Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 5641, for Josiah Johnson, Connecticut

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn. New York.
Johnson, Josiah
PP 5641.
CONTENTS
Twelve horizontal dotted lines for writing.
Twelve horizontal dotted lines for writing.

35317 Josiah Johnson New Jersey act. 7. June '32.
5641

State of New Jersey } County of Bergen } ss.
On this sixth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas held at New Barbadoes in and for the County of Bergen, now sitting Josiah Johnson a resident of the township of New Barbadoes in the County and State aforesaid, aged seventy seven years on the seventeenth day of November last past. Who being duly sworn according to the law on oath, on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7 th A.D. 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as hereinafter stated. That in the latter part of April (as deponent believes) A.D. 1777 while deponent was living at Norwalk in the State of Connecticut where he had been reared at school by his father, he saw the British troops land at Comptownpoint (as it was then called) about three miles from Norwalk. That he was the first person as he believes who gave the alarm to the citizens of Norwalk. That deponent was among those who rallied, on that occasion to resist the encroachments of the enemy. That deponent was in the engagement the Americans had with the British when they were retreating to their shipping after having destroyed the American stores collected at Barn = bury. The British were commanded by General as he was informed or Colonel Tryon. Deponent fought under Arnold who commanded the American forces. Does not remember the name of the Captain under whom he served. Deponent went as a volunteer. Was two days in the service on that first occasion. Deponent further says that he was in the engagement between the Americans and British at Housatuck  in the State of Connecticut . Deponent served on the latter occasion under Captain Samuel Lockwood. Deponent thinks the engagement took place in August A.D. 1779. Does not remember the precise day. Deponent served but one day and as a volunteer. Deponent further says that in the

year seventeen hundred and seventy nine he was placed at school at Fishkill, Dutchy Co. New York, and while there he was enrolled among the militia of that state and belonged to a company of which John Brewood was Captain. While deponent was thus enrolled he was drafted as a nine months man, and passed muster as a private about the middle of April A.D. 1781. Does not recollect the precise day. Deponent was inspected by Col. Weynveldt. Those who were drafted pendaroused at Fishkill, Deponent which then acted as Quarter master, at the request of the Col. Weynveldt. About the first of May A.D. 1781 Col. Weynveldt received orders to raise from the troops pendaroused at Fish- kill two companies, of sixty four men each and send them on to Pompton Bergen Co New Jersey to join the New York Brigade stationed there two Regiments of New York troops stationed there; the first of which was under the Command of Col. Van Schaick; the second under that of Col. Kortlandt or Van Kortlandt. Deponent received written order, from Col. Weynveldt, to take charge of one Company. Deponent did so, and delivered his order and the Company to Col. Van Kortlandt, and continued while there to act as Cap- tain of said Company although he had no Commission The Company of which deponent was Captain was known in the Neighbourhood of Pompton as "Johnson's rangers" Deponent and his Company were employed by Col. Van Kortlandt in guarding the mail, as the country there was infested there with by robbers, composed of Tories and refugees. Depo- nent on one occasion had an engagement with the robbers in the Haverstraw Mountains and defeated them. They numbered about twenty, and were one George O'Hara was their leader. Deponent and his Company were encamped at the Blockhouse in the Clove, a little North of the two Regiments for three months, and was employed during all that time in guarding the mail through the Ramapo mountains . In the latter part of the summer, as deponent thinks, of 1781

