY of 1800, Ontario county consisted of the western third of
the state, covering an area that later became ten counties,
including most of Livingston county.  In the town of Charleston,
Ontario county, page 368, we have Jonas Belknap; one male 26-44
(Jonas); four males 10-15 (Samuel, Elijah, Jonas, Jr., Elisha);
two males 0-9 (Jessie, Orin); one female 16-44 (wife of Jonas);
two females 0-9 (Susanna, Esther).  Some say that as Jonas
Belknap left NY for Kentucky as early as 1813, moving to either
Harding or Hart counties.  He can not be found in the 1820
Kentucky or NY census.  However, across the Ohio River from
Kentucky, in IN, Martin county, page 113, we have a Jonas
Belknap; one male over 44 (Jonas), one male 16-25(Orin), two
females 16-25 Jonas' third wife Tamar and his daughter Cynthia);
one female 0-9 (Diantha).
Montgomery and Otsego counties:  In the state of NY, Otsege
county was set off from Montgomery county in 1791 and then was
reorganised as two jurisdictions, Otsege and Cherry Valley.  The
town of Worcester was formed from Cherry Valley in 1797 (Town of
Worcester, pages 1-2).  In 1792, the Presbyterian Church was
started.  In 1812, this church became the Second Congregational
Curch (ibid. page 49).  In 1794, Jonas Belknap is listed as a
Revolutionary War pensioner residing in Cherry Valley, Otsego
county, NY. (Pension file).  In 1798, Jonas Belknap and wife
were admitted to the First Presbyterian Church, Worcester,
Otsego county, NY (Early Settlers of NY state, 2:184).
Compiler's comment:  It appears that Jonas Belknap was in Otsego
county in the early 1790s, and moved to Western NY in time to be
enumerated in the 1800 Census of Ontario county. Pension File:
As authorized by and act of the U.S. Congress, Jonas Belknap
applied for a pension of 27 May, 1818 in Ontario county, NY.  In
this application he relinquishes a previous pension granted for
a disability.  From statements made by him, and other documents
in his pension application file, it appears he enlisted in MA in
the spring of 1775, serving for eight months during which he was
in the Battle of Bunker Hill.  In January 1776 he enlisted at
Northampton, MA in Captains Keith's ompany, Colonel Jackson's
regiment and served until November 1777. By then he was sergeant
and was transferred to Captain Luke Day's company, Colonel John
Brook's regiment and served until June 1783, he was in the
battles of Bemus Heights, Cobleskill and Yorktown.  He was
wounded on 30 May, 1778 in the left side in an action at
Cobleskill with Indians and was pensioned from 4 September 1793
on account of that disability.
War Service:  Compiler's comment:  The following is an indexed
compilation.  As can be expected from works of this kind, there
are some discrepancies, but much of the data agrees with the
statements of Jonas Belknap in his pension application file.
Jonas Belknap of Belchertown, in Lieutenant Colonel John Brooks'
regiment;  age 22, five feet; light complexion, light hair;
enlisted November 1776 (MA Soldier's and Sailor's, 1:907).
Continental Army pay accounts from 1 January 1777 to 31 December
1779; Private Jonas Belknap, Captain Luke Day's company, Colonel
Brooks' (late Alden's) regiment (ibid.).
Dated South Hadley, 28 May 1777; Jonas Belknap enlisted three
years for town of Belchertown; joined Captain James Keit's
company, Colonel Michael Jachson's regiment (ibid.).  Dated
Cherry Valley, 24 February, 1779, Captain Day's company; return
of men in camp before 15 August 1777; Jonas Belknap (ibid.).
Continental Army Pay Accounts from 1 January 1780 to 31 December
1780; Captain Day's company, Colonel Brooks regiment; Corporal
Jonas Belknap reported as serving two months as private and ten
months as Corporal (ibid.).  20 February, 1782, Light Infantry
Company, Colonel Brook's (7th) regiment; Jonas Belknap, age 22
(also given as age 24); five feet, nine inches; light
complexion; light hair (also given as dark); farmer; residence
Belchertown; enlisted November 1777 (ibid.). Dated West Point,
January 1781, Captain William White's (light Inantry) company,
Lieutenant Brrok's regiment; Jonas Belknap on muster roll
(ibid.).  Muster rolls February 1781 to February 1782,
CaptainCoburn's (Light Infantry) company, Lieutenant Colonel
Brooks' Regiment; Jonas Belknap (ibid.).  Sergeant Jonas
Belknap, Light Infantry company, Lieutenant Colonel Brooks'
regiment.  Forty days leave given on 17 December, 1782 to go
from New Windsor to Belchertown; overstayed two days (ibid.).
Jonas Belknap discharged 10 June, 1783 by General Washington,
term of enlistment having expired; also recieved honorary badge
for faithful service, reported to have served from 15 November
1775 (ibid.).