Marten MIDDAGH was born before 26 Apr 1752 in Ulster County, New York, and was christened 26 Apr 1752. Witnesses: Jacob Middagh and Margriet Kok, his wife.

In the Revolutionary War Service records there are records of a Martin MIDDAGH and a Martin MIDDAGH, Jr., serving in the same Regiment of the Ulster County Militia. From the records found it is unlikely Martin and Martin Jr., were father and son. It is much more likely the Jr. was used to distinguish between them. Martin is believed to be Marte MIDDAGH, son of Joris Jorisse MIDDAGH and Jannetjen DELAMETER, and Martin Jr., the son of Jacob Jorisse MIDDAGH and Magdalina KOK. There is a considerable amount of information pertaining to Marten in the records of New York, Canada and Genealogy/History books and publications. Unfortunately, some of it appears to be contradictory or at least raise questions. The following is a chronological listing of the information available on Marten as an adult.

Marten is listed as a Sgt., in Captain Thomas DeWitt's Company of the 3rd Battalion of the New York Line and is shown as serving on 12/10/1776, 7/1/1777 and deserting 5/1/1778. He appears on "victualing lists" at Niagara in 1783 and 1786. In February, 1788, Marten petitioned the British government at Montreal, Canada on behalf of the children of Henry BUSH and his sister, Neeltjen MIDDAGH, for compensation of the losses suffered by Henry and Neeltjen during the War. The children were very young with the oldest being but 8 years old when their parents died.

In a book by E. Keith Fitzgerald "Loyalist Lists" (the book is based on the Haldimand Papers), Marten is listed as a member of the 1st Bat. of the King's Royal Regiment of New York. Other documents in the Canadian archives, pertaining to the "United Empire Loyalists", indicate that while their brother, Jan, was a soldier and did serve in the Royal Regiment of New York Marten and Stephen were only on the "Muster Roll" and did not actually serve as soldiers in the British forces.

Other Canadian Bureau of Archives records indicate Marten entered Canada in 1779 with a wife and 1 male child over the age of 12, another male child between 6 and 12, 2 female children between 6 and 12 and 2 female children under 6 years of age. Some of the children could have been the children of his sister, Neeltjen, and Henry BUSH. One of the children of Henry and Neeltjen, Rachel, was living with a Captain Richard DUNCAN in Canada and, while Marten was her guardian, she probably was not included in the count of children with him as that was a count on which provisions were based.

Marten also is listed among the loyalists in an appendix of the 1885 publication "The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada by the United Empire Loyalists" published by the Rose Publishing Co., Toronto. In other records of the United Empire Loyalists, Marten's name is givens Martin MEDDOUGH and he is referred to as of Osnabruck and Trafalgar. The records also show Marten as a settler at Township No.3 below Cataraqui (Osnabruck) in 1785 on Muster Roll No.6. In still another record, he is shown as receiving "victuals" at Osnabruck in August of 1786 for a family of himself, his wife, one male child over 10, one under 10, one female child over 10 and two under 10 which agrees fairly well with the data given above. (See Page 152 of "Early Ontario settlers" by Norman K. Crowder.) And, in the Land Petitions records of Upper Canada, Martin (Marten) is shown as being granted Lot #17 and 1/2 of Lot #4 in Osnabruck in 1789.

It should be pointed out that Marten was not a participant in the "Marbletown Dissaffection" and thus did not have that "disgrace" hanging over him. However he did desert from the Continental Army on 5/1/1778. Marten was serving in the Continental Army when his sister, Neeltjen, and her husband, Henry (Henricus) BUSH, had to flee because of Henry's activities in support of the crown. It is possible Marten deserted to help them and when Henry and Neeltjen died he stayed on (possibly with a wife and a family of his own started) to get his nieces and nephews settled and taken care of in Canada.

While in Canada he apparently joined the British army (as reported in the "Loyalist Lists") but it may have been to further the children's cause and to get "victuals" for them and his family. It should be pointed out that his adherence to (or support of) the British cause is not confirmed by any action other than obtaining victuals and being listed on the Muster Roll. He never petitioned the Crown for compensation for losses or for land as a UEL.

Marten served in the 2nd Co., 3rd Bat., New York Line. from 12/10/1776 until he deserted 5/1/1778. He was promoted to Sargent on 7/1/1777. There is a record in the "Proceedings of the Provincial Congress" of a petition dated 1/30/1776 signed by a Martin MIDDAGH together with Johannis, George and Abraham MIDDAGH and 55 others '...remonstrating agianst (sic) the committee of the siad (sic) town (Marbletown) in denying them the privilege of electing a Captain in the place of Cornelius E. WYNKOOP promoted to a majority." The other MIDDAGH signees appear to be his brothers and cousins.

The Middaugh Family in the Netherlands and North America
(1480 - 2000) Third Edition
Compiled by Jack K. Middaugh