Jacob Schermerhorn (abt. 1764 - aft. 1820)

Born about 1764 in Machackemeck, Orange, New York [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Lydia (Risley) Schermerhorn — married 4 Oct 1798 in Washington, Kentucky, United States

Died after 1820 after about age 56 in Knox, Indiana, United States [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Anon B [send private message], Anonymous Anonymous [send private message], and Zack Daugherty [send private message]

Jacob Schermerhorn was a New Netherland Descendant 1674-1776. Join: New Netherland Settlers Project Discuss: new_netherland

Biography

Jacob is believed to be the son of Peter Schermerhorn and Elizabeth Quick . Family tradition says that he escaped an Indian attack near modern day Wellsburg, West Virginia in 1780 and thereafter seeking refuge at nearby Fort Henry.^[1] His first known appearance in the historical record is a 1796 tax entry in Washington Co., Kentucky at Deep Creek on the border with Mercer Co.^[2] Both Peter Schermerhorn (1797, 1799) and Joseph Schermerhorn (1799) were listed there as well. He married Lydia Risley in April 1798^[3] and served as guarantor of the marriage bond of Joseph and Kezziah Case in September of that same year.^[4]

He removed to the pioneer town of White Oaks in Knox Co., Indiana (now Washington Township} sometime between 1800-1806,likely with his father-in-law John Risley.^[5] He was involved in lawsuits as both plaintiff^[6] and defendant^[7] and signed a petition in 1810 regarding the building of a road through the town.^[5]

Jacob was called to militia service during the frontier skirmishes that coincided with the War of 1812,^[8][9] though it is unclear if he actually served as he was listed as a deserter shortly after initial muster.^[10] He was listed in the local newspaper in 1813 as no longer picking up his mail.^[11] A "Jacob Scabhorn," however, is enumerated in nearby Harrison Township in Knox Co. some seven years later for the 1820 Federal Census. ^[12] He disappears from the historical record after that, though a daughter may have married in Pike Co. in 1821.^[13]

Research Notes

Origins

Jacob is presumed to be the son of Peter Schemerhorn and Elizabeth Quick upon the strength of the following:

• his concurrent presence in Washington Co., Kentucky with Peter Schermerhorn, Joseph Schermerhorn and Maria Quick
• his role as guarantor of the marriage bond of Joseph Schermerhorn and Kezziah Case
• an undocumented tradition that places him in Ohio Co., Virginia in 1780 concurrent with Peter Schermerhorn^[14][15]

Marriage Records

Name:....................Jacob Schamahorn
Sex..................................................Male
Spouse's Name.................Liddy Risley
Spouse's Sex.............................Female
Spouse's Father's Name....John Risley
Marriage Date..................10 Apr 1798
Marriage Place..................Washington, Kentucky, United States
Event Type.........................Marriage^{[16][17][18][19]}

Know all men by these presents that we , Joseph Scarmahorn and Jacob Sharmahorn are held and firmly bound unto his Excellency, the Governor of Kentucky, in the sum of fifty pounds current money to the payment of which well and truly to be made to the said governor and his successors. We bind ourselves, our heirs, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals and dated this 14th day of September 1798.

The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas there is a marriage shortly intended between the above bound Joseph Scarmahorn and Kizzy Case, for which a license has issued. Now if there is no lawful cause to obstruct the said marriage then this obligation to be void or else to remain in full force.

Joseph Scharmahorn, Jacob Sharmahorn
Witness, John Reed

I hereby certify that I have given my consent to a marriage intended between Joseph Scarmahorn and my daughter, Kizzy Case, given under my hand and seal this 14th day of September 1798

Seperate Case {signed}
Teste. Thomas McIntire, William McIntire^[20]

Census Records

1820 United States Census,
Harrison Township, Knox County, Indiana

Head of Household: Jacob Scabhorn
Free White Males
...............................1 person 45 (yrs) & older
...............................2 persons 16-25 (yrs)
...............................1 person under 10 (yrs)
Free White Females
................................1 person 45 (yrs) & older
................................1 persons under 16-25 (yrs)
................................1 person 10-15 (yrs)
................................2 persons under 10 (yrs)^[21]

