Alida Olive Empey

A story for Alida Vrooman Hare Empey Contributed By: BarbaraBeers · 5 December 2016 · Her name has been listed as Alida/Alita/Alada/Allada/Aita/Abigail/Abigal/Elatta Vrooman. She married Henry Heer(Hare) 15 April 1765 at the Reformed Dutch Church in Stone Arabia, Tryon (now Montgomery County), New York.

Henry Hare came home for reasons which included visiting his wife Alida for her 32nd birthday on 17 June 1779. In June 1779 while her husband Henry was spying for the British, he also "brought home for his wife several articles of clothing, such as British calicoes, dress-shawls, Indian moccasins etc, and on the very day he set out to return to Canada, she was so imprudent as to put them on and go visiting". The Frontiersman of New York, Jeptha R Simms, Albany, New York, 1883, VOL II, pp 241-244. Her husband was caught and accused of spying for the British. She pleaded for his life to no avail. She showed her loyalist standing at the court martial of Butlers Ranger Sergeant William Newberry on 20 June 1779. Butlers Ranger Sergeant William Newberry (who was captured and tried with her husband Henry Hare) appeared before that court. Question 12 posed to William Newberry was "Who were the persons that gave you the Intiligence (sic) of our movements?" Newberry answered "Thomas Plato, Wilham Rombauch and Henry Hairs wife - said Hairs wife went backwards and forwards every day to gain Intiligence for us ." Question 14 posed to William Newberry "…The Prisoner being Requested to make his defence says…" (answr.) "He also say his Intentions in coming down this present time was only to see his Family + should have given himself up to the mercy of his Country if he had thought he could obtain a Pardon, but Henry Hare + wife + Thomas Plato told him there was no mercy shewn any of those who had joined the Enemy + was from these arguments afraid to deliver himself up…" Reference and credit: Captain Andrew Porter's Journal, ed. Jay H Jakovic, Dutch Settlers Society of Albany Yearbook, Vol 44, 1972-1974, Albany, New York, pp 6, 7, 9, and 10. Petition of Abigal Hare, widow of the late Lieut Henry Hare of Indian Department. Humbly shewth, that your petitioner, is a poor widow, with six small children, without any means to support them, the want of every necessary of life and the continual insults of the rebels obliged her to leave the province of New York and come off to this. Your petitioners said husband being ordered on a Scout, last summer, was taken by the rebels: who charged with being a spy. Tried him for the same. An unjust trial condemned him, in consequence of which, he was executed, whereby your petitioner is rendered miserable, poor, and needy. Her situation emboldens her to crave your excellency support and protection humbly praying, your excellency will take the same into consideration, and allow such a yearly supply or aid, as your justice may see fit, in order to assist her and her distressed children. Montreal 10 May 1780. You are hereby authorized and directed to pay to Mrs Abigal Hare, widow of the late Henry Hare, a Lieutenant in the Indian Department, in consideration of her misfortune and distress, above related, the sum of 20 pounds sterling, as a yearly pension to be continued to her during her life, for the maintenance of her and her children. Given under my hand at Quebec this 25th day of May 1780. Fred Haldimand to Colonel Johnson Superintendent of Indian Affairs. After her husband's execution, she married First Sergeant Adam Empey.

Variously listed as Alida/Alita/Alada/Allada/Aita/Abigail/Abigal/Elatta Vrooman. She married Henry Heer (sic) on 15 Apr 1765 at the Reformed Dutch Church in Stone Arabia, Tryon (now Montgomery County), New York.

• As to her first name: Here is the frequency of various given names with no entry for a last name on Ancestry.com: Alida (cited on Google as a girl's name) 614242, Alita (cited on Google as a girl's name) 26898 , Allida 6008, Alada 4828, Elata 832, Allita 810, Elada 805, Alata 573, Allada 548, Ellada 405, Allata 141, and Ellata 51. With the addition of surnames of Vrooman, Hare, or Empey, and searches on Ancestry.com and Google, the results consistently show the most common spelling is Alida.

Henry Hare came home for reasons which included visiting his wife Alida for her 32nd birthday on 17 Jun 1779.

In June 1779 while her husband Henry was spying for the British, he also "brought home for his wife several articles of clothing, such as British calicoes, dress-shawls, Indian mocasins, etc., and on the very day he set out to return to Canada, she was so imprudent as to put them on and go visiting". The Frontiersman of New York, Jeptha R. Simms, Albany, N.Y., 1883, VOL. II, pp 241-244.

