David Niver and Peter Flansburgh - Revolutionary War Veterans maybe?

 

The Argus, October 22, 1903

This obituary for Peter Niver (1810-1903) recalls his grandfathers, David Niver and Peter Flansburgh, both of whom are stated to be soldiers of the Revolutionary War. The trouble is that I can't definitively document that service in the historical record. Sigh.

Let's start with David Niver. 

This is what the obit has to say

Niver was a subaltern officer, first sergeant in Captain Conrads Van Dalsten’s company, under General Schuyler, and was present at the surrender of General Burgoyne at Stillwater, October 27, 1777.

David Niver does turn up on our list of Revolutionary War soldiers "from" Bethlehem. 

Where he does not turn up is in New York in the Revolution or any other pension, payroll, or muster roll that I can find including the D.A.R. and the S.A.R.

The Nivers* that do turn up are William (The Line, 5th Regiment), Jacob (Dutchess County Militial)  and Michael (DAR says Albany County Militia but he is not in NY and the Rev).  Also Johannis Nives served with the Albany County Militia (Land Bounty Rights, 10th Regiment) under Capt. Conrad Cline. There is also a Marks Nives in that same company. 

An unpublished genealogy from the family says that Johann Michael Neifer (and his wife Margerita Gehring) had six kids, one of whom was Johann David Neifer. 

Johann David Neifer and his wife Margarite (or Grite) Wagonor were definitely in the Bethlehem area by the early 1790s as they served as witnesses to the baptism of children at the First Reformed Church and the Jerusalem Reformed Church.  Also, according to the obit, David "purchased a tract of land in colonial times lying partly in the towns of Bethlehem and Coeymans, then a primeval forest" that in part of which was still in the family in 1903.

So I'm thinking Joannis Nives, Johann David Niefer and David Niver are all the same person. Maybe.

Other details about David's service from the obit are interesting.  Col. Philip P. Schulyer and his 3rd Regiment, Albany County Militia were definitely at the Battle of Saratoga but I can't find a Niver or a Van Dalsten listed. 

There is a John Van Dalfsan from Coeymans who is listed as part of Albany County Militia, land bounty rights, 11th regiment. Van Dalfsan - Van Dalsten - maybe? The whole obit entry is just so specific, you'd think I'd be able to track it down in the record.  But nope.

The thing to remember is that the obit was written when no one living had actual first hand knowledge of the soldiers mentioned. Maybe Peter Niver knew his grandfather and heard his stories, but he would have been very young, (Peter was born about 1810, his grandfather (if he was Johann David) died in 1816 when Peter was 6 years old.) 

Oh, and what about Peter Flansburgh? Was he a Revolutionary solider "active in service on our northern frontier a long time" as the obit says? He is not on our Bethlehem "from" list and nor on the Coeymans "from" list.

 But low and behold, there is a Peter Flansburgh serving under Col. Schuyler in the 3rd Regiment Albany County Militia.  Along with Peter, there is a David, Denal and John Flansburg.

And remember Captain Winne's company on the west side of the river?  It lists Sgt William Flansburg, and privates Matthew F., Daniel, Peter and Peter Jr. 

So why didn't Peter Flansburg make our "from" the list? 

List of the Names belongs to Capt William D Winne Company

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*And yes I tried to check every alternative spelling: Kniver, Niver, Neuffer, Nifer, Niser, Knyver, Neifer, and Niphes 

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And a fun little Niver/Flansburg family tidbit... the guy above with the obituary, Peter Niver, his parents were John Niver and Elizabeth Flansburgh. His aunt and uncle were Margarita Niver and John Flansburg. John and Margarita were siblings and Elizabeth and John Flansburg were siblings.