Morrison's Pensions
State of New York
Montgomery County SS
S.12772
On the 25 th day of September in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, personally appeared before Henry I. Dieffendorf, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Montgomery.
John Jacob Dieffendorff, a resident in the Town of Canajoharry in the County of Montgomery and State of New York aforesaid, Aged eighty-five years four months and eleven days, 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 7 th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
Vizt. That this applicant declares that at the commencement of the Revolutionary War, at least since the year 1775, that he belonged to the Regiment commanded by Col. Campbell and served, armed and equipped in the company belonging or under the command of Capt. Henry Dieffendorff, of the militia in General Nicholas Herkimer's Brigade, in the then County of Tryon. That this claimant declares that in compliance with the Resolution assed by the old congress on the 27 th day of May 1775, as well that was in conformity of the laws and resolutions passed by the State of New York, relating or predicated on the foregoing resolution passed by the old Congress as also in obedience to the orders of his superior officer from time to time from the commencement to the close of the Revolutionary War has kept himself in constant readiness, well armed and equipped and always ready to have acted at a moment's warning.
That this applicant declares or earlier than 1775 in summer seasons he was ordered out twice by Capt. Henry Dieffendorff to march to the Royal Grant on an alarm, expecting the enemy along there, first tour remained about three weeks, second trip he doth not exactly recollect only also on an alarm watching and guarding for about two weeks.
Also this claimant declares that in the year 1776, either in January or February this applicant was ordered out under his Capt. To march with the militia in mass to Caughnawaga after the arrival of our militia, those joined Genl Schuyler's with his militia from Albany and Schenectady, those assembled for several days, his whole body of men formed and paraded on the ice at least once and from thence all marching to the village of Johnstown county of Montgomery under the aforesaid Genl Schuyler, their met Sir John Johnson as supposing with about between three and four hundred men causing surrender of Sir John on parole with his men, as also two different trips to Stonearabia to Fort Snell same year 1776 at each trip continued for three weeks.
Also in the year 1776 & 1777, generally stationed at Fort Blanck (Planck) watching and guarding and being on scouts, against the incursions of the common enemy at least at two months each year, at Fort Plain occasionally after the fort being erected, for three years, served at one month annually, watching and guarding against the incursions of the enemy as well there preserving the life of his family and his own.
That this applicant further declares that he believes, forepart of April 1777, that drafted to march to Turlough now Town of Sharon, County of Schohary in order to secure and arrest between thirty and forty disaffected persons, who hath been calculating to join the incendiaries in Canada. When we were appearing, each and every able bodied man of those on the Tory roll, not to be found for several days until one of them had come in discovering the others. They were all encamped in the woods, armed and calculated to take battle, but their hearts failed and disappeared and dispersed and all taken at their respective homes, when taken along before the committee of the county, all swore allegiance to the United States and notwithstanding at the beginning of Fort Stanwix in August nearly all joining Genl St. Leger.
Again, same year, 1777, this claimant further declares that he went under Capt. Robert Krous, then drafted to March under Genl Herkimer. Then met Capt. Brandt, there concluded treaty between Capt. Brandt and Genl. Herkimer and passed over without commending to battle which campaign was to Unadilla down the Susquehanny River. Again this claimant declares that immediately previous to 6 th August 1777, ordered to march out under the command of Capt. Henry Dieffendorff and when on the march to Oriskany Battle, after battle subsided, marching to German Flats, then ordered back by Capt. Dieffendorff, with a guard to Canajoharie in order to take and to apprehend some disaffected persons, accordingly did obey in taking the same to Albany and before coming to Oriskany engagement and battle subsided, and our men who ere engaged in battle returning, but during the same year also satisfied that he hath been performing services and duties no otherwise mentioned that is to say several times on scouting, spying those incendiaries lurking around and along or near the clearings, and sometimes at a distance from the old settlement calculated at least for 2 months.
This applicant further declares that he went to Cherry Valley when a cruel general conflagration was caused by Butler the cruel murdered. Vizt to men, women and children and even to infants unborn, where the mother with her infant baby were massacred, then under the command of Capt. Jacob Dieffendorf, belonging to the Regt. Commanded by Col. Samuel Clyde, same Regt. Which happened in November 1778.
Also this claimant declares that in the same year when Springfield was destroyed also ordered out under Capt. Dieffendorf, marching to Springfield, and another occasions, occurrences, and emergencies, the number of days or months the applicant cannot describe.
