Pension Application

Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for John Kern

S.13604

State of New York
Montgomery County

On this nineteenth day of September in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before the judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county now sitting John Kern, a resident of the Town of Oppenheim in said county aged about seventy three years and upwards who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.

He was born as he believes in the year 1759 in the Town of Palatine in said County of Montgomery and that he resided there when called into service and resided there after the war until about twenty years since when he removed to the said Town of Oppenheim in the said county where he now resides.

He entered the service of the United States under the following required officers and served as herein stated.

That he arrived at the age of sixteen years he was enrolled as a private in the company of Militia to wit: the company of Captain Christian House, in the Regiment of Colonel Jacob Klock. His other company and field officers whom he recollects are Lieutenant Colonel Peter Waggoner, the Lieutenant John Bellinger.

That he was kept on duty and out on scouting parties to the West Canada Creek to Cherry Valley, Springfield and various other places at different times and that he continued to serve in that manner regularly every year under Captain House until the year (blotted) when he enlisted as a private in a company of Militia commanded by Captain John Bigbread and Lieutenant Helmer for the term of nine months and that he was stationed at Fort Herkimer in the County of Herkimer. That he was kept on duty at the fort and out scouting south to Anderstwon and to the forks of the Unadilla River and in various other directions and at different times until the expiration of the nine months when he was discharged and returned home, when he immediately was called out again under Captain House and served until the conclusion of the war. (The deposition copy ends here.)

State of New York
Montgomery County

I, Ashabel Loomis, Esq. One of the Justice of the Peace in aforesaid county do hereby certify that Jacob Zimmerman of the Town of Oppenheim in said county recognize named is well known to me and that he is a respectable honorable person, who on being duly sworn by me according to law doth depose that he is about seventy six years of age, that he served in the Revolutionary War and part of the time in the company commanded by Christian House in the Reg’t commanded by Colonel Jacob Klock, that his memory by reason of old age is poor and that he cannot remember the service rendered by any particular person in said company during said war, only to say that they were immediate with him for some particular circumstances happened in said service to fix it upon his memory.

That he was some acquainted with John Kern in said war, and knows that he served in said company as a private, but the amount of such services he cannot state but distinctly recollects before the year 1780 (when this deponent according to he recollection was taken prisoner) the said John Kern was being ??? an applicant for a pension as he has been informed and believes resides in the Town of Oppenheim engaged as a private until company ??? he saw said Kern serving in the ranks on a tour of service of said company to Herkimer of that this service has rendered before the year (blotted) this deponent was taken a prisoner but what particular time or year he cannot state and thinks the company most probably have been engaged about four days and further says not.

Signed by Jacob Zimmerman.
Sworn this 5th day of February 1834 before me,
Ashbel Loomis
Justice of the Peace

State of New York
Montgomery County

Be it known that on this 8th day of April A.D. 1834, personally appeared before me the a Justice of the Peace in the Town of Oppenheim in said county, John Kern, a resident of the same town and about 74 years, who on being duly sworn by law the said justice according to law does in order to admit his pension application, depose and say on his oath that by reason of his old age and consequence of his memories and the infirmities occasioned by his age and the attack of the ___ policy (not sure what this says here), he cannot positively state the precise length of his services hereafter mentioned not the precise date of entering and leaving each term of service and he can state such to the best of his memory and now therefore he is some respect mistaken as to the period of his service, vizt, he as a private was engaged on a time of service therefore (then) Town of Palatine in the then County of Tryon now County of Montgomery in said sate where he then resided to the German Flatts in the now County of Herkimer as near as he can recollect from the 15 May 1776 to the 17th May 1776 for at least five days including going to and returning to said place.

That he then belonged and served as aforesaid in the Company of Infantry whereof Christian House was the Capt., John Zimmerman Lieut, Henry Zimmerman Ensign in the Regt whereof Jacob Klock was the Colonel., commanded of General Nicholas Herkimer, that the said company was engaged as aforesaid was ordered into service by his officers and verbally discharged thereupon that he thinks the affidavit of Jacob Zimmerman which is hereto deposed.

He further says that he was again engaged as a private on a time of service from the then Town of Palatine aforesaid where he then continued to reside to the German Flatts in that same company and same officers, he thinks commanding said company as last above mentioned, he thinks the whole Reg’t were engaged, Gen’l Schuyler was along and held a treaty with the Indians ??? place. He served he thinks from 25 June 1776 to 5 July 1776 for at least 10 days in said time, thinks that as the whole company was engaged he was ordered into service by his officers, and he was ??? discharged thereupon for the time of service the history of the town has been consulted, that he knows no evidence he can procure as to this service but is positive that he served.

