Tenth Generation

44. John VAN DER VOORT Sr. (+) was born on 30 March 1755 in Sixmile Run, Somerset County, New Jersey Colony, British Colonial America.^{11,17,25,26,27} near New Brunswick. (His birth date may have been 3 March 1755.) He was baptized on 22 April 1756 in New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey Colony, British Colonial America.^11,28 in the New Brunswick First Reformed Dutch Church He served in the military before 1776.^26,29,30 in the Revolutionary War. He applied for a pension, but "the claim was not allowed as soldier failed to furnish proof of alleged service as required by the pension law."

According to the National Archives, there were only three ways that a pension could be paid to a Revolutionary War soldier: he was killed in the War and his wife and/or children would receive it; he was maimed, crippled or disabled; or, after the pension law was passed in 1818, veterans became eligible if they were destitute.

There is no record of John having received any major wounds. In his 1832 application for pension (quoted below), there is no mention of a reason for the application except for his continued service.
John lived in Brooklyn, Kings County, NY in 1790.⁶ He lived at his family home in Dutchess County, NY about 1790.² He lived at his home in Blenheim Hill, Schoharie County, NY between 1794 and 1832.^27,31,32 John is first enumerated in the Schoharie County in the 1800 Census. He is also found there in the 1810 and 1820 census, but not in 1830. He was a farmer.

In John's military pension file, it says that he lived in Dutchess County in 1832 when he enlisted, but that he had lived in Schoharie for 35 years, and prior to that in Rensselaer, Albany, NY. After the war, John probably returned to Dutchess County, because he married Mary Elizabeth there in Poughkeepsie, and their first 4-5 children were born there.

(This picture was taken by Chris Vandervort in September 2001 and is believed to be the site of John van der Voort's farm.)

From an article dated 9 November 1905 in the Jefferson (NY) Courier: "John van der Voort and his good wife Elizabeth were among the very first pioneers who came to Blenheim Hill, probably as early as 1794. They settled along the Indian trail leading from Patchin Hollow, living for a time in a log house not far from the Perry's.

About 1810 he built a frame house on what is now known as the Isaac Peaslee farm, which stood for 40 years before it was taken down just before this year. The sidiing was brought on a horse from the mill in Patchin Hollow, the boards being tied on each side of the animal. There was only a path through the forest and Mr. van der Voort walked back and forth, up and down the great hill, a three-mile journey, leading the faithful horse with its load of lumber." John appeared in the census in 1820 in Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.³³ His household consisted of 1 male, age 10-16 (Freegift, age 13); 1 male, age 16-26 (Cornelius, age 18); 1 male, age over 45 (John, age 65); 1 female, age 16-26 (Elizabeth "Betsey" age 16); and 1 female, age over 45 (Mary, age 61). Two members of the household (probably John and Cornelius) were "engaged in Agriculture." He died on 3 July 1836 at the age of 81 in Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.^15,25,34,35

"John Van der Voort was born in the vicinity of a locality called Six Mile Run near New Brunswick, (in) Somerset County, New Jersey on March 30, 1755, and was baptized in the Reformed Dutch Church of New Brunswick, on April 22, 1756. Therefore, he was about eight years old when his father, Jacobus Van der Voort, moved with his family to Fishkill, Dutchess County, New York.

From John's pension application made for his services in The Revolutionary War on October 3, 1832 in Schoharie County, we have a clear picture of his activities during the war, and later life. This pension application is such an interesting document that we are quoting it verbatim as follows:

'State of New York, Schoharie County: On the third day of October in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, personally appeared in the open court before the Judges of the court of common pleas of the county of Schoharie, now setting, John Van Dervort, a resident in the town of Blenheim in the County of Schoharie and State of New York, age Seventy seven years and six months, who being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits 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.

In the year 1775 in the month of April in the town of Beekman in the county of Dutchess in the state of New York where he then resided, he enlisted for one year in Captain William Clark's Company in Colonel Swartwout's regiment in the revolutionary service. They marched by land from there to New York and took Bedlows Island and fortified Governor's Island. He remained in New York in the service 'till his year was out, that he was discharged there in the latter part of April, 1776. He was in no battle during the year excepting the resistance they met with in taking the Island from the British.

In the year 1776, and soon after he was discharged from the year's service, he enlisted again for seven or eight months in Captain John Dustin's Company in Colonel Swartwout's regiment, he enlisted at Beekman aforesaid, where he resided at the time. That they went to the highlands on the west side of Hudson River and built fortifications there. He stayed there 'till his term of service had expired and was discharged there. Thinks it was in December 1778.

That again in the month of July 1777 he enlisted for eight months at Beekman in Dutchess County aforesaid in Captain Bentley's Company in James Van Denburgh's regiment. They marched towards Saratoga to join forces against Burgoyne, but a little below Saratoga an express met them (advising) that Burgoyne had surrendered. They then marched back to Albany and from there went to Poughkeepsie by water and from there they went below White Plains near the British lines and joined Colonel Van Rensselaer's regiment.

