Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 45426, for William Johnson, New York
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[Printed form with some handwritten entries]

SERVICE

Continental

Johnson, William

N.Y. res.

NUMBER

S.45426
B.L.Wt. 1128-200. Capt. Lt.
Issued July, 1791
No papers.
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New York Rolls
1367
William Johnson
Captain Lt
3d Batalion  Mass
In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War
Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the rate of 20 dollars per month, to commence on the 7th of April 1818.
Certificate of Pension issued the 30 of June 1818 and sent to Massrs Wheeler & Livingston, Redhook, N. York
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1818
4 Months 28/30  $98.00
{Revolutionary claim Act 18th March, 1818
Crane
8 [?] Corp of 1775 war
Third Battalion of Art[?]
Red Hook, Dutchess Co
 Dead
 Sec roll

Let to James R Hitchcock
 Jany 6th '48
Judge Elmendorph

A.B. [Died?] Feb. 20 1889
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William Johnson




Correct




Wheeler & Livingston
Redhook
N.Y.
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State of New York
Dutchess County

I Cornelius J Elmendorf one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, in and for the County of Dutchess in the State of New York, Do certify to the Secretary of the Department of War, That on the Seventh day of April in the year one thousand Eight hundred and eighteen, Personally came before me William Johnson of Red Hook in said county who being by me duly sworn did depose and Say that he entered into the army of the Revolution of the United States, in the Year of 1775, and that afterwards he Received the annexed Commission of Captain Lieutenant, in the third Battalion of artillery of the army of the United States - and that  he
 [?led] in that Capacity untill the close of Said Revolutionary War, also that he received the annexed commission of Captain by Brevit - and also the Said Johnson did further state that he by reason of his reduced circumstances in Life is in need of the assistance of his country for support - And I the Said Cornelius Elmendorf Judge of  aforesaid, Do further certify, that it appears to me that the facts above Stated are in all things true, and that the Said Johnson did serve in the aforesaid capacity in the army of the Revolution against the Common enemy, and that he is entitled to the Relief given by the act of the Congress of the United States of America in that case made and provided - In testimony
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whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the day and year aforesaid - 

Cornelius J. Elmendorph

State of New York Dutchess County Clerks Office

I certify that on examining the Rolls and Records in this office I find that the above named Cornelius J. Elmendorph has been commissioned as a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Dutchess County and taken and subscribed the oath of office and the oath by Law required and that he was at the time of making the preceding certificate a Judge of said Courts & that the above is his signature  In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the Court of Common Pleas for Dutchess County this fourteenth day of April one thousand eight hundred & eighteen

Jacob Van Ness Clerk of Dutchess County Court of New New York -
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April 1, 1940. 
BA-J/ILL 
William Johnson 
S. 45426 
Mrs. W. F. Ater 
1204 West Nevada 
Urbana, Illinois. 
Dear Madam: 
Reference is made to your letter in which you request information in regard to William Johnston (Johnson), who was born December 1, 1748, entered the Army at the age of seventeen years, commanded a company in 1767, served during the French and Indian Wars, at the close of which he was promoted to colonel, served also during the entire War for Independence and was discharged December 4, 1783, at New York, with rank of Brigadier General. 
This office has no record of service rendered in the Colonies prior to the Revolutionary War, hence no information pertaining to the early service of the William Johnson cited by you. 
A search of the Revolutionary War records of this office has been made and no claim for pension or bounty land found based upon service of a William Johnston or Johnson identical with the officer cited by you. In that search, the claim for pension has been found of one officer with that name who received pension in New York State. His record follows as found in pension claim, S. 45426; these data may aid you in your research. 
William Johnson entered service in the year 1775, the place and his residence not given; from January 1, 1777, he served as Captain-Lieutenant in the 3" Battalion of Artillery; later, he received a commission of Brevet-Captain and continued until the close of the Revolutionary War. It is not shown that he rendered service in any higher rank, nor that he was discharged from service December 4, 1783. 
On account of his service as Captain Lieutenant in the
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Continental Line, War of the Revolution, he was allowed two hundred acres of bounty land on warrant #1128, issued July 7, 1791.
William Johnson was allowed pension on account of his service as an officer in the Revolutionary War on his application executed April 7, 1818. He was then a resident of Red Hook, Dutchess County, New York. His age was not given, and he made no reference to family. He died February 20, 1819.
It is suggested that further information in regard to the military service of William Johnson might be obtained from The Adjutant General War Department, this city, custodian of military records.
If you desire information in regard to the location of the land which was granted this officer, you should address the Commissioner, General Land Office, this city, and furnish that official the following data: William Johnson, warrant #1128, 200 acres, issued July 7, 1791. 
Very truly yours, 
A. D. HILLER, 
Executive Assistant to the Administrator 

2.
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THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED
To William Johnston Esquire Greeting. We Reposing special trust and confidence in your Patriotism, Valour, Conduct and Fidelity DO by these presents constitute and appoint you to be Captain Lieutenant in the Third Battalion of Artillery in the Army of the United States, to take rank as such from the first day of January 1777 - You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of a Captain Lieutenant by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto belonging. And we do strictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers under your command to be obedient by your orders, as Captain Lieutenant. And you are to observe and follow such orders and directions from time to time, as you shall receive from this, or a future Congress of the United States, or Committee of Congress for that purpose appointed, a Committee of the States or Commander in chief for the time being of the Army of the United States, or any other your superior Officer, according to the rules and discipline of War, in pursuance of the trust reposed in you. This Commission to continue inforce until revoked by this, or a future Congress, the Committee of Congress beforementioned, or a Committee of the States.
Witness his Excellency Saml Huntington Esquire President of the Congress of the United States of America, at Philadelphia the 21st day of April. 1780, and in the fourth, year of our Independence -
[signed] Saml Huntington President
Entered in the War Office and examined by the Board
Attest
[signed] Ben Stoddard Secretary of the Board of War
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Adm Johnston Capt
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Wm. Johnson
 continental  (NY)
S.45426
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[small document placed over larger one. Larger one transcribed in next image]

