In colonial times Henry William Nelles lived at Canajohary on the Mohawk River. During the American Revolution he served as a Captain in the Indian Department at Fort Niagara. Following the war he settled in Seneca Township, Haldimand County. The following is his Claim for Revolutionary War Losses heard by the Commissioners of Claims at Niagara on 23 Aug 1787. (AO 12 Vol. 32 P. 238-242)
Account of the Loss sustained by Henry Wm Nellis [sic] formerly of Canajohary on the Mohawk River in the Province of New York and lately Captain in the Indian Department at Niagara in the Province of Quebec
No 1 By a deed of Gift from Wm Nelles dated Feby} N. Y. Curry / Sterling
10th 1767 of 232 acres of Land 150 Acres of}
which are improved and upwards of 300}
bearing fruit Trees at £9 p acre York Cury} £1350
82 Acres fenced & partly improved at £5 p acre – 410
A Stone House a Framed House with 2 Barns and}
Outhouses} 800
N Y Curry £2660 — £1440
No 2 By a deed of Purchase from Fredk Geler dated}
7th Feby 1775 of 100 Acres 30 acres of which are}
improved and a few bearing fruit Trees}
thereon at £6 p acre ….} £ 180
70 Acres of Wood Land at £2 …. 140
A Framed House thereon …. 50
£ 370 — 208.2.6
No 3 By a Deed of Purchase from John Haddock
dated 7th July 1773 of 100 Acres
25 Acres of Improved Land at £5 …. £125
75 Acres Wood Land at £2 …. 150
A Framed House & Barn thereon …. 25
£300 — 168.15
No 4 By a deed of Purchase from Hendrick
Nelles dated 23d Jany 1772 of 100 Acres
5 Acres of which Improved at £5 …. £25
95 Acres Wood Land at £2 …. 190
£215 — 120.18.9
No 5 By a deed of Purchase from Warner Tygert}
dated 6th October 1769 of 100 Acres of Wood}
Land at £2} £200 — 112.10
No 6 By a deed of Purchase from John Hadock}
Dated 6 June 1767 of 50 Acres of Wood Land}
At £2} £100 — 56.5
Carried Forward £2106.11.3
Brought Forward £2106.11.3
No 7 By a deed of Gift from Robt Nelles dated}
18th March 1779 of 100 Acres of Wood}
Land at £2} £200 — 112.10
A Saw Mill with 2 Saws and all necessary}
utensils thereto belonging} 300 — 168.15
2 Waggons 4 Plows 4 Sheds 2 Horses}
with Carpenters Tools & Farming utensils}
of all Kinds} 200 — 112.10
36 Head of black Cattle large & Small at £3 – £108
24 Horses at £10 - £240 66 Sheep at 10/ - 33 – 273
25 Hogs large and small at 20/ – 25
1 Negro £100 1 Negro £80 1 Negro £50 3 Negroes £150 — 380
£786
Sundries recovered of the above mention’d
Losses vizt
1 Negro £100 1 Negro £80 2 Negroes £100 …. £280
18 Head of Cattle at £3 …. 54
14 Horses at £10 …. 140
25 Sheep £12.10 & 10 Hoggs £10 …. 22.10
496.10
£289.10 — 162.16.10
Sundry Household Furniture …. 100 — 56.5
Sterling – £2719.8.5 ½
Niagara December 7th 1787 –
I do hereby attest and declare that the above is a just and true Account
(Signed) Henry Wm Nelles
Sworn before me at Niagara}
The date above mentioned} (Signed) R. Hamilton J. P.
Niagara in the Province of Quebec this Seventh day of December in the year One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty Seven—
Personally appeared before me R. Hamilton one of His Majestys Justices of the Peace for the Province aforesaid the within named Henry William Nellis and produced the original Right and Deeds to his Lands as specified in the within account and declared that he fully intended to send them to the Commissioners Office in Montreal by the earliest opportunity of Spring they being too bulky for the winter Express. –
(Signed) R. Hamilton J. P.
Personally appeared before me at Niagara this Seventh day of December One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty seven Henry William Nelles of Niagara in the Province of Quebec Settler and being duly Sworn Deposed that he held the Estates entitled from No @ 7 by Deeds of Gift and Purchase as specified in the within Schedule. – This Deponent further Declares there was no mortgage or debt on either of the said Farms specified in his account— (Signed) Henry Wm Nelles
Sworn before me at Niagara}
In the Province of Quebec this}
7th day of December 1787. —} (Signed) R. Hamilton J. P.
Personally appeared before me at Niagara this Seventh day of December one thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Seven Adam Young of Niagara in the Province of Quebec Settler and being duly Sworn Maketh Oath that he knew the said Henry Wm Nelles to be in possession of the said Farms specified in his account of which he has Deeds for the same and that to the best of his Knowledge he the said Henry Wm Nelles possessed Houses Stock Utensils and Furniture as specified in that account amountg to Two thousand Seven hundred and Nineteen Pounds Eight Shillings and one penny half penny Sterling which the Deponent declares he does not think valued above their real Worth. – He further declares that these Estates were Confiscated by the Americans, in consequence of his Henry Wm Nellis’s attachment to Government. Adam Young made his mark.
