Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 4467, for Benjamin Johnson, New Jersey
Page 13

Eastern District of Pennsylvania

On this seventeenth day of July 1821 personally appeared in Open Court, being Court of Record for the said District, Benjamin Johnston, aged upwards of 60 years by reason of age, much sickness, a permanent issue, and great trouble. of mind, the declarant's memory fails so as to be unable to site his age with precision, and knows of no preserved record whereby to ascertain it, a resident in the City of Philadelphia in said District, who being first, duly sworn according the the Law, doth on this oath, declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows: viz: in Pulaski's Legion, Captain Banter's company.  The declarant's original declaration was dated April 17 1818 - n. of certificate 17474... And I the said Benjamin Johnston do solemnly swear that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18th day of march 1818, and that I have not, since that time by gift, sale, or in any manner whatever, disposed of my property or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it as to being myself  within the provisions of an Act of Congress, entitled "An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land and Naval Service of the United States in the Revolutionary War", passed on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me, any property, or securities, contracts, or debts due to me nor have I any other than what is contained in the schedule here annexed and by me subscribed.
Benjamin Johnston X his mark
Sworn to and declared on the 17th day of July 1821 in Open Court
D. Caldwell Clk District 6t

Schedule
In pursuance of the Act of Congress of May 1 1820 the declarant states that the only real estate he ever did own is a part of a house and small lot on Jone's Alley, in the City of Philadelphia, which property by reason of sickness, security, ships, and other  misfortunes he has been constrained to mortgage to an amount beyond it's present value, besides taxes and interest several years in arrears.  A long illness of ten months and upwards now last past, has caused to be consumed all the pension money he did receive. He  is now hopeless of being able to pay off arrears of debts left after.....
Page 19

3068

Pennsylvania    Phil.

Ann Johnson
widow of Benjamin
who was a Pro. of Cavy
in the Continental Line
NJ    for 15 months

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 62 Dollars and 50 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843.

Certificate of Pension issued the 1sr day of Dec. 1843
and sent to
Joseph Butler Esq.
No. 2 Lybrand St.
near Race,   Philadelphia 

[Act of March 3, 1843]
Recorded in Book   A
Vol. 1     Page 133
Page 22

Ann Johnson
Pennsylvania

Suspended

let. 5 April 1839 to
Joseph Butler

Act 7 July 1838
Page 28

...been obliged to give up his establishment and has not recovered sufficient strength and health to carry Steven if he had the pecuniary means -  Claimant aged upwards of 60 - Wife aged about 50, as yet healthy and able to contribute considerable to the support of the family - 3 sons aged 18,13, and 9, the oldest only able to support himself, the others not able - 1 daughter aged 11, not able to support herself.

(very faint) Write for an explanation
see letter May 26, 1823 to Claimant - Alsop of June 21, 1823 to same person -

D.Caldwell Esq.
Philadelphia
Sept 1820
find schedule
Page 32

Philadelphia May 12th 1839
To J. L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions

Sir,
I have hereinwith enclosed such proof as can be
had at this time with respect to Mrs. Johnson's application for pension - these are both respectable females, on who's veracity there is not the least doubt. Mrs. Johnson is and has been a member of the 2nd Presbyterian Church in this City for more than forty years. N ow holds a pew, and is a respectable member of said society, all which is respectfully submitted for your consideration.
I remain as heretofore your Hum. Servt. 

Joseph Butler
Page 35

On searching the records of Mortgages for the City and County of Philadelphia since the first day of November 1822 I find an unsatisfied mortgage on record, given by Benjamin Johnson to William Weiss dated the 18th Day of November 1822.  conditioned for the payment of 400 Dollars with interest on a Messuage and Lot North Side of Pewter Platter Alley front by about 30 feet 6 inches width.

Witness my Hand and Seal of Office the 4th Day of Feb. 1823

John Harrison
Page 41

Pennsylvania

On the 16th day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty before me William Tilghman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania personally appeared Jacob Dairson of Monmouth in the State of New Jersey aged about 62 years who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God did depose in addition to what he deposed before me on the 17 April AD 1818 in the case of Benjamin Johnson and which is endorsed on the back of his petition to the government for a pension, that Benjamin Johnson was nine months and upward in continuance on the Continental Establishment in Pulaski's Legion as a trooper and his captain was Bantleou.  The deponent was in the same regiment or legion and was under Captain. Bedk___.  Was discharged before Johnson and now receives a pension.  Deponent says he has no interest in this case and nothing to gain or loose by the event.