Bureau of Pensions
 The signature to this Commission was torn off when the case came to me on this date.
 Frank Shapleigh
Oct 4 1894
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IN PURSUANCE of an ACT of CONGRESS
of the Thirtieth Day of SEPTEMBER
 A.D. 1783
 William Johnston Esquire -
is to Rank as Captain - by Brevet, in the ARMY of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA.
  GIVEN under my Hand at Princeton the Tenth Day of October [year is cut off]

A. Lincoln
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[extreme left]  Hist to San Francisco, Cal
[left]
45426
Revy  INVALID
File No. 45426
William Johnson
Capt Rev. War
Act: 18 March 1818
Index: Vol. S [or 3], Page 261
Arrangement of 1870

[right]
Decr - 21 - 1900
Col. A.S. Hubbard
Feby 4 1905 Hist to L.J. Butts, Waupun, Wisc
1940 April 1 Hist to Mrs. W.F. Alger  ILL
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New York 6th Dec 1847.

Sir,
Have the kindness to inform me, what length of service, in the War of the Revolution, was claimed to have been performed, by Captain William Johnson, of the Massachusetts Line, in his declaration on file in your office, and also, what length of service, was proved by the evidence, accompanying said declaration, by which, he became a pensioner under the Act of Congress of 18th March 1818.

Respectfully referring, to my communications unanswered, of the 6th and 24th ult,

I am with respect
your most ob'tserv't
James R Hitchcock

James L Edwards Esqr
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington
DC
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J.R. Hitchcock
 Jany [5?] '98
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Pension Office
[De?? 1847 - crossed out]
January 6 '48

Sir

In answer to your letter of the 6th inst. I have to inform you that I cannot consistently with the regulations of this office furnish you with the length of the service claimed to have been rendered by Capt William Johnson late a pensioner in the new [illegible] Roles [or Rules] under the act of 18th March 1818





James R. Hitchcock Esq
 New York
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Board of Managers  
WM. M. BUNKER FRESIDENT. 
CALIFORNIA SOCIETY 
EDWIN BONNELL, SECRETARY. 101 Montgomery Street. 
WM. H. JORDAN, SENIOR VICE-PRES. 1311 Spreckels Building. 
GEO. W. SPENCER, JUNIOR VICE-PRES. 514 California Street. 
CHAS. H. WARNER TREASURER, 322 California Street. 
FRANK W. SUMNER, MARSHAL 413 Front Street, 
ROBERTS VANDERCOOK, 26 Turk Street. 
COL. A. S. HUBBARD, REGISTRAR. 1170 Market Street, California Historical Society 
T. A. PERKINS, Mills Building. 
WM. J. DUTTON, 401 California Street. 
HORACE G. PLATT. Mills Building. 
HART H. NORTH. Mills Building 
BYRON MAUZY, 308 Post Street. 
Instituted October 2, 1875. Constitution Adopted August, 1876. 
"The first body in inception, institution and organization, to unite the descendants of Revolutionary patriots and perpetuate the memory of all those who took part in the American Revolution and maintained the independence of the United States of America." 
San Francisco December 4th, 1900
Hon. H. Clay Evans, 
Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.
Sir: -
Will you kindly furnish for use in this office the copy of the application for a pension for Revolutionary war service of Captain William Johnson of New York. Pensioner died Feby 20th, 1819. 
Very truly, 
[signed] A S Hubbard. Registrar
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Office of  LOUIS J. BUTTS
 LAW AND INSURANCE
Collections A Specialty
[?] 1367
Waupon, Wis. Jan 19, 1905

Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.
Sir:
  Will you kindly send me the Military Record of Col. Wm. Johnson, late of Davenport, N.Y. Col. Johnson fought in the Revolutionary War. I would also like to know the dates and place of his birth and death.
  Thanking you in advance for the information, I am,
  Respectfully yours,
  Louis J. Butts

[round postal mark] U.S. PENSION OFFICE A JAN 22 1905

[square stamp]
OLD WAR & NAVY FILES JAN 25 1905
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Urbana, Illinois
1204 West Nevada,
March 5, 1940
[round stamp] RECEIVED Mar 7 1940 Mail sub-Div Reader No. 5 Vets Adm

Venerans' [Veterans] Administration Bureau,
Washington, D.C.
Gentlemen:
  Will you please advise me if you have Revolutionary war record of William Johnston (or Johnson)
My family record reads:
 "William Johnson, born Dec. 1, 1748, entered the Army at the age of 17 in 1765; rose rapidly to Commander of a Company at the age of 19 in 1767. served under Braddock during French and Indian wars; [Prior - in margin] was promoted to Colonelcy at the close of that war. Offered his services to General Washington at the beginning of the War for Independence; served with honor and distinction to the close of the War of the Revolution. Was honorably discharged and ranked as Brigadier General at New York, Dec. 4, 1783."
 [in margin] Capt Lt Wm Johnson [Cnb?]
 I would like to get the above record verified by published authentic records, and sincerely hope you can help me. I have written to New York Historical society and they referred me to your Bureau.
  Very truly yours,
  Laura L. Ater  (Mrs. W.F. Ater)  EDB

EDB - LLA