Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for Isaac Jacob Vrooman
S11612
State of New York
County of Albany
On this
twenty-second day of September in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty
four, personally appeared before the Justices of the Justice Court of the City
of Albany, the same being a court of record. Isaac J. Vrooman, now a
resident of the Town of Guilderland, in the County of Albany and State of New
York, aged seventy-three years and about ten months who being first duly sworn
according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to
obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June
7th 1832.
That he
served in the Army of the United States in the year 1776 in the Regiment in
the New York Line commanded by Col. Wynkoop (1) and of which Courtland Schuyler
(2) of Albany was Lieutenant Colonel.
That this
deponent served in the company in said regiment commanded by Capt. John F.
Wendell (3) late of the City of Albany, deceased. John Ten Broeck, now
of the City of New York, First Lieutenant of said company, and the said John
Ten Broeck now being a pensioner of the United States and John Welch, Second
Lieutenant and John Ostrander Ensign of said company.
That this
deponent enlisted with the said John Welch Second Lieutenant in Schenectady
on or about the month of May 1776. That he went from Schenectady to Albany
and from thence to Ticonderoga when he joined the said company.
That the
said company with this deponent remained about three months at Ticonderoga
according to the best recollection of the deponent and from thence was ordered
to Skeensborough. That the said regiment was discharged at Skeensborough
in January succeeding from a belief founded on his best recollection that it
was after the holy days, and that on his return home to Albany he came part
of the way & crossed Wood Creek on the ice.
That this
deponent enlisted in said company for six months but that he remained in the
service of the said army eight months. After the said time of service
this deponent returned to Norman’s Kill now the Town of Bethlehem in
the County of Albany which was the native place of this deponent and where
he resided until he enlisted with the said John Welch.
And this
deponent further says that after the said term of service as aforesaid he served
in the militia in active duty when he was drafted for such purposes.
That his
first tour of service in the militia was in the Regiment of New York Militia
commanded by Col. Peter Vroman (4) who was a second cousin of this deponent,
Capt John Grote (5) was captain of the company in which the deponent served,
Bartal Mynders First Lieutenant, Levi Van Auken 2nd Lieutenant and Adam Vroman
Ensign (6) who was a brother of this deponent.
This deponent
was an Orderly Sergeant in said company. He was drafted for the defense
of the Posts at Schoharie; the militia at said Posts were relieved every fortnight. This
deponent served for said time, this way near as he can recollect in 1778.
And this
deponent further says that he afterward served in two successive years in the
same service in garrisoning the posts in Schoharie during two weeks of each
year for which periods the militia were drafted for the above service & this
deponent was ordered and served in each of said drafts.
The names
of the officers of the company in which the deponent served in the first of
the two last years aforesaid were Capt. Hager (7)—Peter Hager (8), 1st
Lieutenant, and Ebenezer Olen Ensign. (9)
On the last
tour of service Capt Walter Vroman (10), the oldest brother of this deponent
was the Captain of his company and Jellis Fonda (11) late of Schenectady, deceased
was First Lieutenant. Col. Peter Vroman was also the Col. Of the regiment
to which said Companies belonged and Commanded the forces assembled at Schoharie
Part of the time this deponent served at said Posts. This deponent was
stationed at the Middle Fort so called at Schoharie when an Expedition of the
British & Indians under the command of Sir John Johnson was directed against
it. This fort was partially invested by him but was soon driven off though
there was not a great deal of fighting. This deponent was stationed at
different times at all of the three posts at Schoharie.
And this
deponent further says for more than forty years past he has been without any
family & during said time has had no permanent place of abode. He
went into the Western Country (Ohio) about twenty-five years ago. He
was engaged in collecting furs from the Indians – after having returned
to the State of New York he again went to Ohio & from thence to Michigan. That
the deponent left Michigan in May last for this part of the country for the
purpose of getting evidence necessary on this deponent supposing to obtain
his pension.
That he
went to the City of New York to see Lieut John C. Ten Broeck the First Lieutenant
of this deponents company, saw him there, but that his mind was said to be
too much broken by age & disease to admit of his making any deposition
in favor of this deponent.
That said
Ten Broeck did not recollect this deponent, but seemed to recollect some incidents
that were mentioned by this deponent to him.
And this
deponent further says that his Christian or given name is Isaac Jacob that
he used to use his middle name in making his signature. There was an
Isaac Vroman & an Isaac A. Vroman & this deponent signed his name Isaac
Ja’b Vroman to distinguish between them and him. This deponent
has seen a receipt now forwarded him dated 2nd April 1776 at Skeensborough
for 5 £ six S & 8 d [pence] as received of Capt Wendell. This
receipt was signed by this deponent at the time it was dated and the same period
is mentioned & included in said receipt.
