Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14,205, for Cornelius Polhemus, New Jersey
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(3-1776)
SERVICE
New Jersey
Polhemus, Cornelius
Polhelmus
NUMBER
S. 14,205.
Carded
CONTENTS
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2703
New York
------------------------
Cornelius Polhemus
of Bennett in the State of New York 
who was a LieutT in the company commanded
by Captain Hoppeck of the Regt commanded
by Col Thompson in the New York
line for 22 months
N. J.
-----------------------
Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the rate of 293 Dollars 33 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
-----------------------
Certificate of Pension issued the 4th day of December 1832 and sent to A. Gould
Auburn N.Y.
-----------------------
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832 $439.99
Semi=anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 33 146.66
$586.65 

Revolutionary Claim,}
Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by Jno Cromwell__ Clerk,
Book D Vol. 5 Page 125
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Cornelius Polhemus
-
No. 5232
admitted
22 mo.
Lieutt
16
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State of New York
Cayuga County    ⎬ Ss.

Joab Mershong of Genett in the County of Cayuga being duly sworn says that he is aged seventy two years, that he is well acquainted with Cornelius Polhemus of Gennett in the County aforesaid and was well acquainted with him in the time of the Revolutionary War, that they both resided in the same town for those years during said war, to wit the town of Amwell in the County of Hunterdon & State of New Jersey_ he further says that he frequently saw said Polhemus in the Service during said war_ that he was first Lieutenant in the company of militia commanded by Captain Charles Redding in Col Chambers Regiment. He further says that said Polhemus was in the service in the winter of 1777, that he saw him in said service on the night previous to the Battle of Princeton_ he further says that he saw said Polhemus in service, as a Sargeant of the company of Captain Cornelius Hoppeck in the summer of 1776 that he saw him at Amboy_
he further says that he again saw said Pol
hemus in service, as first Lieutenant in Captain
Charles Reddings Company at Smiths farms in
the year Summer of 1777 as he believes
He further says that the company of Captain
Charles Redding was in said service and was
at the battle of Monmouth. He further says that during the aforesaid three years, the father of this deponent kept a publick house at Amwell aforesaid at which place the officers of the several companies in said town were accustomed to meet for the purpose of making arrangements to prepare the soldiers in said companies for actual service. That he frequently saw the said Comelius at said place, who acted as first Lieutenant and formed one of the board
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of officers for the purpose of transacting said
business_ he further says that he frequently saw said Cornelius in said service, as such Lieutenant but at what particular times or the precise length of time, he is unable to state, but from his knowledge of the said Cornelius and his knowledge of his services he has no doubt that said Cornelius did serve during said
war at different times a term of two years
and a half and more
Joab Mershon

Sworn & Subscribed the 8th day of}
August A.D. 1832 before me}
J. L. Richardson
first Judge of Cayuga

I certify my opinion that the said Joab Mershon is a man of truth and veracity Nov 13th 1832
J. L. Richardson
first Judge of Cayuga

State of New York}
Cayuga County} I Michael S Myers Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the said County of Cayuga, do hereby certify that Joseph L. Richardson before whom the foregoing affidavit was made was on the day of the date thereof and still is first Judge of said Court duly commissioned and sworn and that full faith & credit are to be given to his acts in that capacity_ in that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of the said judge and believe his signature to the foregoing affidavit to be genuine
In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed the seal of said Court & Subscribed my name the 13th day of November AD 1832 
M. S. Myers Clerk
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State of New York}
Cayuga County} Ss  Personally appeared before me the undersigned a justice of the peace in and for said County Cornelius Polhemus of
Sennett in said County, a Revolutionary soldier
who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that
by reason of old age and the consequent loss
of memory he cannot swear positively as to
the precise length of his services, but according to his best recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades. For one month I served as a Sargeant and for two years and five
months I served as first Lieutenant in the
militia and for such service I claim a pension
Cornelius Polhemus

Sworn & subscribed the 
19th day of November 1832⎬ 
before me John Grover Justice
of the Peace

I certify that the said Comelius Polhemus a
man of good moral character and a
man of truth & veracity Nov 19th 1832
John Grover Justice

