John F. Schermerhorn

John Freeman Schermerhorn (September 24 1786–March 16 1851), Indian Commissioner, was born in Schenectady, New York, the son of Barnard Freeman Schermerhorn and Ariaantje Van der Bogart. In 1809 he graduated from Union College with the degree of A.B. Immediately after graduation he was sent out by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. His report to the Trustees of the Missionary Society of Connecticut was published in pamphlet form in Hartford in 1814, and was entitled: "A Correct View of that Part of the United States which lies West of the Allegheny Mountains, with regard to Religion & Morals"; by John F. Schermerhorn and Samuel J. Mills.

He entered the ministry of the Congregational Church, which he left in 1813 for the Dutch Reformed Church. He first settled at Middleburgh, Schoharie County, New York, where he was pastor of the Reformed Church there from 1816 to 1827. In 1816 he was Chaplain of the 9th Regiment New York Infantry.

In 1817 he visited upper Canada with Reverend Jacob Van Vechten and workedthree months among the Dutch Churches there. In 1819, he was constituted aLife Member of the American Bible Society, by subscriptions raised by hiscongregation in Middleburgh. He preached his first Protestant sermon in New Orleans, where he went with a letter of introduction to Pére Antoine, a wellloved priest of the that city. He made most of the trip to New Orleans onhorseback. As well as being a personal friend of President Andrew Jackson, he visited him on more than one occasion at "The Hermitage," Jackson's beautiful home, a few miles out side of the city of Nashville, Tennessee.

In 1828 he was appointed Secretary of Domestic Missions by the Northern Boardof the Missionary Society of the Reformed Church, which resulted in theorganizations of Reformed Churches in Utica, Ithaca and Geneva, and others inless prominent places. Serious difficulties embarrassed his administrationand though they were eventually amicably adjusted, he resigned the office in1832. He never afterwards held a pastoral charge, but was frequently aleading member of the ecclesiastical assemblies, and continued to interesthimself in the benevolent movements of the Church.

In 1832 President Andrew Jackson appointed him one of a Commission to removethe Cherokee and Chickasaw Indians beyond the Mississippi River (later to be known as the Trail of Tears). While Indian Commissioner, he acquired large tractsof land in Highland, Grayson, Bath and Wythe Counties, Virginia, in all about400,000 acres (1,600 km²). After long litigation the disposition of this property finallyresulted in favor of his heirs. John F.Schermerhorn moved to Carroll County,
Indiana, in 1840. He married twice, first on August 6, 1813 to Catharine Yates,and second on April 6, 1837 to Elizabeth Louisa Hening. He died in Richmond,
Virginia.

His daughter by his first wife, Harriet Adriana Schermerhorn (August 13, 1815- December 23, 1886), lived in Buffalo, New York, and after the death of herhusband, Aurelian Conkling (elder brother of Roscoe Conkling), went abroad andremained four years, most of the time in Paris, France. She travelledextensively through Spain, Germany, and Switzerland. During the
Franco-Prussian War, she was in Paris, and was Directress of the Woman'sDepartment of the American Ambulance Corps, organized by Dr. Evans, dentistto the Emperor. It was to his house that the Empress Eugenie fled when sheleft the Tuileries Palace. Mrs. Conkling assisted Dr. Evans in effecting theescape of the Empress, whom he took in his private carriage to the coast. Sheremained in Paris during the reign of the Commune and witnessed manyblood-curdling scenes.

In popular culture

*"Gangs of New York"

References

*Schermerhorn, Richard A., "Schermerhorn Genealogy and Family Chronicles". New York: Tobias A. Wright, 1914: 93-97.