Wm. Tilghman
Page 42

Philad.  30 June '23

Sir

I enclose, by direction of the Judge of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,
additional proof in the case of Benjamin Johnson - and am
with great consideration

Y. Ob. Servt.
D. Caldwell - Clk District

Honorable W. Calhoun
Page 49

Declaration in order to be restored to the pension List under the Act of first March 1823

State of Pennsylvania
County of Pennsylvania
On this seventeenth day of January 1829 personally appeared in open court being a court of record for the city and county of Philadelphia - the court of common pleas,  Benjamin Johnson resident in said county aged about seventy years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth, on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the Act of Congress of the 18th March 1818 and the 1st of May 1820 that he the said Benjamin Johnson enlisted for the term of two years on _ day of _ in the year 1778 in the State of New Jersey in the company commanded by Captain Paul Bantelou, in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Vose, in the line of the State of New Jersey on the Continental Establishment:  that he continued to serve in the said company until 1779 about two years: when he was discharged from the service in Guilford in the State of South Carolina  - that his name has been placed on the pension List and dropped there from on account of his property.
That in pursuance of the Act of 1st May 1820, I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 10th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift, sale, or in any manner disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so as to diminish it or bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress entitled an Act of provide for certain persons engaged in the same and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War, passed on the 18th Day of March 1818 and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property...
Page 53

Philada. January 17th 1829

Dear Sir,
I transmit the documents of Benjamin Johnson for a Restoration to the pension formerly granted him.

I am Sir with great esteem your most Obed. Servt.

Peter W. Sproat

P.L.Edwards, Esq.
Page 58

Payment to be made at Philadelphia by
Jas R. Snowdenly
Agent for paying Pensioners, in the
Agency of Pennsylva

Payable on the 4th September and 4th
March
Recorded in the Pension Office on the
Roll of Pensioners under act February
2d, 1848, Page 239. Vol. 2 Lev [illegible]

Clerk
Page 66

J.L.Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions

Respected Sir
Being requested by Mrs. AnnJohnson, the Widow of Benjamin Johnson (deceased) late a pensioner, and who some two years ago forwarded to the Department her papers on application for a continuance, under the then existing law, for such allowance as was expressed therein but finding her marriage was not early enough.  She is now desirous of knowing, through me, what other or further proof will be necessary to entitle her, under the Act of Congress passed the last session respecting widows, or if it will be necessary to draw the process anew.  You will be pleased to send them on to me with all such printed instructions concerning applications for the pensions the several Acts of Congress in regard to the Navy as well the Land services.  Which favors halal be duly acknowledged by your much obliged and very Humb. Servt. 
Joseph Butler
Page 70

District of Pennsylvania

Benjamin Johnson of the city of Philadelphia an applicant to the Government of the United States for a pension as a revolutionary soldier, being duly sworn according to law depose and says that he enlisted in the army of the United State in the fall of the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight at Egg Harbour in New Jersey in the company commanded by Capt. Bantleou.  Deponent cannot say precisely the month or day of the month he enlisted, but he recollects distinctly that it was on the day when an attack was made by the British on Pulaski's Legion at Egg Harbour when Col. Bose or Boxe belonging to the Legion was killed by the enemy.  Deponent further states that he remained in the service attached to Pulaski's Legion until after the General was killed at Savannah.  The date he cannot recollect, the circumstances he does distinctly.  He remained upwards to two years in the service at that time. Deponent further says that he enlisted again at the close of the War at Allen Town New Jersey and served one year in the army.  He enlisted under Lieutenant Imlay on that occasion.  Deponent also served as a militia man at different periods during the war before and after his enlistment.  He was a militia man in several battles and skirmishes. 

Sworn this 7th June 1820 before the subscribed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Wm. Tilghman
Page 75

Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Daniel Broadhead, of the City of Philadelphia, Scrivener, appeared in Open Court, being a Court of Records, in and for the said District, who being due sworn, affirmed according to Law, says that the deposition of Benjamin Johnson, made on the 17th of July 1821, was drawn up for him by this deponent - that Benjamin Johnson is an honest man, but very ignorant man, and this deponent wrote down for him as he dictated to deponent - that deponent knows of no mortgage, at the time given,  upon the Real Estate of said Benjamin Johnson, and deponent therefore believes that said Johnson intended that he owed more debts than his said property would pay, which he considered an incumbrance upon his said property, deponent now believes that he misunderstood the said Johnson or that the said Johnson used the words Mortgage when he intended debts, which he supposed encumbered and bound his Estate - deponent verily believes, that the fact of the said Mortgage having been given, was introduced into the said depositions by mistake either of the deponent or Johnson.
Dan. Broadhead
Affirmed in Open Court
June 27, 1823
Richard Peters

I, D. Caldwell Clerk of the District Court of the United States in and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania do hereby certify that the foregoing affirmation is truly copied fro the Records of the said Court ...
Page 80

...piece of ground whereon it is erected situate on the North side of Pewter Platter or Jones Alley between Delaware Front and Second Streets in the said City of Philadelphia containing in breadth on the said Alley fifteen feet and extending in length or depth about thirty feet six inches bounded on the North by ground late of Joseph Sermon on the East by a Messauge and lot of ground late of William Ball on the South by Pewter Platter or Jones Alley aforesaid and on the West by a Messuage and lot of ground of Hugh Roberts together with the free use and privilege of a two feet three inches wide alley thereunto a--ertaining  and the use and privilege of the necessary house thereunto belonging (Being the same Premises which John Lorain Jun. and Lydia his wife and Joseph B. Smith and Frances his wife by indenture date the twenty seventh day of December announced domino one thousand and ten did grant and convey unto the said Benjamin Johnson in fee as.....
Page 93

William Hann II of New Jersey who also served in the Revolutionary War.
Thanking you for this courtesy, I am
Very sincerely,
Geo. N. Hann
[stamp] PENSION OFFICE U.S. 2 AUG 28 1926

Ans