Morrison's Pensions


Revolutionary War Records of Jacob Clemens (Clements)
Taken from National Archives Revolutionary War Pension Records
Record Number S 9187 Transcribed by Carol Clemens

State of New York
Herkimer County
            On this twelfth day of October 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 of said county now sitting Jacob Clements a resident of the town of Schuyler in said county of Herkimer, State of New York aged seventy two years who first being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.  That he entered the service of the United (States) under the following officers and served as herein stated.
            That in the month of January in the year 1778 he went from the now town of Fairfield then in the county of Tryon now Herkimer in the state of New York to the city of Schenectady and entered the service of the United States as a substitute in the place of George Bower, (1) who was previously enlisted in the said service for the term of three years—that  of said term of enlistment of three years of  said George Bowers about 10 months had at that time expired  by the personal service for that period of the said Bower—that he the said Jacob Clements  entered the said service as aforesaid for the residue of said term of three years being for the term of two years and two months—that he joined the regiment of Colonel Goose Van Schaick who commanded the first regiment of the New York State troops that their Lieutenant Colonel was Cornelius Van Dyck—that he entered the company at that time commanded by Captain Andrew Finck, Lieutenant Van Valkenburgh and Ensign Jacob Klock—that from Schenectady Capt. Finck’s company and another company attached to said regiment commanded by Capt. Wendell  were marched to Saratoga where they remained stationed until the spring following, when  they were ordered  to Albany and from Albany were sent to Pennsylvania where they were stationed with their regiment until the British troops who then occupied the city of Philadelphia retired from that city—that after the British army left Philadelphia the said regiment  to which he belonged was ordered  to New Jersey in pursuit of the enemy to Trenton and from Trenton  from station to station to Monmouth –that he was not in the Battle at Monmouth (2) although he was then with the army–that from Monmouth he was again marched in pursuit of the British Army to Sandy Hook where the British Army embarked—that he remained with the regiment to which he belonged afterwards and  served the full term of the two years and two months and was finally discharged at Fort Stanwix (3) in the state of New York –that at the termination of the said term of service a written discharge for three years service signed  by his Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Van Dyck was delivered to him—that he preserved his said discharge until in the fall of 1831 when he delivered the said discharge to  John B. Dygert  to obtain a pension for him that said discharge was subsequently sent by said Dygert to the Honorable Michael Hoffman a representative in Congress from the said county of Herkimer—that he had now lately called on said Hoffman to obtain said discharge  when said Hoffman informed him that the said discharge as he said Hoffman believed was at the War Department at Washington that he has not been able to obtain the same and the said discharge is now entirely out of his possession that he knows of no person by whom he can prove said service—he believes one Robert  Smith (4) his sergeant is alive at Chittenigo N. York.  That he was born at Saarbrucken in Germany in the year 1760 on the 14th day of January, moved into the United States with his father’s family about ten years before Revolutionary War.  He served with the New York state troops. Served in this state when [during?] Revolutionary War. That he has no record of his age.  That he resided at Fairfield in the county of Herkimer state of New York when he entered the service.  That during the Revolutionary War he had resided in Palatine and now resides in Schuyler in the county aforesaid that he entered the service as a substitute for George Bower.
            That he served under Colonel Goose Van Schaick Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Van Dyck and Captain Andrew Finck in the first regiment in the New York State troops.  That he did receive a written discharge for three years service signed by his Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius VanDyck—that in the summer or fall of the year 1831 he handed said discharge to John B. Dygert of Frankfort to ascertain whether he was  entitled to a pension under the  former pension law who as he is informed handed the same to  Michael Hoffman of Herkimer who has informed him that it was  at the war office at Washington but that he does not now know where the said discharge is or what has become of it.  That he is known to Michael Hoffman and John Mahon of Herkimer who although not in his immediate neighborhood can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution.   And 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 any agency of any state.
            Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.  Sworn to in open court Julius C. Nelson, clerk (Signed with his mark) Jacob Clements
            And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and  served as he states and the said court  further certify that they are personally acquainted with the said applicant that he is a person of credibility and that his statement is entitled to full credit.  And the same court further certifies that they are acquainted with John B. Dygert and Michael Hoffman whose affidavits are hereto also annexed and that the statement of said John B. Dygert and Michael Hoffman are also entitled to full credit. 

End Notes—Jacob Clements

  1. George Bower enlisted as a private for 3 years on 12 March 1777 in Captain Andrew Fink’s Company (third company) in Colonel Goose VanSchaick’s First New York Continental Regiment.  George is listed on a muster roll for the First New York sworn to at Schenectady in November 1777 by Capt. Andrew Finck, Lieutenant Bartholomew J. Van Valkenburgh, and Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Van Dyck.  Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783, Series M-246, Roll 65, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
  2. Jacob does not state where he was during the Battle of Monmouth, New Jersey which was fought on June 28, 1778.  The First New York was in the battle.  He was either sick or detached to a particular duty such as guard, etc.
  3. The First New York garrisoned Fort Schuyler (Fort Stanwix) from May 1779 until September 1780.
  4. Robert Smith, sergeant enlisted 12 December 1776 for duration of the war.

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