the two Regiments stationed at Pompton removed from thence to some place  place on the North river. Where the Northern army was Concentrating under Washington & Rochambeau. Deponent thinks it was Verplanck's point. Deponent and his Company joined the two Regiments and went with them. When the Northern army under Washington & Rochambeau took up the line of March toward the South, deponent says when he was ordered to remain at the block house to guard the mail, with his Company. Deponent says he remained there till after the siege of Yorktown. That on the return of Col on van Schaick & van Cortlandt, after the surrender of Cornwallis they retired into winter quarters at Snake Hill west of New Windsor. Deponent says his Company received their discharge from Col. van Schaick in Jan y = May 1782 the time for which they had been draughted having expired. But that deponent continued with Col. van Cortlandt, at his request until March 1782 when he received his discharge from Col. van Schaick.
Deponent further says that he was informed that those who served as nine months' men were entitled to a bounty of 200 acres of land. That he gave his original discharge to one Joshua Norton wh o promised deponent to get the land for him. Deponent declares he has never seen or heard of the said Norton since that time. That he has never received any land from the government, nor pay for his service. Deponent further says that during the time he served as a nine months' man he was not engaged in any civil pursuit. Deponent further declares that during the whole of the period he served as a nine months' man he acted, and performed the duties of a Captain and was treated as such. That he mess ed with the officers, among whom  was the following, Captain Smith, Lieutenant Carpenter, Doctor Livingston Menemau, Adjutant Hutton. Deponent says he knows of but one person wh o can swear he saw deponent in the service, Isaac Parkman wh o affidavit is hereto annexed. Deponent says that the men forming the Regiments and companies above mentioned were from

Other parts of the Country, think that in which deponent has lived for the last forty years. Deponent says he was born in the town of Brunswick, Fairfield County, State of Connecticut on the 17 th Nov. A.D. 1763. Deponent has a transcript of the Record of his age, which he took from his father's bible, that he was informed by his father, that said bible was correct. That after his father's death he gave the bible containing the entry aforesaid to his sister, who has since died. That he does not know what has become of said bible. Since the Revolutionary war deponent has lived at Fishkill about one year; From thence he removed to Newburgh where he lived two years and nine months. From thence he removed to Bedford New York; deponent does not remember the precise length of time he lived there. From thence he removed to St Closter Bergen Co. N.J. where he lived one year & six months. From thence he removed to the Township of Hackensack Bergen Co where he lived upwards of 40 yrs. That at the present time he is living in the Township of New Barbadoes as above stated. Deponent has held several commissions from the Governor of New Jersey. Deponent says he was appointed deputy marshal by O.W. Ogden in 1810 for the County of Bergen to take the third census of the inhabitants of said County. Deponent was also a deputy collector for the County of Bergen, of the direct taxes under the acts of Congress and received his appointment from Joseph T. Baldwin. Deponent has never before applied before for a pension because he was in easy circumstances, but by reason of adverse circumstances fortune , within the last two or three years he has been very much reduced, and is poor. Deponent has no doc- uments, evidence in his possession by which he can establish the fact of his having served in the Revolutionary army. He would refer as to his character for veracity and of their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution to Albert G. Doremus James P. Demarest and others.

He 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 from to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Mr. M c Intosh, Judge -
John Johnson
We James P. Demarest and Albert H. Doremus residing in the township of New Barbadoes in the County of Bergen and State of New Jersey hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Josiah Johnson, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy seven years of age: that he is reputed and believed, in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion
sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Mr. M c Intosh, Judge -
James P. Demarest
Albert H. Doremus
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that James P. Demarest and Albert H. Doremus who signed the preceding certificate are residents in the township of New Barbadoes, in the County of Bergen and State of New Jersey and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit And further that there is no clergyman living in the place who is well acquainted with the applicant and that it would be inconvenient for him to procure the attendance of one with whom he is acquainted
Mr. M c Intosh, Judge -
I John H. Bury Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the

County of Bergen do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Josiah Johnson for a pension
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this fifteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one John H. Berney Clerk

