Pension Application

S.23419
State of New York
Otsego County SS.
            On this sixth day of July 1833 personally appeared before me James O. Morse First Judge of the County of Otsego, Cornelius Simmons a resident of the town of Springfield in the said county of Otsego who I certify from bodily infirmity is unable to attend court, aged eighty 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 provision made by the act of Congress passed Jun e7, 1832—That on the tenth day of May 1776, he was drafted at Shawangunk [pronounced SHONG-gum] Ulster County into a company of Militia commanded by Capt. John Graham, Lieut. Brown, Ensign not recollected. That this company belonged to a regiment commanded by Col. Paulding & that this deponent was marched to Kings bridge, & White plains NY & then to Hackensack NJ & then to Fishkill NY that he served for nine months & was discharged at Fishkill in the month of February 1777—This deponent further says that on the twentieth day of March 1777, he enlisted at Shawangunk aforesaid into Captain Weisenfelts company Lieut Brown & Ensign not recollected, in Col. Van Cortland’s regiment of the New York Line that he was marched to Warwarsing NY & served there & in its vicinity for nine months & was discharged there the last days of December 1777 or the first days of January 1778 making over nine months service.
            This deponent further says that on the thirteenth day of May 1778 he again entered at Shawangunk NY into Captain Johnson’s company Lieut Col. [?]burgh & ensign not recollected, that this company was then a part of Col. Van Cortland’s Regiment of the New York Line & was marched to Fort Montgomery N.Y. & served there for nine months & was discharged at Newburgh NY on the twentieth day of February 1779.
            That on the tenth of March 1779 this deponent was ordered out in the Militia & served in Capt. Hunters Company—Lt. Pawling & Ensign or 2nd Lt. DeWitt which company was a part of Col. Pawling Regt. That the company were marched to Owego NY where they remained about two months & were then marched to Oswego on Susquehannah river, but not meeting with Sullivan’s army as was expected. They returned to Handaken Ulster Col. that where they remained two weeks & they were then marched to Stony Point & remained there till the twentieth of December 1779 when this deponent was discharged—That always then different services [?] this deponent was in no civil employment whatever, but served as a soldier the whole time. That while in service he served the following officers among other viz—Generals Putnam, Mc Dougal, Cols. Van Cortland, Col. Pawling.
            He relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state or territory. (Signed with his mark) Cornelius Simmons
            Sworn to and subscribed this 6th day of July 1833 before me. James O. Morse First Judge of Otsego Co.
            I the said Judge do certify that I put the following questions to said Cornelius Simmons & that he answered each on oath & that I have written out his answers to each.—

Where & in what year was you born? Answer, I was born at Shawangunk NY on the 25th day of September in the year 1750.
Have you andy record of you age & if so where is it? Answer, I have one in my brothers large bible.—
Where were you living when called into service where have you lived since the Revolutionary War—Answer, I lived when called into service at Shawangunk Ulster Col NY. Since the revolutionary war I have lived in Johnstown NY Sharon NY, & Springfield NY, and I now live in Springfield, Otsego County at NY.
How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?—answer, I was twice drafted or ordered out, then I enlisted voluntarily and was never a substitute for any one.
State the names of some of the regular officers, who were with the troops where you served, such Continental & Militia regiments as you can recollect. Answer, Genl Putnam & McDougal, Col. Cortland, & Col. Pawling’s Regiment.
Did you ever receive a written discharge & if so what has become of it. Answer—I received written discharges but they are lost.
State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood & who can testify as to your character for truth & veracity & their belief of your Services as a Soldier in the war of the revolution. Answer, the Rev’d Stephen Curtiss a Methodist Clergyman & William B. Gollat. (Signed with his mark) Cornelius Sammons.

            Sworn & subscribed the day & year above written before me. J.G. Morse, First Judge of Otsego Co.
Letter of reply to an inquiry dated March 25, 1935.
            The Revolutionary War record of Cornelius Sammons, and the War of 1812 record of Sampson Jensen are given herein as shown in their claims for pension based upon service.
            Cornelius Sammons—S.23419.
            Cornelius Sammons, the name is shown also as Simmons, was born September 25, 1750, in Shawangunk, Ulster County, New York, the names of his parents are not shown.
            While a resident of Shawangunk, New York, he enlisted May 10, 1776, and served nine months as private in captain John Graham’s company, Colonel Albert Pawling’s New York regiment he enlisted March 20, 1777 and served nine months as private in Captain Weisenfels’ company, Colonel Van Cortland’s New York regiment; he enlisted May 30, 1778 and served nine months as private in Captain Johnson’s company, Colonel Van Cortland’s New York regiment; he enlisted March 10, 1779 and served nine months as private in Captain Robert Hunter’s company, Colonel Albert Pawling’s New York regiment.
            After the Revolutionary War he resided in Johnstown, Montgomery County, New York, in Sharon, New York, and in Springfield, Otsego County, New York; Springfield, New York, was his residence in 1819.
            The soldier died July 8, 1835 in Springfield, New York; he was not survived by a widow.
            On December 13, 1848, soldier’s son, Francis Sammons was a resident of Springfield, New York, aged forty-eight years. He applied there for pension which was due on account of the service of his father in Revolutionary War; his application was made in behalf of himself and his sister, Cynthia Gilbert, wife of William B. Gilbert, the only surviving children of Cornelius Sammons, the claim was allowed, said Mrs. Gilbert was then a resident of Pokagon, Cass County, Michigan.
            In 1819, one John Sammons of Deer Park, Orange County, New York, stated that he was a resident of Rochester, Ulster County, New York, when Cornelius Sammons served in the Revolutionary War, but did not state any relationship between them. In 1832, Benjamin Sammons, a cousin of said Cornelius Sammons was a resident of Johnstown, Montgomery County, New York, aged about seventy-four years; he stated that he lived in Shawangunk, New York, at the time of the Revolutionary War and served with his cousin.
            There are no further data relative to the family of Cornelius Sammons.
            Sampson Jensen –S.C. 67
            Sampson Jansen, while a resident of Kingston, New York, enlisted and served from September 9, 1813 to November 8, 1813 as private in Captain M.Elmendorff’s company of New York militia; he enlisted and served from September 13, 1814 to December 13, 1814 as private in Captain Bogart’s company of New York Militia, and was discharged at Fort Hudson, Staten Island, New York.
            In 1850, the soldier was a resident of Caroline, Tompkins County, New York.
            He was allowed pension on his application executed March 4, 1871, at which time he resided in Owego, Tioga County, New York. He was then aged eighty-one years, the date and place of his birth not shown. He was a widower in 1871; he stated that he married February 10, 1810 in Marbletown, Ulster County, New York, Eliza Mosher, but did not give the date of her death.
            Dewitt C. Jansen was a resident of Owego, New York, in 1871, no relationship to the soldier shown.

Here is another letter of inquiry in the folder.
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War records of Mathew Sammons, a Captain Hasbrouck, Abraham Jansen and Cornelius Jansen and Cornelius Sammons of Marbletown, New York, the War of 1812 records of Jacob Sammons and Samson Jensen of Kingston, New York, also, the Civil War record of Adam Sammons.
There are no claims for pension on file based upon service in the Revolutionary War of an Abraham Jansen or Mathew Sammons, nor for service in the War of 1812 of a Jacob Sammons. No record could be identified as that of the Captain Hasbrouck in whom you are interested. The Revolutionary War record as been found of one Cornelius Sammons and the War of 1812 records of one Sampson Jansen, both of New York State. Their records are furnished herewith.

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