And this
deponent 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. And is unable to write his name.
Sworn this
22nd day of September 1834 in open court.
Isaac J. Vrooman (his mark)
John G. Wasson, clk
Isaac Jacob Vrooman
S 11612
Albany County
Catherine
Wendell of the City of Albany being duly sworn says that she resides in the
City of Albany and is the Daughter of the late John H. Wendell deceased of
the City of Albany—That her said father was an officer of the Army of
the Revolution as she has always understood & believes, And in the year
1776 was a Captain in the said Army as she has understood & believes.
She has
found among the papers of her father a Receipt purporting to have been signed
by “Isaac Jacb Vorman” (by his mark) which receipt is hereto annexed,
and is in the hand writing of her said father.
And this
Deponent further says that the Signature “John H. Wendell” on a
Small piece of paper attached to the said Receipt & also hereto annexed,
is also in the hand writing of her said father—
And this
Deponent further says that the above Receipt was found among the papers of
her deceased father at a request made by [?] Hedhouse of Watervliet.
That a search
should be made for some document relative to the Revolutionary Services of
an Old man calling himself Isaac J. Vroman & that said Receipt had not
been previously Known to be in Existence by the said Vroman to the Knowledge
of belief of this Deponent. Cath: Wendell
Sworn to
before me this 30th of September 1884. J. Lansing, Judge of Alby Com.
Please Counseller & c.
This is
the enclosed document which was cut from a Pay Roll which was still in her
possession in 1834.
Received
this 25th Septr 1776 at Skenesborough from Capt. Wendell the Sum of Five pounds,
six shillings & eight pence being in full of my pay as a private from the
1st day of July to the 31st Augt as witness my hand. (Signed with his
mark) Isaac Jab Vrooman
£ 5,,6,,8..
Another
small piece of paper has John H. Wendell written on it.
The following letter is part of the pension folder.
December 29, 1937
Mrs. Eula R. Spencer
The American Red Cross
125 ½ South Ohio Street
Bedalia, Missouri
Isaac Jacob Vroman-S.11612
Dear Madam:
Reference
is made to your letter in which you request the record of Jacob Vrooman, a
soldier of the Revolutionary War.
You are
furnished herein the record of Isaac Jacob Vrooman or Vroman, the data for
which were obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim,
S.11612, based upon his military service in that war.
Isaac Jacob
Vrooman was born at Norman’s Kill, Albany County, New York. The
date of his birth and names of his parents are not shown.
While residing
in said Norman’s Kill, Isaac Jacob Vrooman enlisted in May, 1776, served
as a private in Captain John H. Wendell’s Company, Colonel Wynkoop’s
New York Regiment, marched to Ticonderoga, where he served three months, thence
to Skeensborough, where he was discharged in January following: he enlisted
in 1778, for the defense of the forts at Schoharie and served as orderly sergeant
in Captain John Groot’s Company, Colonel Peter Vroman’s (soldier’s
second cousin) New York Regiment: his brother Adam was ensign of said company:
Afterward, he served on short tours of two weeks each, over a period of two
years as part of the garrison at Schoharie under Captains Hager and Walter
Vroman (soldier’s oldest brother) in the New York troops, on one occasion,
while at the middle fort in said Schoharie, they were attacked by a party of
British and Indians under command of Sir John Johnson and succeeded in driving
the enemy away.
Isaac Jacob
Vroman stated that for more than forty years after the Revolution, he had no
family; that about 1809, he went to the western part of Ohio and collected
furs from the Indians, that he made several trips between his old home and
Ohio, and finally went to Michigan in the vicinity of Detroit from which place
he returned to New York State in May 1834.
Isaac Jacob
Vroman was allowed pension on his application executed September 22, 1834 while
residing in Guilderland, Albany County, New York, aged seventy-three years
and ten months. He was named on the pension rolls as Isaac J. Vroman.
It is not
stated that soldier was ever married.
In 1835,
one Adam Vroman was aged seventy-five years and made affidavit in Schenectady
County, New York in support of the pension claim of Isaac Jacob Vroman, but
did not state his relationship.
In order
to obtain the date of last payment of pension, the name and address of person
paid and possibly the date of death of the Revolutionary War pensioner, Isaac
J. Vroman S.11612, you should address the Comptroller General, General Accounting
Office, Records Division, this city and cite the following data:
Isaac J.
Vroman, Certificate
No. 30112, Issued August 5, 1835, Rate, $26.66 per annum, Commenced
March 4, 1831, Act of June 7, 1832, New
York (Albany) Agency
Very truly
yours, A.D. Hiller, Executive Assistant To the Administrator
End Notes