State of New Jersey County of Bergen } ss.
On this sixth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one personally appeared in open court before the Court of Common Pleas held at New Barbadoes in and for the County of Bergen aforesaid, now sitting Josiah Johnson a president of the township, County and State aforesaid, the person named in and who made the foregoing declaration, who being first duly sworn according to law, in answer to the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department under the act of Congress passed June 7 th AD 1832 and propounded by the said court saith in answer to said interrogatories.
1 st That he was born in the town of Granville, Fairfield County, in the State of Connecticut, on the 17 th day of November AD. 1763.
2 nd That he has in his possession a transcript of the Record of his age, taken by himself from the bible of his father; and that his father informed him said entry was correct: That after his father's death, he gave the bible containing said entry to his sister, after making the transcript above mentioned. That his sister is now dead. That he does not know what has become of said bible. But that from the transcript aforesaid it appears he was born on the day and year stated in the answer to the first interrogatory.
3 rd That he was living at Fishkill when he was draughted as stated in the declaration above made. That since the Revolution he has lived at Fishkill, Newburgh & Bedford in the State of New York and in the County of Bergen for the last forty seven years and where he now lives.
4 th That he was draughted called into the service by being draughted as a nine months' man.
5 th That he was inspected by Col. Deymerveldt, at Fishkill that at Pompton he served as Captain under Colonels Van Schaick and Van Cortlandt, altho' he had no Commis-

1 st That he was employed while stationed at Pompton in guarding the mail against robbers in that region of Country. That he remembers Captain Smith. Lieutenant Carpenter, Sergeant Minnemaw and Adjutant Hutton as having belonged at that time to one of the two Regiments stationed there. That he served the whole of the time for which he was draughted. And three months after that time had expired Does not remember the precise day he left the service as his recollection of dates has become impaired by reason of old age.
6 th That He received a discharge from Col. Van Schaick that he gave the same to Isaac Hoston for the purposes stated in the above declaration and that he has never heard of or seen the said Hoston or the discharge from that day to the present. That he has never received from the government any bounty in lands, or money for revolutionary services.
7 th He can refer to James P. Dismuke and Albert G. Doremees and others in the County of Bergen who can testify as to his Character for veracity, and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution.
And the said Court do hereby certify that the said Isaiah Johnson made the foregoing answers to the in open Court, to the interrogatories, prescribed by the war department under the act of Congress passed June 7 th A.D. 1832, and propounded to him by the Court, after having been duly sworn.
W. W. Wells, Judge
I John H. Berry Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Bergen do hereby certify that Isaiah Johnson after having been duly sworn made the foregoing answers, in open Court, to the interrogatories, prescribed by the war department under the act of June 7 th A.D. 1832 and propounded to him by the Court.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this sixteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one.
John H. Berry Clerk

State of New Jersey } Bergen County ss }
Personally appeared before me ROBT. S. GOULD one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County of
Bergen Isaac Perlman of the same County and Township of Hackensack who on his oath saith that on the twenty first of next July he will be twenty one years of age that he knows Josiah Johnson to have been in the Revolutionary War and in the service of America against our common enemy Great Britain, as a nine months man in the state of New York and known as Rock and County at the Block House in Ramapo he close that he has seen him frequently on duty and deponent further saith he the said Johnson behaved in all things as a good Sol- dier to the best of deponents knowledge and belief and deponent further saith the time he saw the said Josiah Johnson was near the close of the war from this circumstance of our troops being called South to attack Lord Cornwall and that he Cornwall surrendered that year, deponent does not know who commanded he except one Ensign Carpenter and further saith not
Sworn and subscribed to this twenty third day of June 1840 in the Township of Hackensack
Isaac Perlman
Robt. S. Gould Justice of the Peace
I do hereby certify that I know Isaac Perlman the deponent in the above affidavit and that he is a man of good character and standing in society and whose word may be relied on for truth and that he is of a sound mind
Robt. S. Gould
Township of New Barbadoe } and County of Bergen June 23 } 1840 }
Justice of the Peace

State of New Jersey } ss. I John H. Berry, Clerk of the Court of Common County of Bergen } Pleas of the County of Bergen do hereby certify that Robert S. Gould before whom the foregoing affidavit of Isaac Partiman was taken and whose name is subscribed to said affidavit and the certificate written underneath was at the time said affidavit was taken and at the time said certificate was signed, a justice of the peace in and for said County of Bergen. And further that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of the said Robert S. Gould, and hereby believe that his signatures thereto are genuine. And further that the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Bergen is a court of record and has a common seal and that the one hereto affixed, and to the preceding certificate is the seal of said Court, by which it au- thenticates its Records.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this fourth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one.
John H. Berry Clerk
Affidavit of John Partiman