Court Records

To the Court of Common Pleas of Knox County-The petition of the undersigned householders of the township of White River pray that a road may be laid out commencing at the White Oak Springs and thence the nearest and best way to the rock fording on the white river four miles above John Decker’s ferry. Woolsey Pride, Daniel Rizley, Thos. Walker, Jacob Schearmahon, Thomas Pride, James Brenton, Peter Brenton, Silas Risley, David Miley, Robert Brenton, John Coonrod, Jeremiah Arnold, Henry Brenton, Wm. Coleman, Page M. Coleman, Henry Coleman^[5]"This list of petitioners is the most valuable contemporary record of the settlers of White Oak Springs in the period before 1810, and the authors of this study are of the opinion that it is an almost complete roster of the families whose common interests centered immediately about Woolsey Pride’s fort."^[22]

Military Records

Scamahorn, Jacob
1st Reg't (Jordan's ) Indiana Militia^[23]
War of 1812
Private^[24]

Muster Roll of Captain Samuel - - - - Company in the First Regiment of Indiana Militia called into the service of the United States commanded by Colonel Ephriam Jordan from the 11th August 1812 when last mustered to 20th September 1812
Name: Jacob Scamahorn
Rank: Private
Dates: 11th August 1812-20th September 1812 Names Present: ----
Remarks: Deserted 13th Aug 1812^[10]

Histories

White Oak Springs,’ White River Township, Knox County, Indiana Territory, was the name of the pioneer community which in 1817 gave way to Petersburg, Washington Township, the county seat of Pike County, Indiana...The pioneers of this advance guard came mostly from the growing state of Kentucky, which had been permitted by Virginia to be made into the fifteenth member of the Union in 1792. The movement was given fresh stimulus by the Indian treaties of 1804 and the survey of Knox County lands in 1804-1805, which were followed by the opening of the federal land office at Vincennes...Based, therefore, upon research to date, the authors of this paper submit the names of Pride, Risley, Walker, Schearmahon, Brenton, Miley, Coonrod, Arnold, and Coleman, as revealed by the White Oak Springs Road petition, and that of Tislow, as established by land record, as those belonging to the First Families of White Oak Springs, White River Township, Knox County, Indiana Territory, in the Year of Our Lord, one thousand eight hundred ten.

It is entirely fitting that Woolsey Pride's name should head the list of signers of the White Oak Springs Road petition...The year 1800 is believed to be the date of his settlement at White Oak Springs, but it was not until September, 1806, that his name appeared on any public record. This reveals his service on the jury panel of the September term of 1806 of the Knox County Court of Common Pleas, and as foreman in the case of Jacob Schearmahon v. John Patman...

John Risley, who was a native of New Jersey, and his wife, Margaret, of Virginia, were married in the latter state. Their children, however, James and William, were born in the Indiana settlement...Little as research has yielded in regard to the Risleys, the reward has been even less in regard to Thomas Walker and Jacob Schearmahon. They remain little more than names. The records are extremely reticent. Neither was a landowner, nor did either one take out a marriage license or become a member of the territorial militia. The sole mention of Jacob Schearmahon outside the appearance of his signature on the White Oak Springs road petition, was in the court records of Knox County and of Indiana Territory. There he appeared both as plaintiff and defendant...Jacob Schearmahon appears to have been the sole bearer of his name in the community and there is scarcely ground for speculation concerning him...^[5]

- - - - -

The Indian tribes, heartened by British successes at Detroit and Fort Dearborn Chicago in the war that Congress had declared on Great Britain in June, 1812, and restocked with British food and ammunition, resumed their former assaults on the frontiers in August. Militia service was compulsory for every free, able-bodied, white, male citizen of the territory between the ages of 18 and 45, with few provisions for exemption and refusal subject to fine by the courts. Called for service on August 11, in the First Regiment commanded by Col. Ephriam Jordan were: Jacob Pancake, Silas Risley, Thomas Pride, David Wease, Jacob Scamahorn, John Tislow, David Miley, John Risley, Joshua Selby, Isaiah Gladish, Jacob Harbison, Lemuel Baldwin, Henry Coleman, John Miley, Sebastian Frederick, Francis Coleman John Butler, Peter Frederick, William Bass, John Cummins...In early September, Fort Wayne and Fort Harrison (Terre Haute) were surrounded and threatened, and a number of persons were shot from ambush. Nearer home, on the third of the month, twenty-three members of the unprotected Pigeon Roost settlement (within the present limits of Scott County) were cruelly murdered. Reserves were thereupon called out and White Oak Springs was stripped of men...^[25]

Sources