Morrison's Pensions


Pension Application for John J. Schermerhorn

S.23411
Private, Captain Rose, Colonel Wemple, NY Line.
State of New York
County of Schenectady SS.
            On this nineteenth day of October one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for said County now sitting, John J. Schermerhorn, a resident of the City of Schenectady in said County who being duly sworn according to law, doth make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
            He was born in the township of Schenectady in the then County of Albany in said State on the 23d day of January 1764.  He was living at the same place when the war commenced—has lived there since the revolutionary war & he now lived in the same place, to wit the city of Schenectady aforesaid.
            He entered the service of the United States in the army of the revolution under the following named officers & served as herein stated.
            In the year 1777 on the 12th day of August, being then too young to be enrolled in the militia he volunteered for fourteen days & served with a party of militia men from the regiment of Colonel Abraham Wemple to the Helderbergh in pursuit of Tories who rendezvoused there.
            In the year 1779, he served for the term of one month as a substitute for his father Jacob Schermerhorn.  He also remained on duty at the same place as a substitute for John Schermerhorn for the term of four weeks.
            In the month of January 1780, he was enrolled in Captain Abraham Oothout’s Company of Militia in the Regiment whereof said Abraham Wemple was Colonel, and he continued to serve in said company until the end of said war.  His other company & field officers whom he recollects were Nicholas Barheydt & John Roseboom Lieutenants & Cornelius Z. VanSantvoord Ensign, Abraham Swits & Myndert Wemple, Major. 
            While a member of said company he performed his quota of duty in guarding Schenectady which was garrisoned during said war.  When not thus engaged he was Called out in expeditions to the posts & passes threatened with incursions from the enemy.  He was often engaged in many scouting & patrolling parties.  He cannot specify all the tours of duty in which he served.  The most prominent are as follows.
            In the month of March and April 1780 to Beaverdam with a detachment of militia & Oneida Indians.  In the summer of the hear last named he was warned to go again to Beaverdam aforesaid & went part of the distance & was then ordered back by his captain to escort two prisoners to Norman’s Kill & from thence to Schenectady.
            In the month of August of the year last named he marched to Fort Plank—also the same year with a party of 33 whites & 2 Indians to Ballston when that place was destroyed by the enemy.  He was under the command of Major Swits in this expedition.
            He was at Fort Herkimer on duty when Walter Butler was killed—he was with the detachment of Indians at Warrensbush when that place was destroyed by the enemy.
            He has also performed garrison duty at the forts in Schoharie.
            He mounted guard for three or four weeks in the fall of the year 1781, at Norman’s Kill in said Township of Schenectady.
            He volunteered in many excursions in search of Tories to Beaverdam & other places.
            The whole period for which he did military duty during said war exceeds six months.
            The following are the names of some of the regular officers whom he knew, or who were with the troops where he served, and such continental and militia regiments or companies with which he served, or as he can recollect, viz: Those before mentioned.
            He never received and written discharge from the service.
            He has no documentary evidence, and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service other than those whose depositions are hereto annexed.
            The following are the names of person to whom he is known in his present neighborhood, and who can testify as to his character for veracity, and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution, to wit, Daniel J. Toll & Daniel Martin.
            He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever, to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.  (Signed) John J. Schermerhorn
            Subscribed and sworn to the day and year first aforesaid.  John S. Vrooman, Clerk

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