FROM HETRINA: "Martin Meyer born 1760 Hombressen, Hessen Kassel, private recruited into courier corps, became a prisoner of war, appears in unit books beginning in Apr 1783"

This information is not entirely correct. I wrote Marburg and the data from the original source was: "Company from Wurmb.: Martin Meyer from Hombressen near Morschen, 22 years old, 9 Zoll, 1 Strich tall, and Christian Heil from Halberstadt,, have deserted on 22 April with armature and equipment from Cold Spring" (this is on Long Island)

Martin was in Co. 6 of the Jaeger Corps of the Hessen Cassel Troops. He was young for a Hessian Soldier, having been born in 1760/61 in the town of Zip 34369 Hombressen, a suburb of the city of Hofgeismar, north of Kassel.

The Jaeger Corps was the most active of all the fighting units among the some 30,000+ German Troops brought to North America by the British. In late May 1783, after the official end of the War the Jaeger Corps was moved from Huntington, LI to McGowans Pass about half way up Manhattan and to Kings Ridge at the upper end of Manhattan. These were the two so called 'outer defenses' maintained by the British to protect their units and supplies in lower Manhattan prior to embarking their troops back home to Europe. The Jaegers remained there until 21 Nov 1783, when they left for lower Manhattan in order to get on board ship bound for home, and turned over those defenses to the Americans.

Martin was in Vermont in 1786 where his first son, Surzardus, was born; in Connecticut in 1789 where his second son, Alvin, was born. He was found on the 1790 census in Washington Twp., Litchfield Co., CT. He then disappears until 1799 when he came to Susquehanna Co, PA. He died there in the town of Dimock sometime after 1822, when he last appeared on the tax records.

FROM: "THE HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PA", Page 370:

"Martin Myers was a Hessian soldier in the British army during the Revolution. He came to Pennsylvania from one of the New England States, having left the service before the close of the war, and settled down as a peacable citizen of the country against which he had been sent to fight. By the contract between the Government of Great Britain and the Prince of Hesse-Cassel; a sum of maney was to be paid to the latter for all the Hessians not returned, and they were, at the end of the war, carefully sought for to be taken back. Myers, not wishing to return, sought concealment, and was aided by a young woman with whom he had become acquainted. He was not found, and after the troops had left the country, this woman became his wife."

"In the fall of 1799 he is said to have carried the following load upon his back from Black's mill, on the Wyalusing, up to the forks of the creek, a distance of ten miles, the flour of one bushel of wheat, one bushel of rye, fourteen shad and a gun. At the Forks he added to his load one gallon and a pint of whiskey, a large bake-kettle weighing twenty-five pounds, and a common sized cross-cut saw, all of which he carried without assistance thirteen miles farther to his own residence. These thirteen miles were entirely in the woods, and he was guided only by a line of marked trees. This Samson-like feat was performed by no 'Samson in size'".

Silvie spaine@eaznet.com