And further says that he was again engaged as a private in a tour of service from the same place last as aforesaid and he still continued to reside and to go to the place so called Caughnawaga in the then county of Tryon, now Montgomery from some day in March 1776 (the particular day he is unable to give) to some day thereafter for at least 10 days in the same company and the same officers, he thinks commanded said company as last aforesaid, he remembers that the (can’t make out a section here) was also engaged as another service at said time in said company, they were stationed some time at the house of Vedder at said place and then his service was rendered about the commencement of the War of the Revolution. This service was before the first above so mentioned service according to his recollection, his officer’s ordered him into this service in the spring of 1776 aforesaid, as to the service is rendered the (can’t read a section)

And further, says that he was again engaged as a private on a tour of service from the same place last aforesaid where he still resided to the house of Jacob Failing in the same town he then resided in the same company commanded by the same officers he thinks, as last aforesaid from Sept 10, 1775 to the 17th of the same month for at least the period of seven days. That said company was stationed the said Failing’s house where in the front most there had been a fort and pathway of the Indians in going to Johnstown.

This service he thinks was the first he rendered in said war. But he cannot positively say as to the time when his service was rendered, and may be mistaken in such respect this he knows that he served at said place for about the period aforesaid. Said service may have been rendered early in the ensuing spring, cannot state positively to the service except that of ???

And furthers says that he was again engaged at as a private on a tour of service from the then Town of Palatine aforesaid where he resided at the time to Fort Remensnyder (so called) in the company aforesaid commanded by Capt House in Col. Jacob Klock’s Reg’t to which he belonged as a private. He was drafted, he thinks, into this out of said company and was marched to said Fort ??? stationed doing duty for at least the period of ??? days viz, as nearly as his memory serves him from ??? 1780 to 16th August 1780 as a private. Capt’n House commanded the engagement according to his recollection. He thinks the Indians had killed a few days before some women and children in the neighborhood of said fort, which was the reason of his serving in said fort at the time and he was verbally discharged, and that he has not been able to procure any evidence of this tour of service and knows of no one left except Jacob Youger hereto annexed which affidavit is so far as his memory serves him correct.

And further says that when the Oriskany battle was he again served on a tour of duty as a private from the then Town of Palatine to the Oriskany near Utica, that he belonged to Capt. Christian House’s Company and Klock’s Reg’t of Militia as a private. That the company and regiment had been principally gone to relief Fort Stanwix and he believes left behind on the account of what reason he has forgotten and that after the troops had gone he and some others under Lieut Zimmerman of said company marched in pursuit of the troops and had proceeded as far as or nearly so where Utica now is when they met some of the militia who had fled from the battle and who informed them that all was lost and that they then returned home. That this service was under or near as he can state from Aug’t 1, 1777 to Aug’t 6, 1777 for at least 5 days. And he was verbally discharged and knows of no one he can procure as to this service.

And further says that on the 15th Sept 1777 he was still a private in the company whereof Christian House was the Captain in this the company whereof Jacob Klock was Colonel where he still continued to reside in the said Town of Palatine and was drafted out of said company with others, that he and those to be drafted went to Fort Plank in the Town of Minden and these served under a captain of the name he thinks of Jacob Zielly for at least eight days and he thinks longer to 23rd Aug’t 1777 he thinks he was discharged (can’t read) he served as a private. That he knows of no evidence he can procure as to this service.

And further says that as near as he can state from memory he enlisted as a private on the 25 March 1778 for nine months in the company whereof John Bigbread was captain and the regiment he cannot state, nor??? of one Helmer was a Lieut (he thinks) in said company but the other officer’s names he cannot remember. Said company he thinks acted as rangers and served the state in his last declaration that he served said nine months as a private in said company and was probably verbally discharged as he has no written discharge and does not believe that he received on that he has procured the evidence of Cornelius Van Camp which is annexed, that he might probably procure an additional evidence but for his age, and is afflicted with the numb palsy. He thinks he was discharged the first of Jan’y 1772. That when he so enlisted he resided in the said Town of Palatine. That Cornelius Van Camp served in said company and also John Dockey now deceased and he has annexed that affidavit of Jacob Younger as to the hearsay of Dockey in his life ??? as to this service. He remembers one Lassitte? was an officer in said company, but the rank he cannot recollect.

