Pension Application

S.17078
State of New York
County of Schenectady SS.
            On this twenty sixth day of February one thousand eight hundred and thirty four, personally appeared before the Circuit Court of the State of New York, held in and for said County of Schenectady (His Honor James VanDerPool presiding Judge) in open court, Bartholomew Schermerhorn, a resident of the town of Rotterdam in said county, aged seventy six years and upwards and the said Bartholomew Schermerhorn 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 the declarant was born in the then township of Schenectady now town of Rotterdam in the County of Albany now County of Schenectady in the then Colony now State of New York on the twenty second day of August 1757. That he has no record of his age but that the day of his Baptism was recorded in the Register of baptisms –kept by the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of said township—a certificate of which record is hereto annexed. When called into the service of the United States in the army of the Revolution he was living in that part of said township now called Rotterdam as aforesaid, he has lived there since the Revolutionary War and he lives there now.
            The Declarant in the fall of the year 1775 was enrolled in the company of militia commanded by Captain Abraham Oothout in the regiment of the then County of Albany aforesaid, whereof Abraham Wemple was Colonel. His other company & field officers whom he recollects were Nicholas Barheydt & John Roseboom Lieutenants, Cornelius T. VanSantvoord Ensign, Abraham Swits & Myndert Wemple Majors, Christopher Yates Lieut Colonel & John VanDriesen Adjutant.
            The first expedition in which declarant engaged after his enrollment as aforesaid was to Fort Dayton at the German Flatts in said State. He engaged inthis expedition pursuant to a draft—with a detachment from the aforesaid regiment of Colonel Wemple. The design appeared to be to escort General Schuyler to said fort—where he was expected to make a treaty with the Indians, the time in the spring of the year 1776, the commanding officers Captain Oothout aforesaid Lieutenant Marselus and Ensign VanSantvoort aforesaid. The term of service not less than seven days.
            In the fall of the year 1776 the declarant was again drafted & marched with the whole of said Regiment to Fort Edward from thence with a detachment under command of Captain Jesse Van Slyck of said Regiment. He marched to Fort Ann & thence to Skenesborough as a guard to the Continental boats plying between those two posts—thence back again to Fort Edward. The term of his service in this expedition was not less than twenty four days. The officers who went with this detachment, he thinks were Lieutenant Barhydt & Col. Wemple aforesaid.
            In the spring of the year 1777 he marched with a like detachment under the command of said Captain Van Slyke to Albany, remained on duty there a few days thence marched of Fort Edward—where they joined the troops under Command of colonel Warner & proceeded with them to Jessup’s Patent in pursuit of a party of Tories who rendezvoused at that place—In this expedition declarant served for a term not less than one month.
            Tin the month of August 1778 if declarant remembers right he marched with a like detachment to Fort Hunter where he was stationed for some time, under command of Lieut Bartheydt, Ensign Van Santvoord aforesaid, on this occasion he was under arms for a [word missing] he was living in that part of said township-term not less than fourteen days.—
            Under command of a Major Swits aforesaid, he marched with a like detachment-together with a company of regular troops to Guilderland & dislogded a party of the enemy who had assembled there for hostile purposes. This tour declarant thinks was in the month of July or August in the year 1777 and he served in this tour for a term not less than three days.
            Under command of Ensign VanSantvoord aforesaid, he marched with a like detachment to Fort Plain & from thence to Fort Clyde where he was stationed some time—His term of service at these two last named forts was not less than fourteen days & the period of this service-if this declarant remembers right, was in the year 1779.
            Under command of Lieutenant Barheydt—in the spring of the year 1780—he marched with a like detachment to Caughnawaga and from thence to the Sand Flatts or Switzerbergh where he encamped some days, being under arms in this tour for a term in the whole not less than four days.
            In the spring of the year 1778 under command of said Ensign VanSantvoord he marched to Schoharie & Cobleskill—at which last named place he assisted in burying the dead which had been slain by the enemy. In this expedition he was under arms for a term not less than seven days.
            In the month of October of the year 1780—he marched with a like detachment under command of a Major Swits to Ballstown—and from thence pursued Monroe and his party—after they had taken Colonel Gordon & other prisoners—on this occasion he was under arms for a term not less than seven days—after this expedition to Ballstown he marched again to Schoharie under a Major Swits and Ensign VanSantvoord & was under arms in this tour for a term not less than seven days.
            He the declarant in the fall of the year 1778—performed sentinel duty, with a like detachment at the fording place or rapids called “Claus Niele’s rift” about three miles from said City, under command of William Feller & others non commissioned officers of said Regiment for a term exceeding two 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: Col. Wemple, Capt. Oothout, Lieutenants Barhydt & Roseboom, Major Swits, Ensign VanSantvoord—and other whose names are herein before mentioned.
            He never received an 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 except those whose depositions are hereunto 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, Lewis D. Peck, Jacob Deforrest, Jane & John I. VanEps.
            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) Barth W. Schermerhorn.
            Subscribed and sworn to the day and year first aforesaid. John S. Vrooman, Clerk

Letter dated February 10, 1915 written in response to a request for information.
            In response to your letter of the eighth instant, I have the honor to advise you that from the papers in the claim S. File No. 17,078, rev. War, it appears that Bartholomew Schermerhorn, the only soldier of that name found on the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau, was born August 22, 1757, in the Township of Schenectady, Albany County New York, and was the son of Reyer Schermerhorn and his wife, Maria VanVrancke.
            In the fall of 1775, while residing in that part of the Township of Schenectady afterwards called Rotterdam, New York, he was enrolled as Private, in Capt. Abraham Oothout’s Co., in Colonel Abraham Wemple’s regiment of Albany county Militia, and served as follows:
            In the spring of 1776, in an expedition to Fort Dayton, at German Flatts, under Captain Abraham Oothout, seven days.
            In the fall of 1776, marched to Fort Edward, thence with a detachment under Captain Jesse VanSlyck, to Fort Ann and Skenesborough, twenty-four days.
            Spring of 1777, under Captain VanSlyck, marched to Fort Edward and joined the troops under Colonel Warner, proceeding with them to Jessups Patent, one month.
            July, 1777, under Major Swits, with a company of regular troops, to Guilderland, not less than three days.
            August, 1777, with a detachment, to VanSchaick’s Island, where he performed garrison duty, thence to Bemis Heights and other posts, thirty days.
            Spring of 1778, fourteen days at Fort Hunter under Lieutenant Barheydt, and seven days under Ensign VanSantvoord at Schoharie and Cobleskill.
            Fall of 1778, performed sentinel duty under William Feller and other non-commissioned officers, two months.
            In 1779, under Ensign VanSantvoord, to Forts Plain and Clyde, fourteen days.
            Enlisted February 19, 1779, under Captain Joseph Peck, in a company of fatigue men, bateau men and laborers, in the Quartermaster General’s Department, and served one year.
            In the spring of 1780, he was under Lieutenant Barheydt, at Caughnawaga, the Sand Flatts or Switzerbergh, about four days.
            He was allowed pension on an application executed February 26, 1834, while a resident of Rotterdam, New York.
            There is no other data as to family.

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