James Groom (1754 - 1825)

Born 19 Jun 1754 in Middlesex, Province of New Jersey

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 26 Apr 1825 at age 70 in Clifton Park, Saratoga, New York, United States

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Biography

James Groom was born on June 19, 1754 in Middlesex County, New Jersey. He was the son of Peter Groom and Mary Cubberly, both of New Jersey. Peter Groom was listed as one of the early settlers of Halfmoon in Saratoga County, New York and purchased land in Halfmoon in 1774 together with Nanning Visscher. Peter and William Groom were listed as members of the Newton (Baptist) church and the Groom family were members of its offshoot, the Clifton Park Baptist Church.

James Groom is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: 171221
Rank: Sergeant

James Groom is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A048861.

Private James Groom served with 12th Regiment, Albany County Militia, New York Militia during the American Revolution.

According to two early DAR applications^[1], James Groom served in Captain Benjamin Aylsworth’s company as a private and in Captain Nanning Visscher’s company as a Sergeant. Both companies belonged to Colonel Jacobus Van Schoonhoven’s Regiment of Militia, also known as the 12th Albany County Regiment. On March 12, 1785, James Groom was listed in the Revolutionary War Rolls of Van Schoonhoven’s Regiment and received two certificates for all of his militia service to that day.^[2] It is very likely that two of James’ older brothers, William and David Groom (listed in the records as “Grooms” with an S) also served in Van Schoonhoven’s Regiment. ^[3]

The 12th Albany regiment was called up in July of 1777 at Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York to reinforce General Horatio Gates's Continental Army during the Saratoga Campaign. Borden Mill’s research of militias in Albany showed Schoonhoven’s regiment of 358 soldiers served in Brigadier General Abraham Ten Broeck's brigade as part of over 3,000 New York militia troops. ^[4]

General Ten Broeck’s brigade fought the British in both the Battle of the Saratoga and the Battle of Bemis Heights, or the Second Saratoga. After the defeat of General John Burgoyne's British Army on October 17, 1777, the regiment was later stood down. Although company returns for the militias that composed Ten Broeck’s Brigade did not exist in 1777, given what we know about the company returns in 1778, it is very probable that James Groom took part in both battles of Saratoga under General Ten Broeck. ^[5]

According to two Revolutionary War pension applications of two soldiers who served under Captains Aylsworth and Visscher, around spring of 1777, Captain Visscher’s company served at Fort Edward and Fort George along the Hudson River. Militias continued to be stood up yearly for a few weeks or months at a time for home defense, and according to one pension application, Captain Aylsworth’s company was active circa 1780-1782. Both pension applications make reference to the soldier being called up about once a year for expeditions. ^[6]

James Groom was enumerated on the 1790 and 1810 census in Halfmoon. He died on April 6, 1825, aged 70 years, 10 months, and 6 days. His will was probated on May 4, 1825 in Saratoga County.^[7] James and his wife Margaret Moon are both buried at the Clifton Park Baptist Cemetery. Together they had 13 children.

Marriage

James married Margaret (Moon) Groom (1769-1836) probably about 1786 in New York. Together, they had 13 children:

1. Stephen Groom (1787-)
2. James Groom Jr (1789-1877)
3. Thomas Groom (1792-1877)
4. Amos Groom (1794-1884)
5. Sarah (Groom) Ketchum (1796-1873)
6. Levi Groom (1796-1825)
7. Gerrit V.s. Groom (1800-1825)
8. Milton Groom (abt.1802-abt.1838)
9. Mary Groom (abt.1805-abt.1837)
10. Richard Groom (1807-1892)
11. William Groom (1809-1886)
12. Jesse T Groom (1811-1873)
13. Nancy (Groom) Cook (1814-)

Sources

1. ↑ DAR Nat’l numbers 40407, 50618
2. ↑ U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, James Groom
3. ↑ U.S., Compiled Revolutionary War Military Service Records, 1775-1783, William Grooms & David Grooms
4. ↑ Mills, B. H. (1916). ALBANY COUNTY’S PART IN THE BATTLE OF SARATOGA.
5. ↑ Tooley, L. (2012). Albany County Militia - 12th regiment.
6. ↑ U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900; Matthias Shear, W19017 & Robert Kennedy, R5868
7. ↑ New York, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999, James Grooms

• Find A Grave: Memorial #98388840

• James Groom family bible. In possession of A.R., James Groom descendent in New York. Transcription of births and deaths are primary source for all 13 children.

