GenMassachusetts-L Archives

From: "Teena Kasler" <>
Subject: [GM-L] German ancestor
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 23:44:46 -0400

I am looking for help in tracking down my ancestor, who was a german soldier during the American Revolution. He and about 490 of his fellow soldiers were captured at the Battle of Bennington on August 16, 1777. My ancestor, also named Michael Kasler (Johann Michael Kasler, Kastler, Castle, Kessler), was wounded during this battle. What I am looking for is what happened to all of these men.

The german soldiers that were captured later, after Saratoga, became what is known as the Convention Army. They were made prisoners-of-war, and marched to Winter Hill near Cambridge, Mass., where they stayed for about one year, until marhced to Virginia. The captured troops from the Battle of Bennington were not a part of this group. Instead, they were marched to Boston harbor where they were kept aboard prison ships, and then marched inland. There was a prison barracks built near Rutland, Mass. where many of these soldiers went. Almost all of them, however, were "farmed-out" to the local inhabitants who were more than glad to take advantage of the help. I have been told that my ancestor is listed as being at the Rutland camp in 1782, however I have been unable to find any verification of that. My first, and perhaps biggest question is, Does anyone know where there are any muster rolls/prison lists for these german troops in Massachusetts????

These men went all over the state when "farmed-out". I do not yet know where my ancestor went, but family history tells that he was an "apprentice" for an innkeeper for three years. This three year period may be significant, as the local inhabitants were allowed to indenture a german soldier for three years if he paid the government eighty dollars for "parole". I have often wondered if there were any indenture certificates out there somewhere....

At some point in time, my ancestor married Susanna Minckler. She is listed in the church book of the Rev. Gideon Bostwick at the Congregational Church in Great Barrington as baptising a daughter in February of 1780. No father is listed, but I suspect my ancestor. They are shown together in the 1790 census for west Stockbridge. An interesting note to this; the first name in the church book before the baptism of Susanna's daughter is the baptism of a son to Jacob and Abigail Fleming. Their names are also the first before my ancestor's name on the 1790 census. There is a connection here somehow. I have found Jacob and Abigail Fleming to have been married in Brimfield in 1778. Brimfield is one of the towns where many german soldiers were housed...

I live in Ohio, and am not able to do the kind of "hands-on" research that I would like to do within the state of Massachusetts. Therefore, I would greatly appreciate any imput that anyone may be able to offer me into this portion of my family history. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks!!!!

Michael Kasler

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• [GM-L] German ancestor by "Teena Kasler" <>