Benjamin P. Westervelt was born on 1 August 1763. He was the son of
Petrus Westervelt and
Cathlyntie Tallman. Benjamin P. Westervelt was baptized on 21 August 1763 at Dutch Reformed Church, Schraalenburgh, Bergen County, New Jersey. He served in Captain Christie's Company of Bergen County Militia and was taken prisoner by the British during the Revolutionary War. He wa a soldier in the American Revolution and captured three times by the enemy, but on one ocasion was rescued by his friends. The first capture was in the vicinity of Englewood when he was taken to New York and placed in the Sugar House Prison. Afterwrds, having regained his liberty, he belonged to the "minute men," as did some of his brothers. Their rendezvous was known as "Wolf Den," midway between Demarest and Cresskill. Having ben betrayed by one Samuel Cole, the entire band was surprised by the British and taken to the Sugar House, excepting Jan, brother of Benjamin P., who made his escape by plunging into a stream. Those who survived were subsequently exchanged. His third experience was at English Neighborhood, when he was captured by three Tories, one of whom was his old comrade, Samuel Cole, who offered to release him for a sum of money. At the moment
Colonel Blanch and a few Americans came in sight. The Tories fired upon the Patriots and wounded the Colonel. Seeing their pieces were emptied he ran towards his friends and effected his escape. Cole was sent to Halifax after the war, and remained there for seven years.
He was a Private, Minute Man, Bergen County, New Jersey Militia; Private, Captain James Christies's Company, Bergen County Regiment (Colonel Theunis Dey, commanding); New Jersey Militia, summer of 1779, and served one month; Private Captain Abraham Harring's Company, Bergen CountyRegiment fall of 1779 and served one month; Private, Captain John Huyler's Company, Bergen County Regiment, spring 1780 and served one month; enlisted June 1780 for six months as Private in Captain Thomas Blanch's Company, Major Samuel Hayes' Batalion, New Jersey State Troops, on frontier service; Private Captain James Christies Company, Bergen County Regiment, in 1781; taken prisoner Sept. 6 1781, and confined in Provost Jail and Sugar House Prison, New York; exchanged Nov 18 1781.
He drew a pension after the war and in his application he state he was sixteen years of age at enlistment. He married
Sara Durie, daughter of
Jan Durie and
Weyntie Lydecker, in September 1784 at Dutch Reformed Church, Schraalenburgh, Bergen County, New Jersey. Benjamin P. Westervelt resided at at On a farm on County Road in present, Cresskill, Bergen County, New Jersey, in 1797. He. Benjamin P. Westervelt married
Leah Powlse on 4 January 1817 at Dutch Reformed Church, Schraalenburgh, Bergen County, New Jersey. Benjamin P. Westervelt left a will on 14 May 1836
devised to son John the farm with buildings and woodland purchased from Daniel Vervalen, together with woods in Closter Mountain. The homestead farm was devised to son Peter, together with cleared land and woods in the Closter Mountain. They were obligated to pay legacies to their sisters Tiney and Effay and the daughters of
wyntje, deceased; also $250 to wife Leah "as per article of agreement or jointure between us before our marriage."
He died on 22 March 1845 at age 81. He was buried after 22 March 1845 at Bergenfield, Bergen County, New Jersey.