And this applicant further declares that in the year 1780 he was ordered out under Capt. Jacob Dieffendorf to march to Fort Schuyler, now Oneida County where Samuel Gray, Capt of Batteaux who got stopped the progress in transporting provisions and supplies for the garrison at Fort Stanwix, where the said Capt. Gray was, stayed for about eleven days.
When Genl Van Rensselaer with our militia who were under him, and Col. John Harper commanded than when and while guarding the boats and boatmen to Fort Stanwix. The enemy passing down the Mohawk to the now Town of Minden, murdering and destroying, burning and taking prisoners around about Fort Plain and even not escaping the complete building vizt their church at that time.
That this applicant, further declares that on the 25 th day of October after he was ordered out and marched to Johnstown Battle then under the immediate command of Col. Willett, attended with a number of lives lost and many prisoners taken on both sides.
That, he this claimant declares that he has been aiding and assisting in erecting Fort Dieffendorf (blot) in the summer 1780 and therein performed duties and services connectively with ten families, not only occasionally, but almost continually for two seasons from Spring until late in the Fall, watching and guarding, frequently on scouts and to the close of the war, that they were supplied with ammunition in the fort. Calculated to defend, by the public or besides rendering services occasionally called upon to march at a distance.
At the early part of the war twice, marched to Bowman's Creek on an alarm at each time to guard, to carry a load from Albany to Fort Stanwix, accordingly did perform the same and satisfied that he has served exceeding two years at least, but calculated from the commencement of the war, services performed.
That this applicant declares that he was born in the Town of Canajoharie in the then County of Tryon now County of Montgomery, on the 14th day of May 1747, and that his father and family has resided in the said Town of Canajoharie where this applicant did reside immediately previous during and ever since the Revolutionary War and that he has neither any family record nor any record of any church, but only information from the time he can recollect from his parents always hearing them declare such to be the day and year as prescribed in the foregoing.
And also, that he hath been appointed Orderly Sergeant, under and by Capt. Jacob Dieffendorf, immediately after Oriskany Battle and continued to the close of the War.
And that this applicant 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.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me. Henry A Dievendorff, Judge of Montgomery Common Pleas.
Signed by John Jacob Dieffedorff.
November 7, 1932
BA-J/AWF
John Jacob Diefendorf
S.12772
Mr.
Clifford M. Young
36 Oneida Terrace
Albany, New York
Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your letters in which you request the Revolutionary War record of John Jacob Diefendorf of Canajoharie, New York.
The date furnished herein were obtained frompapers on file in claim for pensions, S.12772, based on the service of John Jacob Diefendorff in the Revolutionary War.
John Jacob Diefendorff was born May 14, 1747, at Canajohaire, Tryon (later Montgomery) County, New York.during the Revolution.
While residing in Canajoharie, John Jacob Diefendorff enlisted sometime in April, 1775, served as private and orderly sergeant at various times on short tours in the New York troops, under Captains Henry Diefendorff, Jacob Seeber, Robert Krous, Jacob Diefendorff, Adam Leyp, Colonels Campbell, Klock, Willett; he was in the battle of Oriskany, the burning of Springfield, in an engagement at Fort Herkimer, at Cherry Valley, in the burning of German Flats, in the battle of Johnstown, his service consisted in scouting, guarding at the forts, and protecting the lives and property of the inhabitants of New York against the depredations of the Indians and British; he continued in the service until in 1782, length of all service about twenty-six months.
John Jacob Diefendorff was allowed pension on his application executed September 25, 1832, then a resident of Canajoharie, New York.
It was not stated if Jacob Diefendorff was ever married.
Henry I. Dievendorff (as his signature is shown) was “one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas: for Montgomery County, New York in 1832. Jonas Diefendorf was a clergyman in 1832 in Canajohaire, John Diefendorff was a resident of Minden, New York, in 1832, and stated that he was well acquainted with John Jacob Diefendorff during the Revolutionary War. It was not shown that these persons were related to the soldier, John Jacob Diefendorff, or that the Captains Henry and Jacob Diefendorff were related to him.
In
order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name and address of
person paid, and possibly the date of death of this pensioner, you should
apply to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division,
Washington, D. C., and furnish the following data:
John Jacob Diefendorff
Certificate #24166
Issued November 7, 1833
Rate $64.88 per annum
Commended March 4, 1831
Act of June 7, 1832
New York Agency
Very truly yours
A.D. Hiller
Executive Assistant
To the Administrator