Her husband was caught and accused of spying for the British. She pleaded for his life to no avail. She showed her loyalist standing at the court martial of Butlers Ranger Sergeant William Newberry on 20 Jun 1779.

Butlers Ranger Sergeant William Newberry (who was captured and tried with her husband Henry Hare) appeared before that court.

Question 12 posed to William Newberry was "Who were the persons that gave you the Intiligence (sic) of our movements?" Newberry answered "Thomas Plato, Wilham Rombauch and Henry Hairs wife - said Hairs wife went backwards and forwards every day to gain Intiligence for us ."

Question 14 posed to William Newberry "…The Prisoner being Requested to make his defence says…" (answr.) "He also say his Intentions in coming down this present time was only to see his Family + should have given himself up to the mercy of his Country if he had thought he could obtain a Pardon, but Henry Hare + wife + Thomas Plato told him there was no mercy shewn any of those who had joined the Enemy + was from these arguments afraid to deliver himself up…"

Reference and credit: Captain Andrew Porter's Journal, ed. Jay H. Jakovic, Dutch Settlers Society of Albany Yearbook, Vol. 44, 1972-1974, Albany, N.Y., pp 6, 7, 9, and 10.

Petition of Abigal Hare, widow of the late Lieut Henry Hare of Indian Department. Humbly shewth, that your petitioner, is a poor widow, with six small children, without any means to support them, the want of every necessary of life and the continual insults of the rebels obliged her to leave the province of New York and come off to this. Your petitioners said husband being ordered on a Scout, last summer, was taken by the rebels: who charged with being a spy. Tried him for the same. An unjust trial condemned him, in consequence of which, he was executed, whereby your petitioner is rendered miserable, poor, and needy. Her situation emboldens her to crave your excellency support and protection humbly praying, your excellency will take the same into consideration, and allow such a yearly supply or aid, as your justice may see fit, in order to assist her and her distressed children. Montreal 10 May 1780. You are hereby authorized and directed to pay to Mrs. Abigal Hare, widow of the late Henry Hare, a Lieutenant in the Indian Department, in consideration of her misfortune and distress, above related, the sum of 20 pounds sterling, as a yearly pension to be continued to her during her life, for the maintenance of her and her children. Given under my hand at Quebec this 25th day of May 1780. Fred. Haldimand to Colonel Johnson Superintendent of Indian Affairs.

After her husband's execution, she married First Sergeant Adam Empey.

I have been advised that she may have died in 1854 in California. If this is correct, she would have been 107 years old.

Variously listed as Alita/Aita/Allada/Abigail/Elatta Vrooman. She married Henry Hare on 15 Apr 1763/1766 at the Reformed Dutch Church in Stone Arabia New York. After her husband was caught and accused of spying for the British, she pleaded for his life to no avail.

Butlers Ranger Seargeant William Newberry (who was captured and tried with her husband Henry Hare) appeared before the court. One of the questions posed to him was "Who were the persons that gave you the Intelligence of our movements?" Newberry answered "Thomas Plato, Wilham Rombauch and Henry Hairs wife - said Hairs wife went backwards and forwards every day to gain Intelligence for us."

Petition of Abigal Hare, widow of the late Lieut Henry Hare of Indian Department. Humbly shewth, that your petitioner, is a poor widow, with six small children, without any means to support them, the want of every necessary of life and the continual insults of the rebels obliged her to leave the province of New York and come off to this. Your petitioners said husband being ordered on a Scout, last summer, was taken by the rebels: who charged with being a spy. Tried him for the same. An unjust trial condemned him, in consequence of which, he was executed, whereby your petitioner is rendered miserable, poor, and needy. Her situation emboldens her to crave your excellency support and protection humbly praying, your excellency will take the same into consideration, and allow such a yearly supply or aid, as your justice may see fit, in order to assist her and her distressed children. Montreal 10 May 1780. You are hereby authorised and directed to pay to Mrs. Abigal Hare, widow of the late Henry Hare, a Lieutenant in the Indian Department, in consideration of her misfortune and distress, above related, the sum of 20 pounds sterling, as a yearly pension to be continued to her during her life, for the maintenance of her and her children. Given under my hand at Quebec this 25th day of May 1780. Fred. Haldimand to Colonel Johnson Superintendent of Indian Affairs.

After her husband's execution, she married First Sergeant Adam Empey.

I have been advised that she may have died in 1854 in California.

Family links:

Spouse:

 Henry Hare (1742 - 1779)*