Major John Poppino

Gentlemen:

This Committee taking into Consideration the Cituation of the Regiment of this Precinct consisting of Eleven Companies, under the Command of Col. William Allison Esq’ do Conceive it to be Inconvenient for the Inhabitants, to Continue in one body together in obedience to a Certain Resolve of the Hon’bl Continental Congress in that Case made & provided.

1st Resolved that the Said Regiment be divided into Two Regiments Distinguished by the names of (Goshen) (Florida & Warwick).

2 Resolved that this Committee do Nominate and Recommend, Doc’r Benj’a Tusten Lieut Col, and Moses Hatfield first Major & John Decker secon Major for the Regiment of Goshen.

3rd resolved, that this Committee do Nominate John Hathorn Col’l, Charles Bradeley Lieut Col’l, Henry Wisner 3rd first Major, John Poppino 2nd Major, Daniel Finch Adjutant, & Jeremiah Curtis Quarter Master for the Regiment of Florida & Warwick.

4th Resolved, that the Chairman of this Committee do as soon as Convenient make a report of this proceeding to the Hon’ble the provincial Congress of New York, and pray their approbation thereto.

Agreeable to the Said 4th Resolve, I have made a Return an hope you may approve thereof and Issue Commissions to the above named persons in their Different departments.

By order of committee

Attest: John Hathorn Chairman

The President of the Honbl Provincial Congress of New York.

(Commissions were issued Feb. 28, 1776)

Military Returns 27:77

New York State Historical Papers: Revolutionary Papers, 1776, p. 231, 232 ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________

ANCESTOR CORNER By Compatriot William R. Poppino My ancestor is Major John Poppino, who served with the 4th Regiment of the Orange Co., NY Militia under Col. John Hathorn. John was a farmer who lived on the Warwick Road about three miles from the Town of Florida in Orange County. He is described as being of French descent, and as a slim man about five feet tall. He reportedly also served in the French & Indian War. A letter by his grandson William Poppino in 1877 describes John’s dramatic escape during the Battle of Minisink. When the company was surprised and overcome by Indian forces, he evaded them by lying alongside a log and covering himself with leaves. One account also states that he was wounded. He apparently crawled on his hands and knees in the dark for a long distance and arrived home several days after the battle. The residents of the area had presumed him to be dead; his wife answered his wellknown knock on the door that night, saying “come in, John Poppino, dead or alive.” John’s obituary appears in the New York Spectator, Warwick, NY of 4 April 1828, reporting his death on March 7. His age is given as 100 years, 10 months and 10 days, which does not exactly correspond to his supposed birth date of 27 April 1727. His obituary states that John retained his mental faculties to the last, and manifested a desire to depart and be with Christ, in whom he had long trusted. John was a member of the Presbyterian Church.