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by Willis T. Hanson Jr. (Author)
The town of Schenectady and its surrounding district played an important role in the Revolutionary War, thanks to its strategic location along the Mohawk River, a crucial link in the line of supplies for the Revolutionary effort. The early pioneers of the town were primarily Dutch, but a number of Irish, English, Scotch-Highlander and Scotch-Irish, and Palatine German immigrants settled in the region as well. Based primarily on the minutes of the area's Committees of Safety, this History is arranged in two parts. The first part, which details the Schenectady District's participation in the Revolutionary conflict, names numerous residents and is peppered with footnotes giving biographical and historical information. The second part, which comprises more than half of the volume, focuses on military service records. Organized alphabetically by surname, the information given includes some or all of the following for each listing: date of enlistment; name of soldier's military unit; rank and details of military career; reason for discharge; birth or baptism date; death date; place of residence prior to military service and, if survived, career after service; place of burial; and whether soldier or widow received pensions.
