Joseph Conger (1768-1842) was a resident of New Fairfield, Connecticut. In 1776 he served as a private in Captain William Hubbell’s Company of Col. David Waterbury’s 5th Regiment of Connecticut Volunteers (mid 1775 to 1776), and may have served in other Connecticut forces. Joseph Conger was in the 12th Regiment of Connecticut Militia from New Jersey 1775 Revolutionary War Volunteer’s of 1776, Captain W.G. Hubbell, Colonel David Waterbury Jr. (there were three David Waterbury’s in the Revolutionary War, all with regiment numbers), and spent the winter at the Upper Barracks (Broadway and Chambers Streets) in New York. He was not engaged in any battles. He was sick during this time in New York when said island was taken by the British. He was annually employed in forage parties in procuring lamb fat (for) curing. In April 1776 he again enlisted at New Fairfield for 6 months, but was in the hospital and discharged in 1777 and was drafted in the Connecticut State Militia, Lieutenant Amos Hubbell’s Regiment and went to the “Philipp Patent” (land owned by Phillips, Philipse, Dymond, Dimond, or Diman families on the Connecticut/NY border) on the Hudson River under Captain Hubbell and Lieutenant William Phelps.
Pvt. Conger is listed in the Complete Roster of Col. David Waterbury Jr. Regiment of the Connecticut Volunteers. (This journal was published with historical notes, complied from authentic historical sources kept by the colonel.) Joseph is listed with his brothers Elijah Conger (born June 24, 1755, who applied for a pension in 1832 #S12544), and Jesse Conger (born about 1764, of whom no pension record has been found). All three sons were born to Joseph Conger and Hannah Pepper.
Joseph Conger’s service record: 1775 Autumn for four months as a private in Captain Gaylor Hubbell’s Company under Lt. Phelps, including February in New York; 1776 April for six months, Captain Gaylor Hubbell’s Company; 1777 for two months, Captain Gaylor Hubbell’s Company; 1777 for 14 days, Captain Gaylor Hubbell’s Company.
In a predominantly Tory section of the state, the people of Fairfield were early supporters of the cause for independence. They were the FIRST regiments responding to a call for volunteers for the defense of New York against the British in the American Revolution.
Joseph Conger lived in New Fairfield until after the war and then moved to Columbia County, New York (now the town of Ancram), and resided there 12 years, then moved to Paris, Oneida County, New York. For the next 14 years of his life he resided at Sangerfield, Oneida County, New York. After his marriage to Phoebe Eggleston, he apparently remained in that vicinity for some time. When the first U.S. census was taken in 1790, he is shown as being head of a family in Columbia, New York, at which time the family consisted of one male over 16 (himself), three males under sixteen (sons Jesse, Abel, Parley), and one female over sixteen, his wife. He moved later to Stockwell, Oneida County, New York, where he died and is buried.
References and Notes
At Utica, Oneida County, New York July 20, 1832, Joseph Conger [1758] aged 74, a resident Sangerfield, Oneida County, New York stated that he was born in 1758 in Fairfield, Connecticut. Pension certificate (S. 9223) was issued May 29, 1833 at Sangerfield, NY $70.50 paid 8 months, 14 days were allowed and 28.20 per annum. (Conger Family of America, Vol. I pg 335-7.)
Charles L. Conger in LDS library microfilm SLC #0000000403 and #000000404 1942 for Lib of Congress 2/2004.
Connecticut Revolutionary Pensioners complied by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Baltimore Publishing Co., Inc. 1982 Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 82-81255, Abstract of pension S 9223.
Pension record found in SAR Library microfilm 2003.
Joseph Conger was in the 12th Regiment of Conn Militia from New Jersey 1757 Rev. War Volunteers, 1776, Captain WG Hubbell, of Col David Waterbury Jr. Regiment. Clark, A.H. Complete Roster of Col. David Waterbury Jr. Regiment of the Connecticut Volunteers. A.S. Clark, 174 Fulton St., New York, 1897.