That during this term of service this deponent was a brevet lieutenant of his company; that he continued in the service at that place 'till his eight months had expired when he was discharged there sometime in the month of February 1778.

That in the month of March 1778 he started to go a privateering, went to New London and went aboard of a vessel called Putnam under command of Thomas Alliss (Allan) and Lieutenants Garret and Solston. That this deponent was made quarter gunner, the vessel carried twenty guns. They went to the British channel; while gone they took six sail of the British vessels and sent them to Boston, when four of them arrived they were brigs. (Difficulty in reading the original script). That he was gone about eight months.

In the spring of the year 1780 he enlisted for nine months at Poughkeepsie in the county of Duchess in Captain Harry Dodge's company in Colonel Wessenfels' regiment and marched from there to Schenectady and from there to Johnstown now in the county of Montgomery in said state. That they had received news that the enemy was coming from Canada and that he and six more including an Indian spy (who turned traitor) were sent to Stone Arabia and Cherry Valley to make discoveries. That after fourteen days away they joined the regiment again at Johnstown aforesaid, and after he returned in about a month they marched to Stillwater and Saratoga and stayed there 'till their time was nearly out and then marched back to Poughkeepsie and there discharged sometime about New Years 1781.

That the next spring he went out recruiting under a commission for that purpose from George Clinton. And went out recruiting every year during the war after that for as much as from four and five months each year. The commission is lost or destroyed or got out of his possession and he does not know where it is, if it is in being.
1. To the first interrogatory of the court he answers that he was born in the state of New Jersey near Brunswick in the year 1755.
2. To the second interrogatory he answers that he has no record excepting that taken from his father's family bible and entered in his own which is at his house in Blenheim in Schoharie County.
3. To the third interrogatory he answers that he was living in the town of Beekman in the county of Duchess and state of New York when he was called into the service. That he has lived since the Revolutionary War part of the time in Rensselaer County of Albany and that he lives now in the town of Blenheim and has lived there for about thirty-four or five years in the county of Schoharie in the state of New York.
4. To the fourth interrogatory he answers that he volunteered and enlisted each time into the service.
5. To the 5th interrogatory he answers he was acquainted with General George Clinton and General James Clinton and Colonel Lewis Dubois and many others whose names he has forgotten during the time he was in the service.
6. To the sixth he answers that he had some written discharges but they are lost and he thinks were signed by Colonel Wessenfel.
7. To the 7th he answers that he is acquainted with the following persons who live in his neighborhood who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. To wit: the Rev. Daniel Cornell Valentine Efner and William H. Cornell and others.

He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension role of the agency or any State.
Signed John Van der Voort

Sworn to and subscribe the day and year aforesaid in open court.
John Gebhard Jr. Clk.'

John was just 20 years old when on April 19, 1775 the first shot of the Revolutionary War was fired at Lexington which marked the beginning of hostilities. By his own statement he immediately enlisted in the month of April 1775 and re-enlisted in the years 1776 and 1777. In March of 1778 he went a privateering aboard a vessel called 'Putnam' in New London, Connecticut, returning to Beekman in November, 1778.

Shortly after his return home he was married to Elizabeth Cornell and their marriage is recorded as taking place on December 21, 1778 in the records of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Poughkeepsie, New York. He evidently stayed in Beekman during the year 1779 but again enlisted in the spring of 1780 for nine months and was finally discharged on New Year's day 1781.

Elizabeth Cornell was a daughter of Thomas Cornell, bp. May 24, 1730, Hempstead, Long Island, d. Jan.-Feb. 1797, Beekman, N.Y., and Elizabeth Wiltsie. The Cornell family were early settlers of Beekman and became prominent members of that community and of the Christ Church of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. In July, 1775, Thomas Cornell acted as a Patriot in signing the "Articles of Association" for Beekman Precinct and the Records of Christ Church show that he was elected a vestryman in April 26, 1767 when the congregation organized a vestry.

It will be noted that John's first male child was named Thomas Cornell after his maternal grandfather instead of giving the honor to the paternal grandfather, Jacobus, as was the usual Procedure of Dutch families at that time. This reversal of procedure unquestionably shows the prominence that Thomas Cornell had in the family. Elizabeth Cornell received a legacy on the death of Thomas Cornell, the will being probated in Beekman on February 25, 1797.

John and his wife lived in Beekman after the Revolutionary War until about 1792-93. He is listed in the 1790 census as a resident of Beekman and the births of his first six children are recorded there. His last recorded child in Beekman is on November 5, 1791, when his child William Humphrey was born.

