Roger Strickland, Jr. in the Revolutionary War
Roger Strickland, Jr. was born at North Bolton (now the Town of Vernon), Tolland Co., Connecticut on 10 August 1758, the son of Roger Strickland, Sr. and Mercy Thrall. The family apparently removed northward to Hampshire Co., Massachusetts during the time leading up to the Revolutionary War because Roger Strickland, Jr. enlisted as a Private in Captain Nahum Ward's Company, Colonel David Wells' Hampshire County Militia Regiment on 22 September 1777. Roger was 19 years old.
The Regiment marched from Charlemont, Franklin Co., Massachusetts on the same day that Roger Strickland enlisted, with the objective of joining General Horatio Gates who was opposing British General Burgoyne in the vicinity of Saratoga, at the time part of Albany Co., New York. Burgoyne surrended to Gates on 17 October 1777. The Hampshire County Militia was discharged the following day, leaving the troops an 80-mile march to return home. Roger was credited with 1 month of service, including travel time.
More than two years would pass before Roger again enlisted for military service. On 5 January 1780, he became a Private in Captain John Carpenter's Company of Guards. This Company was stationed at Springfield in Hampden Co., Massachusetts, which adjoins the south boundary of Hampshire County. While a specific reference to the duties of Carpenter's Company of Guards is not easily found, its purpose may well have been to protect the nascent Springfield Armory, an arms depot and manufacturing site vital to the American war effort. Roger served in Springfield for 3 months with discharge on 5 April 1780.
Roger again enlisted as a Private on 12 August 1781, joining Captain Oliver Shattuck's Company, Lieutenant Colonel Barnabus Sears' Regiment, which was raised from Hampshire County Militia. This regiment probably served at least part of its duty at Deerfield in Franklin Co., Massachusetts, the adjacent county to the north of Hampshire County, as evidenced by a "roll" (possibly a muster roll or pay roll) dated at that location. Roger was discharged on 8 November 1781 having served 3 months and 2 days, including 5 days (100 miles) travel time. By this time, British General Cornwallis had surrendered at Yorktown, York Co., Virginia, and the British threat to the colonies was much reduced. Thus ended Roger Strickland, Jr.'s Revolutionary War service having served in total 7 months and 2 days.
Roger and Lydia remained in Pittsfield for perhaps another 2 or 3 years. Their first daughter, Dorcas Strickland, was born at Pittsfield on 17 November 1787. Their next child, however, Samuel Millard Strickland, was born at Pittsford, Rutland Co., Vermont on 5 June 1790. Pittsford is a considerable distance to the north of Roger and Lydia's previous location in Pittsfield, being due east of Lake George, New York.
Samuel Millard Strickland bears mention because he would later marry Sally Allen, a daughter of Gideon Allen, one of the pioneer settlers of the Town of Scipio, Cayuga Co., New York. One of Samuel and Sally's sons, Silas Allen Strickland, was a Brigadier General (brevet) during the Civil War, serving first with the 1st Nebraska Infantry and later with the 50th Ohio Infantry. Silas also was a prominent politician in Nebraska.
Roger and Lydia's second daughter, Sylvia Strickland, was also was born at Pittsford on 1 April 1792. But their next child, Abiathar Strickland, was born at Cherry Valley, Otsego Co., New York on 3 October 1794, indicating the next step in the family's westward migration. Their next four children, Hiram, Emile, Olive, and Salmon, were born in Otsego County by between 1796 and 1802.
The Regiment marched from Charlemont, Franklin Co., Massachusetts on the same day that Roger Strickland enlisted, with the objective of joining General Horatio Gates who was opposing British General Burgoyne in the vicinity of Saratoga, at the time part of Albany Co., New York. Burgoyne surrended to Gates on 17 October 1777. The Hampshire County Militia was discharged the following day, leaving the troops an 80-mile march to return home. Roger was credited with 1 month of service, including travel time.
More than two years would pass before Roger again enlisted for military service. On 5 January 1780, he became a Private in Captain John Carpenter's Company of Guards. This Company was stationed at Springfield in Hampden Co., Massachusetts, which adjoins the south boundary of Hampshire County. While a specific reference to the duties of Carpenter's Company of Guards is not easily found, its purpose may well have been to protect the nascent Springfield Armory, an arms depot and manufacturing site vital to the American war effort. Roger served in Springfield for 3 months with discharge on 5 April 1780.