Sworn before me at Niagara}
in the Province of Quebec this 7th}
day of December 1787} (Signed) R. Hamilton J. P.
Personally appeared before me at Niagara this seventh day of December One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty Seven John Young of Niagara in the Province of Quebec Settler and being duly Sworn maketh Oath that he knew the said Henry Wm Nellis to be in possession of the said Farms specified in his account of which he has Deeds for the same and that to the best of his Knowledge he the said Henry Wm Nellis possessed thereon Stock utensils and Furniture as specified in that account amounting to Two Thousand Seven Hundred and Nineteen Pounds Eight Shillings and one penny half penny Sterling which the Deponent declares he does not think valued above their Real Worth. – He further declares that these Estates were Confiscated by the Americans, in consequence of his Henry Wm Nellis’s attachment to Government. (Signed) John Young
Sworn before me at Niagara}
in the Province of Quebec this 7th}
day of December 1787} (Signed) R. Hamilton J. P.
Decision of the Commissioners
(AO 12 Vol. 64 P. 355)
Henry William Nelles late of Canajohary
Claim,
Amount of Property £346
Determination 26th May 1788
Loyalty Bore Arms} The Claimant is a Loyalist and Bore arms in Support of the British Government
Losses
Real Estate: 232 Acres with Improvements on the}
Mohawk River} £650
100 Acres near [the Mohawk River] 120
100 Acres near [the Mohawk River] 105
100 Acres near [the Mohawk River] 15
A Saw Mill on [the Mohawk River] 70
960
Pers Estate 2 Negoes £ 90
Various articles of Personal Property 178
268
Confiscation proved £1228
Claims disallowed
The Claim for 100 Acres on the Mohawk and 50 Acres on ditto for want of Cultivation—
The Claim for 100 Acres on ditto being purchased during the Troubles—
Resides on the Grand River
(AO 12 Vol. 109 P. 236 Certificate No. 1680)
Name of claimant Henry Wm Nelles; Province N York; Claim for Loss of Property £3116; Sum Originally Allowed £1228; Total Sum payable under Act of Parliament £1228; Balance After Such Receipt £1228; Final Balance £1228
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In colonial times John Obenholt a native of America, lived in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. During the American Revolution he aided the British and joined them in New York and died there in 1780. His widow continued in Bucks County. Her son John Obenholt filed the Claim for Losses on her behalf heard by the Commissioners of Claims at Niagara on 23 Aug 1787. (AO 12 Vol. 40 P. 332-333)
August 27th 1787
Evidence on the Claim of Widow Obenholt late of Pennsylvania
The oldest son of John ObenhoIt appears and Claimant affirms.
That this is a Claim of his Father’s Estate. It is entered in his mother’s Name, but was sent home by Claimant & was intended to be a Claim for the whole Family.
His Father, John Obenholt was a native of America lived in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, he aided the British all he could, joined them at New York in the year 1780, he had been active in assisting British officers to get cross the Delaware, this being known he was obliged to Fly, he had been committed for high Treason, broke Goal and got to New York. Died there in 1780, made no Will.
Left Elizabeth his widow now living in Bucks County. –
Claimant, his eldest Son. –
John, now about 16 years of age now in the Colonies. –
Claimant lived with his Father when the Rebellion broke out. – He staid till his Father went to New York. – Claimant had been active in carrying some of the Soldiers who were taken Prisoners under Burgoyne. – He went to New York once or twice on this Business to carry in Prisoners, on no other occasion. – Continued in the States till last Fall –
His Father had a Farm and Mill in Bucks County—Purchased 24 or 25 years ago, there were 260 acres, a Grist Mill, two Houses and 2 Barns. –
The Deeds are in the Colonies, but a Copy has been sent to England, thinks his Father gave 700 or £800 for it. –
This Estate has been valued at £1100 Pennsylvania Currency –
It has been Confiscated & Sold. A Certificate of Sale is sent to England.
His Father had a considerable moveable Estate which were Seized and Sold.
3 Horses, 5 Cows, 12 Sheep, 6 Hogs, considerable Furniture, Hay, taken and sold.
Decision of the Commissioners
(AO 12 Vol. 66 P. 59)
Obenhold Widow of John Obenholt late of Bucks County
Claim
Amount of Property £660
Determination 7th December 1787
Loyalty. The late John Obenholt was a Loyalist – his Representatives never joined the British Army during the War – and continued Inhabitants of the United States of America The Board therefore do not consider them as Objects of the Act of Parliament.
Observation
Claimant is an Inhabitant of the United States of America
The Second Report of The Bureau of Archives for the Province of Ontario, 1904 transcribed from Library of Congress MSS 18,662 Vol. XX MSS. 38-39 in Second Report P. 972
Proceedings of Loyalist Commissioners
Montreal 1787
Before Commissioner Pemberton
August 27th.
Claim of Widow Obenholt, late of Pensilva.
Repeats the evidences in AO 12 with the following marginal notes of the Commissioner:
“No Loyalist, nor any of the family now living.”
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