State of New York
Cayuga County   ⎬ Ss  I Michael S Myers Clerk of said County do certify that John Grover before whom the above affidavit was made and by whom the above certificate was made was on the day of the date thereof a justice of the peace in & for said County- that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of the said Justice and believe his signature to the said affidavit & certificate to be genuine. Witness my hand & seal of office the 19th day
of November AD 1832
M. S. Myers.
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State of New York,
Cayuga COUNTY   ⎬ss.
On this 6th day of August A. D. 1832 personally appeared before me the first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Cayuga and state of New-York, now setting, Cornelius Polhemus a resident of Sennett in the County of Cayuga and State of New-York, aged 77 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: -That he entered the service under the following named officers, and served as herein stated:- That about the last of May or the first of June AD 1776 at the town of Amwell in the County of Hunterdon in the State of New Jersey he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer in the
company commanded by Captain Cornelius Hoppock in the second Regiment in said County commanded by Col Mark Thompson, that he marched with said company first to Amboy, in said State where he remained until he was discharged, as Sargeant in said company, having served a term of one month. He further declares that soon after his said last mentioned discharge he again entered said service in the company of Militia commanded by Captain Charles Redding, in Col.... Chambers
Regiment, that at the time of entering
said service he was chosen first Lieutenant of said company, that he marched with said company to Elizabeth town in said State, from thence to Newark near which place he was stationed at the time of the battle of Springfield, that he continued in said service as such Lieutenant for a term of one month when he returned home. He further declares that about the month of October, AD 1776 he again entered said service as such Lieutenant as aforesaid in the company last aforesaid, that he marched with said company to the place now called Pattersons falls, for the purpose
of dislodging a body of torys and refugees, who were stationed at that place, from thence to Morristown
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and from thence home, that he continued in said service one month or more. He further declares that about the month of November in the same year he again entered said service in the same company as such Lieutenant as aforesaid, that he marched with said company near to Elizabeth town where he was stationed with said company when Lord Sterling, then an American General, entered New Jersey, from thence said Regiment retreated to a place called Van Bryk's. that he continued in said service as such Lieutenant until the
Spring of 1777. that he was stationed during said term at different place on the Shannon in
the County of Somerset, that he was at a place called Penny town at the time of the battle of Princeton on his way to Trenton to join the army of Gen Washington_ thence to Princeton, thence to the Raritan River_ that during the Spring and Summer of the year 1777 he was stationed with said company as a guard at different places, some times at Smiths farms, Woodbridge & Elizabethtown_ that
he continued to serve as such guard
until the month of August- That immediately
after the defeat of the American army under Gen Washington at Brandywine, he was again called into said service in said company and joined the army of Gen Washington at Valley Forge, and at that place took the command of said company and was in the battle of German town on the fourth day of October A D 1777_ that a short
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time after said battle he returned home
with said company. He further declares
that in the month of June AD 1778 he again
entered said service as such Lieutenant in
said company and marched to Trenton and
thence to the Black horse, where he lay some
time, and had several skirmishes across the
draw bridge, thence he retreated to Maidenhead near Princeton, thence to Princeton, thence followed the British army to Monmouth, where the battle of Monmouth took play on the twenty eighth day of June AD 1778, in which battle he was engaged, from thence he returned home about the first of July thereafter, having been in service one month_
He further declares that during the year 1779
he was frequently in said service in said
company as such Lieutenant, and continued
to serve as guard upon the lines patrolling the
County from Elizabeth town to Newark and so
along to Amboy and other places_ that
said company was some times relieved, and
returned home for a few days, and then again
entered said service, and that the whole of
said service as he believes was about six months_ but at what particular times he is unable to state. He further declares that from the year 1780 until the close of the war he was frequently in said service as such Lieutenant, sometimes serving as a guard upon the lines
and some times engaged in hunting torys
and refugees, that his services were all
performed in the State of New Jersey- that he
is unable to state the particular times or
the precise number of times, and that from
his best recollection he thinks that he was
in said service half of the time during said
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term_ that said company was called out &
would continue in service a short time and
would then be relieved, and would soon again enter the service and so continued to serve alternately until the close of the War. that he served the whole of said term after the first
Campain as Lieutenant - that his commission
if he ever received one is now lost_ that he was chosen Lieutenant by said company and continued during the whole term to draw
pay as Lieutenant, but whether a commission
was ever actually issued and delivered to him
he is unable to state and is of the impression
that he never received it, that he has no
discharge or other documentary evidence of
said services- that his whole time of actual service as he believes exceeded two
years and six months that he has no other
proof of said services than the accompanying
affidavit and has not been able to procure any

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever
to a pension except the present & declares
that his name is not on the pension list of
any State or territory_

Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
J. L. Richardson
first Judge of Cayuga
Comelius Polhemus
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We, Henry Polhemus residing in Auburn in the County of Cayuga and Joab Mershong residing in  Sennett in Gardy County do hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Cornelius Polhemus who has subscribed and sworn to the preceding declaration; that we believe him to be 77 years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a  Soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Henry Polhemus
Joab Mershon

J. L. Richardson
first Judge of Cayuga

And the said Judge does hereby declare his opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary
Soldier, and served as he states. And he further certifies, that it appears to him that Henry
Polhemus who has signed the preceding certificate, is a merchant resident in Auburn
and Joab Mershong who has also signed the same, is a resident in Sennett and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. he further certifies that the town of Sennett adjoins the town of Auburn, and that the said applicant is unable to attend Court by reason of bodily infirmity
J. L. Richardson__ first Judge of Cayuga

I, Michael S Myers Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of
Cayuga and State of New-York, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original
proceedings of the said Judge in the matter of the application of Cornelius Polhemus for a pension.