Roger again enlisted as a Private on 12 August 1781, joining Captain Oliver Shattuck's Company, Lieutenant Colonel Barnabus Sears' Regiment, which was raised from Hampshire County Militia. This regiment probably served at least part of its duty at Deerfield in Franklin Co., Massachusetts, the adjacent county to the north of Hampshire County, as evidenced by a "roll" (possibly a muster roll or pay roll) dated at that location. Roger was discharged on 8 November 1781 having served 3 months and 2 days, including 5 days (100 miles) travel time. By this time, British General Cornwallis had surrendered at Yorktown, York Co., Virginia, and the British threat to the colonies was much reduced. Thus ended Roger Strickland, Jr.'s Revolutionary War service having served in total 7 months and 2 days.
Roger Strickland, Jr.'s Marriage to Lydia Millard and Migration Westward
Our next record of Roger Strickland, Jr. comes in 1786 at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Berkshire County is located along the Massachusetts-New York border adjacent to the west side of Hampshire County, Roger's previous location. Roger married Lydia Millard, daughter of Dr. Abiathar Millard and Tabitha Hopkins in Pittsfield on 8 February 1786, with Elder Valentine W. Rathbone of the Baptist Church officiating. Lydia Millard's sister, Phoebe, would later become the mother of Millard Fillmore, the 13th President of the United States.Roger and Lydia remained in Pittsfield for perhaps another 2 or 3 years. Their first daughter, Dorcas Strickland, was born at Pittsfield on 17 November 1787. Their next child, however, Samuel Millard Strickland, was born at Pittsford, Rutland Co., Vermont on 5 June 1790. Pittsford is a considerable distance to the north of Roger and Lydia's previous location in Pittsfield, being due east of Lake George, New York.
Samuel Millard Strickland bears mention because he would later marry Sally Allen, a daughter of Gideon Allen, one of the pioneer settlers of the Town of Scipio, Cayuga Co., New York. One of Samuel and Sally's sons, Silas Allen Strickland, was a Brigadier General (brevet) during the Civil War, serving first with the 1st Nebraska Infantry and later with the 50th Ohio Infantry. Silas also was a prominent politician in Nebraska.
Roger and Lydia's second daughter, Sylvia Strickland, was also was born at Pittsford on 1 April 1792. But their next child, Abiathar Strickland, was born at Cherry Valley, Otsego Co., New York on 3 October 1794, indicating the next step in the family's westward migration. Their next four children, Hiram, Emile, Olive, and Salmon, were born in Otsego County by between 1796 and 1802.
Roger Strickland, Jr. and the Settlement of Sempronius
Non-Native settlement of Sempronius, which at the time was part of the Onondaga Military Tract, began in 1793. The Town then encompassed the present-day towns of Niles and Moravia as well as present-day Sempronius. Cayuga County was erected on 8 March 1899, and Sempronius remained a very large tract until 20 March 1833 when Niles and Moravia were taken off.Initial settlement in Sempronius appears to have proceeded more slowly than in some other towns of the Military Tract. The 1800 federal census of Sempronius showed only 873 free whites, one other free person, and one slave at a time when Cayuga County as a whole had over 15,000 residents. Still, settlers continued to take up land in Sempronius in the following decade. One such settler was Roger Strickland, Jr., a Revolutionary War veteran who had gradually followed the frontier westward after the Revolution in company with his wife, Lydia Millard.
Roger Strickland, Jr. and the War of 1812
During the War of 1812, Sackets Harbor, Jefferson Co., New York became an intense center of ship-building and other military activity for control of Lake Ontario and would be the site of several battles between American and British forces. Sackets Harbor was said to have been the third largest city in New York State during the War because of the influx of civilian and military personal. Roger Strickland, Jr. enlisted for 5 years as a Private in the 13th United States Infantry Regiment at Auburn, Cayuga Co., New York on 11 January 1814, in the Company of Captain John Sproull. Captain Sproull provided the following description of Roger's appearance: "aged forty four years, light complexion, blue eyes, black hair. . . ." It is apparent that Roger may have misrepresented his age when he enlisted because he actually was 55 years old at the time! He went to Sackets Harbor where he served for nearly 6 months.
Roger's age may have worked against him when he faced his first inspection by an Assistant Inspector General. Roger was declared unfit for duty and ordered to be discharged from military service. Accounts differ as to Roger's condition. His family later recounted that he became sick while in the Army (typhus was common at the time) whereas an official who later reviewed Roger's application for military bounty land determined that Roger must have been unfit for duty at the time of his enlistment and denied his claim. In either case, he was discharged on 8 June 1814 and returned to his family in Sempronius. Roger's military pay for his nearly 6 months of service was not finally settled until 1821.
Roger's age may have worked against him when he faced his first inspection by an Assistant Inspector General. Roger was declared unfit for duty and ordered to be discharged from military service. Accounts differ as to Roger's condition. His family later recounted that he became sick while in the Army (typhus was common at the time) whereas an official who later reviewed Roger's application for military bounty land determined that Roger must have been unfit for duty at the time of his enlistment and denied his claim. In either case, he was discharged on 8 June 1814 and returned to his family in Sempronius. Roger's military pay for his nearly 6 months of service was not finally settled until 1821.
