John De Groff (1756-1832)

John DeGroff (Johanse DeGroff) was a Revolutionary War veteran, serving in the 1st Regiment of the Monmouth Militia, serving under John Schenck.  He was the brother of Isaac De Groff Sr.

According to John's statement in his pension application,  John was born in February of 1756 in  Kings County, New York.   He lived there until he joined the Revolutionary War, in 1777 or 1778.   John's birth information is from his pension application; in it he details that he knows his year of birth from a bible he has; the bible formerly belonged to his mother's neighbor.

According to John's pension application, with Captain John Schenck, John served in the following engagements

• Battle of Brooklyn: August 27, 1776 (earlier than dates John gives for serving) - may not be accurate
• Battle of Monmouth Court House June 28, 1778
• Battle of White Plains October 28, 1776 (earlier than dates John gives for serving) - may not be accurate

Prior to serving with Captain Schenck, John's pension file explains that he served with a Captain Rapilyrea (perhaps my poor transcription) who deserted. 

After the Revolutionary War, John settled in Freehold Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey.  He married Sarah Peterse Covenhoven (b: Feburary 7, 1761 - d: before 1832) on March 9, 1780.  They had two children: Margaret and Peter

Margaret De Groff Servoss Mason

• 1781: christened February 18 in  Dutch Reformed Church, Freehold and Middletown, Monmouth
• 1801: married to Philip Servoss 
• 1848 (est) married to *** Mason (her marriage to a Mr. Mason is referenced in her father's pension application)
• 1866: died October 16 buried at Florida Reformed Church Cemetery

Peter De Groff

• 1783: christened July 27  in  Dutch Reformed Church, Freehold and Middletown, Monmouth
• 1808: married December 24 to Rachel Peacock, in Glen, Montgomery County
• Peter and Rachel had four children: Sarah (1810-1851); Jane (1812-1893); Margaret (1819-1859); and John Peter (1828-1905)
• 1839: married to Harriet Preston
• 1840: residing in Lysander, Onondaga County, New York (this place of residence is also detailed in his father's pension application)
• 1855: died November 20 buried at Old Presbyterian Cemetery, Plainville, Onondaga County

John and his brothers Isaac and Jacob moved to Florida, Montgomery County, New York.  By 1810 John is found in the US Census as a farmer and he is listed in the 1820 and 1830 Census for Florida as well. 

John died in 1833; his will is found in Montgomery County; his pension file gives his date of death as March 19, 1833.

He gives names of others who can speak to his time in the service and those names are:
John Van DerVerr, Henry Van Der Veer, and Tunis Van Der Veer.

John's application for a pension was a rich source of information. (R2846)