Pension Application

S.28684
State of New York
County of Schenectady SS.
            On this seventeenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County now sitting Jacob P. Clute a resident of the City of Schenectady in said County & State aged upwards of Seventy three years 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 in the then township of Schenectady now City aforesaid in the County of Schenectady in the State aforesaid on the fourth day of March 1759—He has no record of his age except that contained in his family Bible.
            When he was called into the service of the United States in the army of the revolution, he was living in said township [blank] and since the revolutionary war he has lived in the said Township of Schenectady & he now lives in the City of Schenectady aforesaid.
            He entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
            In the beginning of the year 177[?] or as soon as he arrived at the age of sixteen years, he was enrolled in Captain Jess VanSlyck’s company of Militia in the Regiment whereof Abraham Wemple was Colonel.
            After his enrollment as aforesaid he thinks in the month of May 1775, he was drafted to go to Saratoga, and was thence ordered to Lake George to aid the artificers of the American Army in repairing the works of defence and erecting fortifications in that quarter, that the Country might be in a state of readiness to meet the enemy. He was engaged in this service for a term exceeding six months—He thinks his commanding officers were Nicholas Veeder & Jacob Vrooman.
            He was on several other occasions as will be stated herein, enlisted as an artificer. But his memory does not serve him sufficiently well to give the dates.
            He served under an enlistment in Captain Garner’s company of Artificers under Colonel Gansevoort at Fort Stanwix for the full term of nine months. He thinks this was after the siege of that place by St. Leger.
            He served under an enlistment in Captain Christopher Miller’s Company of Artificers at Coeymans for the term of nine months & was there employed in the construction of galleys and whale boats. In what year this was, he cannot call to mind. The period for which he performed duty during said was therefore as a military artificer exceeded the term of two years.
            Early in the summer of the year 1777, he was drafted with other members of his company of militia aforesaid to go to Fort Edward, and did duty at that fort, and the other posts occupied by the American Northern Army for the term of six weeks. Previous to the surrender of Burgoyne, he was taken sick and excused from military duty.
            He has performed garrison duty in said company three times at the upper fort in Schoharie for the term of one month each time. The particular years not distinctly recollected.
            He has performed the like duty two or three times at Stone Arabia—also at Fort Plank & at Fort Plain for a term each time of between two and three weeks.
            He was with the militia in the spring and fall of the year 1780, when Caughnawaga was cut off by Sir John Johnson & the Mohawk Indians—He was out in each of these expeditions about three weeks.
            When Major Ross and Walter Butler made an incursion in that quarter in the fall of the year 1781, he was with the troops on that occasion under Colonel Willett, and went with the detachment that pursued the enemy to West Canada Creek. In this expedition he served more than two weeks.
            He went out on many occasions with scouts of the militia and Indians—In search of tories, he has been at Beaverdam & Helderbergh several times—He has assisted in the apprehension of many parties of them—When not out in these tours he was engaged in mounting guard at Schenectady.
            It is impossible for him to specify the particular periods of his services but knows, judging from the short portions of time he was permitted to remain at home, that the term for which he performed military duty in the garrison and in the field, is not less than three years.
            He was engaged in several skirmishes, but the only battles it fell to his lot to engage in was the one at Snookkill & that of Johnstown in Oct 1781.
            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: General Schuyler, Colonel Peter Gaansevoort, Colonel Goosen VanSchaick.
            He never received any 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 more fully than those whose testimony is hereto annexed.
            The following are the names of persons 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: James V.S. Ryley & John N. Marseles
            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 with his mark) Jacob P. Clute
            Subscribed and sworn to the day and year first aforesaid. John S. Vrooman, Clerk

June 8, 1940, reply to a request for information.
            Reference is made to your letter in which you request the War of 1812 record of Jacob P. Clute who was born March 4, 1759, lived in Schenectady, New York, was the son of Pieter Clute, and died January 16, 1843.
            The Jacob P. Clute, cited by you as having served in the War of 1812 received pension for service in the Revolutionary War. You are furnished his record as found in the papers of pension claim, S.28684, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War. No reference was made in his claim to any service in the War of 1812.
            Jacob P. Clute was born March 4, 1759, in the Township of Schenectady, Schenectady County, New York. He was the son of Peter Clute and assisted his father in building boats which were later used in Sullivan’s Expedition to Otsego Lake. The name of Jacob P.’s mother was not stated.
            While a resident of Schenectady, New York, Jacob P. Clute enlisted at the age of sixteen years in Captain Jesse VanSlyck’s company, Colonel Abraham Wemple’s regiment doing garrison duty at the fort in Schenectady. He served at different times in the New York troops until the close of the Revolution engaged in garrison, field and fatigue duty his service in all amounting to more than thirty-three months, under the following officers: Captain Nicholas Veeder’s company, Colonel Jacob Vroomans’ regiment at Saratoga and lake George, aiding the artificers in repairing the works of defense and erecting fortifications; in Captain Garner’s company, Colonel Peter Gansevoort’s regiment at Fort Stanwix; in Captain Christopher Miller’s company of artificers at Coeymans assisting in building whaleboats and galleys; in 1777, he served in Captain VanSlyck’s company at Fort Edward, was in General Schuyler’s retreat from there to Stillwater and was taken ill just before the surrender of Burgoyne; he performed garrison duty at the fort in Schoharie in Captain VanSlyck’s company under Major Jacob Schermerhorn; at Fort Hunter and Stone Arabia in Captain VanSlyck’s company under Major Abraham Switz; at Forts Plank and Plain in Captain VanSlyck’s company and in 1781 again in Captain Jesse VanSlyck’s company, Colonel Willett’s regiment at Fort Herkimer, Beaver Dams and Helderburgh and other places as a spy, was in the battle of Johnstown and West Canada Creek, also in some skirmishes, one of which was at “Snookkill”.
            Jacob P. Clute was allowed pension for his service in the Revolution on his application executed October 17, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Schenectady, New York. It was stated that he always resided in Schenectady with the exception of four years about 1806 which he spent in Freysbush, New York.
            It is not stated in the claim whether or not the soldier ever married.
            Richard Clute, brother of Jacob P. Clute was born in Schenectady, New York, and still living there in 1845, aged seventy-four years.

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