After the War of 1812
Roger Strickland, Jr. appears in the 1810, 1820, and 1830 federal censuses of Sempronius. Lydia bore three more children following the 1805 birth of Joel B. Strickland: Sally, Solomon E., and Mary Strickland, the last born on 24 February 1814, shortly after Roger had departed for military service. Little is known of the Strickland family's life during these years. A document by Captain Sproull in Roger's military pension files states that he was a Shoemaker prior to his War of 1812 service. Whether or not Roger was also a Farmer isn't known. Several of his sons would later be described as Shoemakers or Shoemakers and Farmers. They undoubtedly learned their trade from their father.
By the time of the 1830 census, two of Roger and Lydia's sons, Hiram and Joel B. Strickland, had married and appear near or adjacent to Roger in the census. The older children had earlier married or otherwise moved on, but 3 younger males and 2 younger females remained in the household in 1830. Roger died on 28 April 1832, presumably at his residence in Sempronius. No burial location and thus no memorial has been recorded for this Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veteran and early settler of Sempronius. This is unfortunate. We are left with a mystery as to his final resting place because his remaining family soon removed from Sempronius leaving little or no trace of their presence in the Town, perhaps indicating that Roger held little land to pass down.
By the time of the 1830 census, two of Roger and Lydia's sons, Hiram and Joel B. Strickland, had married and appear near or adjacent to Roger in the census. The older children had earlier married or otherwise moved on, but 3 younger males and 2 younger females remained in the household in 1830. Roger died on 28 April 1832, presumably at his residence in Sempronius. No burial location and thus no memorial has been recorded for this Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veteran and early settler of Sempronius. This is unfortunate. We are left with a mystery as to his final resting place because his remaining family soon removed from Sempronius leaving little or no trace of their presence in the Town, perhaps indicating that Roger held little land to pass down.
Farnham/Kenyon Abandoned Cemetery #194, Sempronius
One possible location for the burial of Roger Strickland, Jr. is in the Farnham/Kenyon Cemetery, Cayuga County Cemetery #194, the location of which has become obscured over time. This cemetery is known to have been located on or near Lot 56 in the vicinity of Sayles Corners and appears to be the closest cemetery to the probable location of Roger Strickland's death. In fact, the 1853 map of Sempronius shows a graveyard near the residence of an S. Butler on the east side of present-day Sayles Corners Road, southwest of the settlement of Sayles Corners. The 1875 map of Sempronius shows the same graveyard placed in Lot 66, just south of the location shown in 1853. Sometime after 1875, a road, rather imaginatively called the "New Road," was constructed either on or near the southern boundary of Lot 56, connecting Sayles Corners Road to present-day Hathaway Road. The intersecton of Sayles Corners Road and New Road appears to be between the cemetery locations shown on the 1853 and 1875 maps, but no trace of the cemetery remains, now being either lawn or garden for houses on either side of the intersection.Widow Lydia Millard Strickland
The married sons of Roger Strickland, Jr. who had not already removed from Sempronius apparently left the Town after their father's death. Hiram Strickland removed to the Town of Ira, Cayuga Co., New York where he remained as a Farmer until his death in 1886. A female aged 70<80 censued in Hiram's household in 1840 probably was his mother, Lydia. Solomon E. Strickland, Hiram's brother, also appears in Ira with a wife and young son in 1840.Joel B. Strickland removed to Alaiedon, Ingham Co., Michigan by March 1837 where he became the second or third pioneer settler in the Township. Joel's residence between 1833 and 1836 isn't known although he may have been briefly in Ira near his mother and brothers.
Lydia Millard Strickland was censused in the household of her son-in-law, Alonzo Twogood, at Onondaga, Ingham Co., Michigan in 1850. Alonzo was the husband of Lydia's youngest daughter, Mary, who would have been 18-years old at the time of her father's death. Lydia also appears in the household of another son-in-law, Jeremiah Fitzgerald, husband of Sylvia Strickland, at nearby Springport, Jackson Co., Michigan in 1850, having been censused at two locations that year.
Lydia Millard Strickland invested considerable effort, with the assistance of Mary and Alonzo Twogood and other relatives, attempting to collect a Widow's Pension for her husband's service in the Revolutionary War and Bounty Land for his service in the War of 1812. Lydia's family even enlisted the help of her nephew, President Millard Fillmore, who wrote a letter to the bounty land officials on her behalf. It appears that she was finally successful in 1858, retroactively collecting pension payments of $23.55 per annum dating from 1836. She also pursued and obtained land grants based on Roger Strickland's War of 1812 service. Lydia died in October 1859 at Onondaga. Her burial location is not known.
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