• "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKP-LV8 : accessed 1 February 2022), James Groom, Half Moon, Albany, New York, United States; citing p. 321, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 6; FHL microfilm 568,146.

• "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHG8-K99 : accessed 1 February 2022), James Groom, Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York, United States; citing p. , NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm .

• "New York Probate Records, 1629-1971," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YCQ-47M?cc=1920234&wc=Q7P4-ZNL%3A213302501%2C213677802 : 28 May 2014), Saratoga > Index 1799-1893 vol 1-31 > image 69 of 329; county courthouses, New York. Additional details: Will index - May 4 1825, Book 6 page 379

• "New York Probate Records, 1629-1971," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYCH-R28?cc=1920234&wc=Q7PZ-W3N%3A213302501%2C214571401 : 28 May 2014), Saratoga > Wills 1816-1826 vol 5-6 > image 391 of 453; county courthouses, New York. Additional details: Last will and testament of James Groom, probated 1825.

• "United States, New York Land Records, 1630-1975," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WC-GW71?cc=2078654&wc=M7C4-F2H%3A358460001%2C359769001 : [REFERENCE-ERROR]), Saratoga > Deeds 1828-1831 vol Q-R > image 283 of 583; multiple county courthouses, New York. Additional details: Milton Groom deeds land to Richard Groom and William Groom as their share of James Groom's farm.

• Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data:New York County, District and Probate Courts. (Saratoga County. James Grooms, will probate 4 May 1825, p 379-380.)

• Ancestry.com. U.S., Compiled Revolutionary War Military Service Records, 1775-1783 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. National Archives; Washington, D.C.; Compiled Service Records of Soldiers who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War; Record Group Title: War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records; Record Group Number: 93; Series Number: M881; NARA Roll Number: 766. (James Groom, David Grooms, William Grooms; Van Schoonhoven’s Regiment.)

• Ancestry.com. U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007. Original data:Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls); War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Record Group 93; National Archives, Washington. D.C. (Regiment: Van Rensselaer´s Reg of Militia (Folder 160) - Whiting´s Reg of Militia, 1777-1781 (Folder 172). James Groom.)

• Ancestry.com. U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data:Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (NARA microfilm publication M804, 2,670 rolls). Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15. National Archives, Washington, D.C. (Matthias Shear, W19017; Robert Kennedy, R5868.)

• Anderson, G. B. (1899). Our county and its people: A descriptive and biographical record of Saratoga County, New York. The Boston History Company. p 91

• Daughters of the American Revolution, “Ancestor Database.” database, Genealogical Research System (http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/ : accessed 29 Mar 2022), James Groom, A048861. (Nat’l numbers 40407, 50618)

• Johnson, K. D. (2016, October 6). Fort Plank. FORT PLANK. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.fort-plank.com/ (Non Mohawk Valley Pensioners A-M, N-Z; Matthias Shear, Robert Kennedy)

• Mills, B. H. (1916). ALBANY COUNTY’S PART IN THE BATTLE OF SARATOGA. Proceedings of the New York State Historical Association, 15, 204–224. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42889531

• Roberts, J. A. (1897). New York in the revolution as colony and state: A compilation of documents and records from the Office of the State Comptroller. Weed-Parsons Printing Company. p 121

• Sylvester, N. B. (1878). History of Saratoga County, New York: With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and Pioneers. Everts & Ensign. p 185, p 345.

• Tooley, L. (2012). Albany County Militia - 12th regiment. Albany County Militia - 12TH Regiment | New York In The Revolution | American Wars. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.americanwars.org/ny-american-revolution/albany-county-militia-twelfth-regiment.htm

• Wright, R. K. (1989). The Continental Army. Center of Military History, U.S. Army. (Bibliography - Van Schoonhoven’s Regiment of Militia.)