Peterson, Nicholas Sr.

From: Voyage of a Different Kind by Larry Turner:
- Five members of the Petterson family were Associated Loyalists. Their background could be Dutch, Scandinavian or more probably German where the pioneer of the clan hailed from (Hanover) when he arrived in America. The eleventh son of the pioneer Petterson was baptized at Tapaan 18 November 1717 and Claas or Nicholas would lead his grown family to Canada after the Revolutionary War. Nicholas Sr. was 59 years old when Independence was declared in 1776 and had lived in Tapaan, Schraalenburgh and finally leased land in Bergen County, New Jersey before the war. Thirteen children were born to Nicholas Sr. but only six survived beyond youth. Abraham Petterson was the only surviving child born to Nicholas Senior’s first wife, Catherine Myer. Born 27 July 1741, Abraham would bring three children into Adolphustown although four had been born before leaving New York City. He married Mary Magdalena Van Orden and operated three boats in New York during the war. Abraham was sixteen years older than his closest brother Paul, born 10 September, 1757. Paul married Helena Williams in New York and a child was born in the new settlement. Nicholas Jr. was baptized 29 June 1760 at Hackensack, New Jersey and Christian was born 23 December 1764. Christian married Maria Oake in New York City in 1782 and a child was born to them soon after departure from Sorel. Nicholas Petterson Sr. joined the British Army in 1776 and fought with three of his sons, Paul, Nicholas Jr. and Christian at the famous defense of the Block House of Bergen Wood, New Jersey, with Major Thomas Ward when rebel General Anthony Wayne tried to seize the Loyalist outpost 19 July 1780. All the Pettersons signed with Captain Peter Ruttan’s company six of Associated Loyalists in New York.
United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=6569
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