I further certify that Joseph L Richardson
before whom the foregoing declarations &
certificate were made and by whom the
foregoing certificate was made was on the
day of the date thereof and still is the first Judge of said Court duly commissioned & sworn and that full faith and credit are to be given to his acts in that capacity- that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of the said judge & believe his signature to the said declarations and certificates to be genuine. In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed the seal of said Court & subscribed my name the 8th day of August AD 1832
M. S. Myers Clerk
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March 12, 1940.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
BA-J/ADY
Cornelius Polhemus
S.14205

Mrs. F. L. Vaughan
500 N. W. 20th Street, Apt.C.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter relative to Cornelius Polhemus, who served in the Revolutionary War.

The data contained herein were obtained from the papers on file in the Revolutionary War claim for pension, S.14205, based upon the military service in that war of Cornelius Polhemus.

The date and place of birth and the names of the parents of Cornelius Polhemus, the name is also shown as Polhelmus, are not given.

While a resident of Arnwell, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Cornelius Polhemus enlisted about the first of June 1776, and served one month as sergeant in Captain Cornelius Hoppock's Company, Colonel Mark Thompson's New Jersey Regiment. Soon after he was appointed First Lieutenant in Captain Charles Reading's Company, Colonel Chambers' New Jersey Regiment, , served at various times to the close of the war, amounting to two years and five months in all, in said company and was in the battles of Germantown and Monmouth.

He was allowed pension on his application executed August 8, 1832, at which time he was aged seventy-seven years and a resident of Sennett, Cayuga County, New York.

In 1832, Henry Polhemus was living in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, his age and relationship are not shown.

It is not stated whether Cornelius Polhemus ever married and there are no further family data.

He died February 19, 1839, place not stated. 
On AB
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In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension and the name of person paid, you should apply to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, Washington, D. C., and cite the following data: "Cornelius Polhemus, Certificate No. 2730 or 2703, issued December 4, 1832, $293.33 per annum, commenced March 4, 1831, Act of June 7, 1832, New York Agency".

Very truly yours

A. D. Hiller
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
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Oklahoma City Oklahoma
500 N W 20 St. Apt C

U.S. Comm of Pensions

Sirs - Cornelius Polhemus was placed on the pension roll 1832 of Cayuga Co N. Y. as Lieut. b. 1755 N. J. died 1839 Sennet Co. N.Y.
His wife's name was Mary Ann Mershon. Please advise me if his record gives the name of his children & name of residence.

Respt,
Mrs. F. L. Vaughan  
(over)
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I would like a copy of record
of John Polhemus born 1738 d 1831
married Susannah Hart, he was placed on the
pension roll 1818

During the Revolution he equipped
a co. at his own expense 1775 and
served in the Canadian Campaign,
He was in the battle of the
Jersey Blues, suffered the privation
of Valley Forge and his last battle
was Monmouth as he was captured
soon after by a band of Torries.
_______________________________________
She has both
-
RECEIVED
FEB 29 1940
MAIL SUB-DIV
Reader No. 32
VETS ADM
Page 16

14.205
INVALID.
Rev War

No. 14.205
Cornelius Polhemus
Lieut Rev War

Act: June 7th 32

x: - Vol. 1, Page 300

[Arrangement of 1870.]

1940 Mar. 12. Hist to
Mrs. F. L. Vaughan.
ADY
Page 17

RECEIVED
FEB 19 1940
MAIL SUB-DIV
Reader No. 12
VETS ADM
Page 18

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
500 N. W. 20 St, Apt. C

U.S. Comm of Pensions

I would like the information concerning
the following persons. I want the names
of their children - wives-- and all about them
(1 ) Cornelius Polhemus (1755-1839) was placed on the pension rolls 1832 of Cayuga Co. N.Y. for service as Lieut. Born in N.J. died in Sennett Co. N.Y.

(She has just had this record, so did not mention it at all in my answer.)
(2) John Polhemus (1738-1833)
He was in battle of the Jerseys as Mayor of the
Jersey Blues, participated in the battle of Monmouth and soon afterwards was captured.
He was a member of the Cincinnati 1786 and
in 1818 was placed on the pension roll. He
was born in Hopewell N.J. and buried in
Philadelphia
Respt,
Mrs. F. L. Vaughan