As his daughter, Catherine, born November 14, 1793 is not recorded in the Reformed Dutch Church of Poughkeepsie as were his older children we can presume that John Van der Voort moved from Beekman about 1792-93 to Rensselaer county for four or five years. As he states in his pension application in 1832 that he has lived in Schoharie county 34 or 35 years he must have moved to Blenheim, Schoharie about 1797 or 1798. Here he bought a farm and lived the rest of his life.

An interesting account of John Van der Voort's settlement in Blenheim was obtained from a family history in possession of Mrs. Wm. C. Ruland of Cobleskill, N.Y. She is a descendant of John Van der Voort through his older son Jacob. The account is as follows: 'John Van der Vort and his good wife, Elizabeth, were among the very first pioneers who came to Blenheim Hill in Schoharie County, probably as early as 1794. They settled along the Indian Trail leading from Patchin Hollow (now Blenheim) to the head waters of the Delaware River, living for a time in a log house not far from the Percy farm. About 1810 he built a frame house on what is known as the Isaac Peaslee farm. It stood for forty years and was taken down just before the Civil War. The sidding was brought tied to the side of a horse from the mill in Patchin Hollow. There was only a trail through the forest and Van der Vort walked back and forth, up and down the great hill about three miles leading the horse with its load of boards.'

There are various evidences of the presence of John Van der Voort in Blenheim. He is listed in the various census reports up to 1830. He also witnessed the will of a William Fink of Bethlehem, Schoharie county on July 16, 1813, along with Freegift Patchin, evidently quite a friend of his as he named a child Freegift.

It is extremely fortunate that we have a certificate available from a grandson of John Van der Voort, Freegift Van der Voort, b. June 12, 1844, son of Cornelius Van der Voort, b. Mar. 23, 1802, d. Dec. 9, 1879. (see #10 in John's list of children). This certificate is signed by Freegift Van der Voort, the State of Texas, County of Dimmit, Carrizo Springs and is dated December 12, 1922. It is on file in the Bible Records of the D.A.R. of the State of New York, Vol. 19, p. 117.

In his certificate he states his information came from the bible of his parents and he gives a complete list of the births and most of the deaths of the children of John Van der Voort and Elizabeth Cornell. Freegift is correct in his listing of the births of the first six children where they can be checked with the Fishkill church record.

He states that John Van der Voort was buried on Blenheim Hill, Schoharie County on land cleared by him and that the land was later known as the Isaac Peaslee farm. He gives Elizabeth Cornell's name as Mary Elizabeth which is incorrect as we have her marriage record and also the will of her father Thomas Cornell and she is always referred to as Elizabeth.

Freegift confirms that John Van der Voort was a Revolutionary War soldier and made the following statement: 'That I have often heard my father say that my grandfather John was a soldier in the American army during the Revolutionary War; that he was in the various battles near Saratoga Springs that resulted in the capture of the British General Burgoyne and his army; that his general's name was Freegift Patchen; that he named one of his sons Freegift in honor of his general and that my father had me christened with that same name.'

The Freegift Patchen referred to was not a General in the American Revolution as can be seen by the quotation from Military Records of Schoharie Veterans by Geo. E. Warner, page 41, which states as follows: 'Freegift Patchen was not enrolled as of military age but was mustered as fifer its it was the custom to appoint enterprising lads as musicians. He was captured with the party sent to Harpersfield to make sugar and treated with marked cruelty at the several Indian villages and while confined in various Canadian prisons. According to a narrative left by him, his life was spared by a humane surgeon who discovered his wretched condition and ordered the removal of his irons and better treatment. He was released November 28, 1782. He died on August 30, 1811, age 72, therefore, born in 1759.'

It can be seen from the above that Freegift Patchen was only a boy of 16 when the revolution started, was mustered as a fifer and spent nearly the entire war in a Canadian prison camp. Patchen returned to Schoharie and rose to the rank of a General in the New York State Militia in later years. He was also a friend of John Van der Voort as he lived in the area and witnessed a will with him in 1813 as was mentioned previously. John Van der Voort also named a son, Freegift, b. April 21, 1807 in Blenheim. Possibly John Van der Voort served in the State Militia under Patchen in the war of 1812 or previously which would account for the statement that 'his General's name was Freegift Patchen.'

It will be noted that John Van der Voort named his sixth son, born November 5, 1791, William Humphrey Van der Voort. William Humphrey was of Rombout precinct where John lived during the revolution and was also a Colonel in the Fifth Regiment of the Dutchess county Militia and possibly John served also under him. At any rate, he named a son after him.

In November, 1963 the old homestead on Blenheim Hill was visited by Mrs. W. C. Ruland of Cobleskill, New York and a picture obtained of John Van der Voort's grave marker which is still standing and in good condition although badly mossed over. It reads as follows:

JOHN VANDERVOORT
Born Mar. 3,1755
Died July 3,1836"

(Gary Griggs' Note: The above record about his gravestone indicates that it shows a birth date of March 3, 1755. He is believed to have been born March 30.

