Pension Application

R.9269
Widow: Magdalena (married 5th October 1790, in the Reformed Dutch Church, Albany by Rev. John Bassett, Pastor of the church) or Hilana
Sergeant in the company commanded by Captain VanWie, Regiment of Col. Quackenboss.
Declaration. In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
State of New York
County of Montgomery SS.
            On the nineteenth day of September 1832, personally appeared in open court before the Judges thereof now sitting, John Schoonmaker a resident of Broadalbin in the County of Montgomery and state of New York aged 21st June last seventy 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 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. That he was born at Saugerties in the County of Ulster and in his infancy removed to the County of Albany until within three years past when he removed to his present place of residence in Montgomery County. That he was enrolled as a private in the militia in a company commanded by Capt. VanWie in Col. Henry Quackenboss’s Regt and was appointed an Orderly Sergeant in said company, and did duty or such from the time of his appointment until the close of the Revolutionary War
            That his first tour of duty was on being marched from the City of Albany under Col. Quackenboss to General Schuyler’s Mills at Saratoga and was encamped there for four weeks or thereabouts and then marched from thence through Nisguiona [Niskayuna] to Schenectady; and after remaining there, billeted on the inhabitants of that place for about fourteen days, were discharged, and returned home to Watervliet—
            That some considerable time after the foregoing tour, this declarer was again ordered out with the company and regiment to which he belonged, upon a sudden alarm that the British & Indians had threatened to attack the lower fort at Schoharie, whereupon the militia of the County of Albany marched to the relief of that fort, where the militia arrived in season to relieve the fort and after repelling the enemy & after a pretty severe conflict in which a number of both sides were killed and wounded, the enemy were compelled to abandon the attack, and thereupon the militia were ordered in pursuit of them, and having pursued them for some time, they on the second day of the pursuit, overtook scattered parties, and made prisoners of a number of them to the amount of 25 or 30, who were brought into the fort at Schoharie, and from thence marched under the charge of this declarer as Serjeant [sic] of the guard to the City of Albany, and confined in the Goal of that City, where they were safely delivered by this declarer to the goaler; and thereupon the militia were discharged and returned home to Watervliet now the Town of Bethlehem.
            In the following year, the declarer was again ordered out with the Regiment and company aforesaid, and marched from Waterfliet by the way of Schenectady & on the North side of the Mohawk River to Caughnawaga, in the then county of Tryon (now Montgomery) where they remained billeted amongst the inhabitants, for a period of perhaps a fortnight or three weeks, and then were dismissed and returned home to Watervliet.
            Sometime subsequent to this last tour, he the declarer was head of a class of twelve or fourteen who were obligated, either to stand a draft for personal service of nine months, in behalf of and for that class or, to hire an able bodied recruit to enlist for the term of nine months to serve in one of the regiments of the New York line; that the persons composing the class agreed to waive a draft, and concluded to hire an able bodied man to serve for nine months accordingly, and it fell to this declarer, to procure such man; who shortly fell in accidently with a person, being a servant of one Ab’m Mynderse, a Taylor in Albany, with whom he agreed for the sum of thirty dollars, paid by this declarer to the said Ab’m Mynderse, and some articles of clothing provided for the man who enlisted, to enlist for the said nine months, and was brought by this declarer to John Fondey an officer in the ninth months service for the purpose of being mustered; by whom he was accordingly mustered and accepted and thereupon joined the regiment to which he was attached—That this declarer hath afterwards understood, that the said recruit who was a yellow colored man was named Yett Mynderse, was afterwards killed in battle with the enemy; and that this declarer believes the said information to be true, having heard the same from the father of the said Yett Mynderse.
            That this declarer cannot with precision state the length of duration, or the particular times of his before mentioned services; but he has no hesitation in stating, and doth confidently declare, that the whole period of his services as a revolutionary soldier in the capacity of Orderly Serjeant, was full twenty four months.
            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) John Schoonmaker
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. George D. Ferguson

Letter dated April 16, 1837, replying to a request for information.
            Reference is made to your letter in which you state that Johannes Schoonmaker who was placed on the pension roll in 1833, Ulster County, New York, or John Ed. Schoonmaker who was placed on the pension roll in the same year may have been the father of Johannes Schoonmaker who was born April 21, 1784.
            A very careful examination has been made of the papers on file in pension claim S.15223, based upon service of Johannes Schoonmaker in the Revolutionary War and of the papers in pension claim, S.14443, based upon service of John Ed. Schoonmaker in that war and no record found that either soldier had a son John or Johannes.
            A further search of the records was made in your behalf and a claim for pension found, R.9269, based upon the service of another John Schoonmaker in that war in which it is shown that he had a son John. That record is furnished you herein as found in said pension claim.
            John Schoonmaker was born June 21, 1762, in Saugerties, Ulster County, New York, and in infancy moved to Albany County, New York. The names of his parents are not stated.
            While residing with his father in Watervliet, that part which was later called Bethlehem, Albany County, New York, John Schoonmaker enlisted in 1776, served four weeks as private and sergeant in Captain John VanWie’s Company, Colonel Henry Quackenbos’ New York Regiment. He enlisted in the fall of 1776 or 1777 and served four weeks as sergeant in Captain John VanWie’s Company, Colonel Barent Staats’ New York Regiment. He enlisted in the fall of 1778 and served two months in the same company and regiment. He enlisted in the fall of 1779 and served two months as sergeant in the same company and regiment. He enlisted in October 1780, served two months under the same officers, and was in the battle of Schoharie. He later served two weeks as sergeant under the same officers.
            About 1829 he moved from Albany County, New York, to Montgomery County, New York.
            He died September 4 or 5, 1842, in Broadalbin, New York.
            Soldier married October 5, 1790, Magdalene, the name is also shown as Hilana, Hansen, her age is not stated. Their marriage was recorded on the records of theReformed Protestant Dutch Church in Albany, New York.
            She died September 7 or 11, 1842.
            The following children of soldier and Magdalene were living in 1843: John I. Schoonmaker, born July 22, 1793, Alida Schoonmaker, forty-three years old, and Jane Ann Dyer, thirty-four years old, all residents of Broadalbin, New York; Henry Schoonmaker, thirty-seven years old, living in Schenectady County, New York; Gertrude Schoonmaker, thirty-nine years old, residing in Limerick, Jefferson County, New York; Isaac Schoonmaker, forty-five years old, living in Johnstown, Fulton County, New York; Mary Litle [sic], aged forty-seven years, a resident of Utica, Oneida County, New York.
            Sarah, the wife of said John I. Schoonmaker, was born January 20, 1797, place, and her maiden name not stated. Said John and Sarah, had a son, John Seaman Schoonmaker, who was born February 6, 1817. There are no further family data.

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