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- REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIER
Born on June 17, 1753, in Mannington Township of Salem County, New Jersey, Frederick Drollinger was the second son of GABRIEL DROLLINGER and ANNA MARGARETHA LOTTHOLTZ. There, he was christened in the Cohansey Lutheran Church, of which his father was an elder. Then, when he was about about seven years old, his parents moved to a farm in Pennsneck Township in Salem County, New Jersey, where he attended the nearby Lutheran Church. Nothing is accurately known about Frederick's youthful activities. It is assumed that he had his share of chores on the family farm. It is known that he married Hannah Summers, but the date and place of their marriage is unknown. During the Revolutionary War, Frederick served as a private in Captain Penton's Company, 2nd Regiment, of the Salem County, New Jersey Militia On his 24rd birthday, he enlisted on June 17, 1776, and served monthly tours of duty to the end of the war. He was in active service in 1777 and 1778, at the time of the Battle of Redbank, New Jersey. He was in the Battle of Quinton's Bridge in New Jersey on March 18, 1778. Frederick Drollinger died on June 3, 1841 in LaPorte County Indiana at the home of his son Gabriel who went to a Droliner or Druliner spelling of the name. He is buried in Hamilton Cemetery, St. Josephs County, Indiana. Frederick signed his name on his pension application as Drollinger. When he died he left two heirs, his son Gabriel in LaPorte and his son Joseph in New Jersey.
Born: June 18, 1754 Salem Co, New Jersey/ Born 1755 Germany
Died: June 3/30 1841 buried in Hamilton, St Joseph County, Indiana
Marker & Bronze Tablet placed by the Schuyler Colfax Chaper DAR
Service: Stryker, "Officers and Men of New Jersey" in the Rev War, page 579: Dar National numbers 238949 aand 253665 Enlisted from Salem Co, New Jersey., as a private in Capt Abner PENTON'S Co., Col Benj HOLMES'S New Jesery Regiment commanded part of the time by Major Edward HALL, as follows: June 17, 1776 - 2 months and 2 weeks early in 1777 - 3 motnhs July 1, 1777 3 months Jan 1778 - 3 months the greater part of this service was rendered at FT Mercer. in Gloucester Co., New Jersey
Proof: Pension claim S 10616: in the name of Frederick Drullinger in the county or Warrem, state of Ohio, he was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Penton in the regiment commanded by Col Holmes in New Jersey line for 21 months and 14 days. Certificate of pension issued the 17th day of September 1822 Lebanon at Warren County.
Married: Catherine HARWELL, had ten children names unknown
(Bible entry of David F.Stanger bible, Catherine Trullender wife of Frederick died Jan 22, 1829, 69 years) (Frederick died 1841 age 88 years)
Married: Hannah SUMMERS
Children:
Gabriel: Born 1777 Died 1851 married Caherine HORNELL
Joseph
Information collected by Ms Wm E BUSSE South Bend, and Miss Amanda McCOMB, South Bend, Indiana
1840 United States Federal Census
Name: Frederick Drollinger
Home in 1840 (City, County, State): La Porte, Indiana
Birth Year: abt 1753
Age: 87
Military Service: Veteran
1840 Indiana Census
Name: Frederick Drollinger
State: IN
County: La Porte County
Township: Age 87 No Township Listed
Year: 1840
Page: 183
Database: IN 1840 Pensioners List
In March 1778, a group of about 1500 British troops under the command of Charles Mawhood occupied the town of Salem. Their objective was to confiscate cattle, hay, and corn to bring across the Delaware River to Philadelphia, which was then controlled by the British.
Local citizens had moved some of the cattle south of Salem, past Alloways Creek to keep it from the British. Alloways Creek extends about thirty miles inland from the Delaware River, creating a natural southern boundary that could only be crossed at three bridges in the area: Quinton's Bridge, Hancock's Bridge about four miles east of here, and Thompson's Bridge about five miles to the west. Salem and Cumberland County militiamen took positions at the bridges to stop the British from moving past them.
The British made an attack on Quinton's Bridge on March 18. During the attack, the British lured about 200-300 of the militiamen across the bridge into an ambush feigning a retreat. The British had actually hidden some of their soldiers in a house near the creek, and when the militiamen moved past them, the soldiers rushed out of the house to cut off the militiamen's retreat to the bridge. Militiamen were captured or killed, but their defense of the bridge held, and the British were not able to cross Alloways Creek at Quinton's Bridge.
On March 21, 1778, just three days after British Loyalists and Hessian mercenary forces assault the local New Jersey militia at Quinton's Bridge, three miles from Salem, New Jersey, the same contingent surprises the colonial militia at Hancock's Bridge, five miles from Salem. During the battle, the Loyalists not only kill several members of the Salem militia, but also two known Loyalists.
In what amounted to a civil war for New Jersey, Colonel Charles Mawhood led the attack on Quinton's Bridge, and then threatened to burn the town of Salem and subject its women and children to the horrors of the Loyalist militia if the Patriot militia failed to lay down its arms. Colonel Asher Holmes of the Patriot militia promised retribution on Loyalist civilians if Mawhood made good his threats and Mawhood appeared to concede. Three days later, however, Colonel John Simcoe, leader of the Queen's Rangers, unleashed the Loyalists? fury on the sleeping men at Hancock's Bridge.
In what became known as the Massacre at Hancock's Bridge, at least 20 members of the Salem militia lost their lives, some after attempting to surrender. The Loyalists reputedly exclaimed, Spare no one! Give no quarter! as they stormed the house of Judge William Hancock, a Loyalist whose house the Patriots had commandeered, while the Patriot militia slept. Judge Hancock and his brother were bayoneted in the melee, although both were known to be staunch supporters of the crown and were themselves non-violent Quakers.
Frederick is referred to in his great granddaughter, Hannah Druliner-Deacon's, newspaper article titled, 'Mrs. Hannah Deacon To See 97th Birthday Anniversary' as a soldier of the Revolutionary War (ref her record to see a copy of this article).
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