Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 5667, for Teresha Johnson, Virginia
Page 1

[typed form, with handwritten responses]

[3-1776]

SERVICE
Va.

Johnson, Teresha
or Terisha

NUMBER
R. 5667

CONTENTS
Page 2

8124
Terisha Johnson
Tennessee

Rejected see letter 21 Dec. ’32 to H. W. Wormeley

H. W. Wormerley
Page 3

[typed form, with handwritten responses]

8124

BRIEF in the case of Terisha Johnson, County of  Henderson in the State of Tennessee
(Act 7th JUNE, 1832.)

1.  Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court

2.  If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? --

3.  How old is he? 70

4.  State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

[column headings: Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.]
Drafted in 1781 1 [month] private Capt. Brown, Col. Mumford, Gen. Green

5.  In what battles was he engaged? Guilford Ct. House in which he was wounded

6.  Where did he reside when he entered the service? Mecklenburg Cty. [County] Va.

7.  Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditionary

8.  Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct

I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

F. Waugh Examining Clerk.
Page 4

No 8124
Declaration of Terisha Johnson for a pension

[written upside down] [cut off] Clerk of the Court [cut off] hereby certify that the [cut off] proceedings of the [cut off] application of [cut off] for a pension – In Testimony whereof [cut off] unto set my hand [cut off] office this 18th day of [cut off] 
Jno. A. [cut off]
By Jno. [cut off]
Page 5

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 –

The State of Tennessee} 
Henderson County} Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions August Term 1832 

On this 16th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Justices of the Court of pleas and quarter sessions for the County and state aforesaid now sitting Terisha Johnson a resident of the County of Henderson and State of Tennessee 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 benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 --
That he entered the service of the United States some short period anterior to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781 [March 15, 1781] as a Drafted Militia Private and served for the space of one month having been wounded in the right leg just above the ankle by a musket or Rifle Ball in the battle of Guilford. After receiving this wound this Declarant was permitted either to repair to the Hospital or go home, he preferred the latter and returned home. This Declarant states that as well as he now recollects the name of his Colonel was Robert Mumford or Munford [Robert Munford] – his Captain was __ Brown [John Brown] and his Lieutenant's name was Joshua Davis - 
This declarant states that the Regiment to which he belonged whilst in the Revolution was from the County of Mecklenburg in the State of Virginia in which County and state this Declarant was born and raised – this Declarant states that he was in no other engagement except the Battle of Guilford – the commanding
Page 6

General of the Americans was General Nathaniel Green [Greene]. This Declarant states that he marched from the said County of Mecklenburg into North Carolina and joined the American Army some short period before the arrival at Guilford Court House. 
This Declarant further states that as well as he now recollects that there was a Lieutenant General Lawson [Robert Lawson] of the Regular Army in the Battle of Guilford and perhaps second in Command but of this he is not positive. The Commander in Chief of the British Army was Lord Cornwallis. Col. Tarlton [Banastre Tarleton] commanded the British Cavalry. The Americans retired from the field although the British was supposed to have lost the greatest number of men. This Declarant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State. 
This Declarant further declares that he has no Documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service. 
Teresha [his X mark] Johnson
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
By Jno. M. Clellan D. C.

[paragraph crossed out]
Page 7

We John McCauley a minister of the Gospel residing in the County of Henderson in the state of Tennessee and William D. Burton Chairman of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions in and for the County and State aforesaid hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Terisha Johnson who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration that we believe him to be of the age of Seventy years that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a militia Soldier of the Revolution -- and that be concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and subscribed in open Court - Rev John McCauley 
By Jno. M. Clellan D.C

W H Burton Chairman of the County of Henderson and the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the Interrogatories presented by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Militia Soldier and served as he states and the Court further [states] that it appears to them that John McCauley who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the County of Henderson in the State of Tennessee and that William H Benton who has also signed the same is the Chairman of this Court and is a Resident in the same County and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit Given under my hand in open Court this 16th of August 1832 
Jn Howell JP
John Adams JP
Robert Banks
Page 8

I John A Wilson Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Terisha Johnson for a pension – 
In Testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal of Office this 18th day of August 1832
M. A. Wilson Clk [Clerk]
By Jno. M. Clellan D.C

[written upside down] No. 8124 Declaration of Terisha Johnson for a pension

[written sideways] I John A. Wilson a Practitioner of Medicine and Surgery do hereby certify that I have informed Terisha Johnson an applicant for a Pension under the late act of the Congress of the United States passed June 7th, 1832, I find him wounded in the said Achilles, just above its insertion August the 16th, 1832.
Jno A Wilson

And the said Court do hereby declare that they have every confidence in the Medical and Surgical abilities of Doctor John A. Wilson and that his certificate is entitled to the highest credit – Given under my hand in open court August 16th 1832.
Jn Howell JP
John Adams JP
Robert Baker JP
Page 9

I John A. Wilson a Practitioner of Medicine and Surgery do hereby certify that I have informed Terisha Johnson an applicant for a Pension under the late act of the Congress of the United States passed June 7th, 1832, I find him wounded in the said Achilles, just above its insertion August the 16th, 1832.
Jno. Wilson

And the said Court do hereby declare that they have every confidence in the Medical and surgical abilities of Doctor John A Wilson and that his certificate is entitled to the highest credit - Given under my hands in open Court August 16th 1832 – 
Jn Howell JP
John Adams JP
Robert Baker JP
Page 10

[typed form, with handwritten responses]

[Crossed out Acts of July 14, 1862; and March 6, 1873]

[Stamped] - REJECTED

5667

P. O.  
Terisha Johnson

Service: _________

Enlisted: ____ ,18
Discharged: _____ ,18

Application filed: _____ ,18

Alleges: ______

Re-enlisted: ______

Attorney: ____
P. O. ____
___Recognized.  _____ Contract.
___Cert. of Dis.  Searched for ____, 18.
Page 11

No. 8124

Terisha Johnson
Tenn.

Rejected – see letter of the 21 Decr [December] 1932 to H. W. Wormley

5667
Page 12

[typed form, with handwritten responses]

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Terisha Johnson which require further proof or explanation.

1.  Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes

II.  Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes

III.  If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?

IV.  Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes

V.  *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? Yes

VI.  Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes

VII.  Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes 

VIII.  Has the Court given their opinion? Yes

IX.  Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes

X.  Is the Clerk’s seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? Yes
Page 13

[typed form, with handwritten responses]

2

XI.  Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? Yes

XII.  If the clergyman’s affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? ---

XIII.  If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? Yes

XIV. +If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? -----
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? --

XV.  Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant’s service? ---

XVI.  Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? Yes

XVII.  Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not answered? 1, 2, 6, 7

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
*QUERE V.  In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
“Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For          year             months, and               days, I served as a                For          months and              days, I served as a             ; and for such service I claim a pension.
Page 14

[Typed form]

3

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service.  The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectional.  

+QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line in which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.

+QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.