And further says he was engaged as a private on a tour of service from the now Town of Oppenheim, then Town of Palatine when he still continued to reside in the company whereof Christian House was Capt, Regt whereof Jacob Klock was Colonel to Fort Klock where he was stationed with others. ; He was drafted, he thinks and served at said fort for at least 8 days according to the best of his memory. From June 1779 to the day he cannot state to some day in same month as private for at least 8 days. That Capt House of Lieut Zimmerman (which he has forgotten) commanded them. He was drafted out of said company, that he received only a verbal discharge from this service, that he has no evidence of this his service and knows of none he can procure save that of Theobato Moyer hereto annexed.

And further says that on the 10th Aug’t 1780 (as near as he can recollect) he was called out by his officers into their service and he then resided in same Town aforesaid. And in the company whereof Christian House was Capt in Col. Jacob Klock’s Regt was guarding ??? the Mohawk some boats to Fort Stanwix or near it under Gen’l Van Rensselaer that he served as a private in said company for at least 10 days to Fort Stanwix and back and was verbally discharged that he has procured the affidavit as to this service of Theobatl Moyer which is annexed and was discharged as near as he can recollect the date of the same month verbally, thinks they did not go quite to Fort Stanwix, but may be mistaken, when on this tour.

And furthers says that in the spring of the year, he thinks in April 1779 (the particular day he cannot state) he was called by his officers into their service as a private for one week and then resided in same Town aforesaid and in the company of Christian House was Captain Col. Jacob Klock’s Reg’t. That he was marched there to the house of Audolph Walrath with whom he was well acquainted and was there stationed for the period of said company to which he belonged served their time of service. Said Walrath resided in the now County of Montgomery from the time he commenced this service he served at least 6 days as aforesaid as a private that he has no evidence he can procure as to this service but knows that he served at said place.

That he also served as a private in the company whereof Christian House was Capt in Regt of Col. Jacob Klock on a tour of service when Walter Butler was killed at West Canada Creek from Sept ? 1781 as near as he can recollect to 25th of same month including going and returning at least 5 days as estimate and he was present when Butler was killed. He has no evidence of this service or knows of no one he can procure, he then resided in Palatine aforesaid and was verbally discharged and ordered out by his officers.

And further says that as near as the can recollect that 15 June 1780 he together with others were drafted out of Capt. Christian House Company, Col. Jacob Klock’s Reg’t to serve in a Fort at Stone Arabia in Palatine called he thinks Fort Paris, that he and those drafted under the command of the officers of said company (whose name he cannot bring in memory) went to said place and there were stationed one ??? and then were discharged and returned home to the said Town of Palatine in he thinks 22 of same men having served as a private at least 6 days that he knows of no evidence to can procure as to the proof of this service.

And further says that as near as his memory serves him he went on the 10th Sept 1776 a private in the company whereof Christian House was Capt, Col. Jacob Klock’s Regt, that he resided in the same place aforesaid and that a draft was made of about 12 men out of said company, that he was then drafted and he and those drafted were to take some Tories, two of whom where named Frey from where he then escorted to West Point that they then proceeded with some Tories to Albany on foot and at Albany went on boats down the river to West Point and when they delivered said Tories to the officer gave them something to eat and drink that then they again returned home. That he served at least he thinks 14 days when they returned home. That he cannot recollect the Sergeant or Corporal’s name that commanded on this tour who belonged however to said company that he may be mistaken as to the time this service was done but is positive that he served on such a tour of duty and for about the period at least as aforesaid. That he knows of no evidence he can procure as to the proof and time of this service, that he served as a private on said tours and was discharged he thinks the last of 1776.

That he did other services in the said war repeating in short tour but cannot on account of his loss of memory give an intelligible account of those and also recollects that he served 3 months as a substitute for his brother in Capt McKean’s company but he has been told that he cannot be allowed for said service under his present declaration, rather than process a new, he wants to relinquish said services and hereby relinquished it. That he is poor in feeble health and very infirm and is maintained by others and that he wants to rather receive a smaller pension and thinks he hasn’t long ???.

(In the deposition he goes on to say his wife is aged also and has the numb palsy. Then he adds some people he served with were killed in the war, that no clergyman lives in his area to vouch for his veracity and character. He applied for pension 19 Sept 1832.)

This application was successful and he received his pension but he died December 2, 1935.
John Kern signed with his mark