Also, this account refers to General Freegift "Patchen." His surname was actually spelled "Patchin," and the city of Patchin Hollow, later named Blenheim, NY, was named after him or his family.)

He was buried in North Blenheim, Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.^36,37,38,39 in the Blenheim Hill Church Cemetery next to his wife.

From the research of Barbara Borns: "We visited Blenheim Hill about 10 years ago and were directed by a local resident to a woman who lived on the hill and did a lot of history of the early residents. Her first name I believe was Kathy—I have some communications with her tucked away. She directed us to a small area of about 8 or 9 graves—it didn’t look as much like a cemetery as the corner of a farm field with a fence around it. There were several markers, but they were very hard to read—worn and moss covered. She claimed that was where John VdV was buried along with several other members of his family."

John VAN DER VOORT Sr. (+) and Mary "Elizabeth" CORNELL were married on 21 December 1778 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York Colony, British Colonial America.^11,25,36 in the First Reformed Dutch Church. A 1905 article in the Jefferson (NY) Courier said that their children were "James, Peter, Cornelius, Freegiff, William and Betsey." The other six children were not mentioned. Mary "Elizabeth" CORNELL, daughter of Thomas CORNELL and Mary HUMPHREY, was born on 13 December 1758 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York Colony, British Colonial America.^15,28,36 (She may have been born in Beekman, Dutchess, NY.)

(Her full name is believed to have been "Mary Elizabeth" although only Elizabeth is used in her marriage record and her father's will. Her birth date may have been Dec 3rd.) She died on 8 September 1835 at the age of 76 in Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.^15,16,36 She was buried after 8 September 1835 in North Blenheim, Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.^6,36,37,38 in the Blenheim Hill Cemetery. (This picture was taken by Chris Vandervort in September 2001 and is believed to contain the graves of many members of John and Mary van der Voort's family.)

John VAN DER VOORT Sr. (+) and Mary "Elizabeth" CORNELL had the following children:

57	i.	Thomas Cornell VAN DER VOORT was born on 29 July 1780 in Beekman, Dutchess County, New York Colony, British Colonial America.³⁶ He died about 1782 at the age of 2 in Beekman, Dutchess County, New York Colony, British Colonial America.²
+58	ii.	Hannah VAN DER VOORT.
+59	iii.	Jacob VAN DER VOORT.
60	iv.	John VAN DER VOORT Jr. was born on 19 April 1787 in Beekman, Dutchess County, New York Colony, British Colonial America.^8,16,36 He died on 5 July 1807 at the age of 20 in Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.^16,36
+61	v.	James Robert VAN DER VOORT Sr. (+) (^).
62	vi.	William Humphrey VAN DER VOORT was born on 5 November 1791 in Beekman, Dutchess County, NY.^8,16,36 He lived in Sidney, Delaware County, NY about 1852.²⁶ He died after 1852 at the age of 61 in Sidney, Delaware County, NY.^16,26,36
63	vii.	Catherine VAN DER VOORT was born on 14 November 1793 in Rensselaer County, NY.^8,16,36 She died in 1804 at the age of 11 in Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.^8,16,36
+64	viii.	Peter VAN DER VOORT.
65	ix.	Charles VAN DER VOORT was born on 2 April 1798 in Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.^8,36 (He may have been born April 12, 1798.) (This is a map of the Vandervort name distribution in the U.S. in 1880.) He died on 7 February 1889 at the age of 90 in Binghamton, Broome County, NY.^17,36
+66	x.	Cornelius VAN DER VOORT Sr..
67	xi.	Elizabeth "Betsy" VAN DER VOORT was born on 12 November 1804 in Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.^8,36 (This picture notes that the Blenheim Bridge is the longest single-span covered bridge in the world.) She appeared in the census in 1820 in Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.³³ with her parents. She appeared in the census in 1850 in Bradford County, PA.⁴⁰ She was living in the household of her brother Cornelius during the 1850 Census. Betsy appeared in the census in 1870 in Binghamton, Broome County, NY.⁴¹ She was living with her brother Cornelius and his family. She died on 15 January 1874 at the age of 69.^8,36 (She may have died 18 January 1874.)
68	xii.	Freegift Patchin VAN DER VOORT was born on 21 April 1807 in Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.^8,28,36 (This picture is of the plaque on the Blenheim Bridge, a covered bridge in Blenheim Township, NY.) He appeared in the census in 1820 in Blenheim Township, Schoharie County, NY.³³ with his parents. He died on 4 May 1844 at the age of 37 in New York City, Kings County, NY.^2,8,36 Freegift was buried on 7 May 1844 in Gilboa, Schoharie County, NY.² He was originally buried in grave #370 in the Old Cemetery, but he was moved to grave #233 in the New Cemetery in October 1925.