1927-May 5-Photo of 10 pages mailed to Mrs. Mary H. Ferris. See receipt for payment in Claim of Abner Johnson No. 21481 MMAT
5641.
P. O.
Josiah Johnson
Service: _____
REJECTED
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

Isiah Johnson New XXXX Jersey Suspended Left S. Spencer Augt. 31 st 1841 Jan'y 12 th 1842 to R.R. Parl. 2030 V Act June 7 th 1842

New York 3 d July 1841
Sir
I have been requested to enclose the application of Josiah Johnson, for a pension under the act of 7 th June 1832.
Very Respectfully your Ob d Serv t Sylvester Spencer
James L Edwards Esq Commissioner of Pensions Washington D.C.

1842 Jan 1 62
Hackney Marshes. Jan 2. 1842 Jan 3. 1842.
Rev. Gabriel Johnson
1842
J. L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions Washington D.C.
1842

Hartnessville Dec 24, 1841
Sir
The papers relating to the claim of Joseph Johnson, to a pension under the act of Congress passed June 7. 1832 were sent to the Commissioner of pensions by Sylvester Spencer and his answer thereto, informing Mr. Spencer of a disallowance of that claim was communicated to the same individual. As Mr. Spencer has been removed from the pension agency in New York, Mr. Johnson does not feel at liberty to communicate further with the Commissioner of pensions, through him. Mr. Johnson has therefore requested the undersigned, to ask for information upon certain matters growing out of his application and the answer thereto, provided the rules, regulations and duties of the department, would allow such information to be imparted, if it is in the possession of any. The first objection to the allowance of Mr. Johnson's claim is, that although Col. Weidenrodt commanded 9 months drafts in 1781 yet Johnson's name is not borne on the rolls of that Regiment in that year. From the manner in which the objection is worded Mr. Johnson thinks the inference may be drawn that his name does appear upon the rolls of some other Regiment in that year, or upon those of the same Regiment in another year. The second objection is that Col. Van Schaick commanded no 9 months' drafts in 1781, from which he thinks the inference may be drawn that he did in some other year, and that his name may appear there as such. Mr. Johnson has requested the undersigned, respectfully to ask whether his name appears in any record or upon any roll in the possession of the department, from which the fact of his having served as a soldier or otherwise, during any period of the revolution, can be established. Mr. Johnson has also requested the undersigned, respectfully to make a few suggestions in relation to the objections themselves, with a view of getting his claim re considered upon the evidence now in the possession of the department. The first objection is, that his name is not borne on the rolls of the Regiment of 9 months men commanded by Col. Weidenrodt in 1781. Mr. Johnson states in his declaration that these 9 months men were drafted in April

1781; that he was received about the middle of April in that year, and that a week or two after he was sent by Col. Weir with a Company of 64 men to Pompton (New Jersey). It is suggested whether the omission to place his name upon the rolls may not have been occasioned by the short period which elapsed from the time he was received and the time he was sent to Pompton. That possibly the new levies may not all have arrived and the Regiment not have been complete and that no Roll had then been made, or if made that his name may have been stricken therefrom when he was sent away. And whether a seeming discrepancy between his statements in this particular, and the Records in the possession of the department relating thereto ought to prejudice his claim, if satisfactory evidence of an actual service be adduced, especially when such discrepancy may be accounted for, if the hypothesis  suggestions above made are probable or even possible.
The second objection is, that Col. Van Schaick commanded no 9 months drafts in 1781. (Nor does Mr Johnson say he did. His orders were to deliver his Company to Col. Van Courtlandt. He further states that the two Regiments at Pompton belonged to the New York line and were not 9 months drafts so far as he knew, and that the only 9 months drafts attached to those Regiments were the two Companies transferred as he states by Col. Weir. And it is suggested whether the transfer of these Companies could not have been made and the command of them assumed by Col. Van Schaick or Col. Van Courtlandt, and yet no evidence of those facts appear upon the records.
The third and last objection is based upon the improbability that the command of a Company belonging to the levies or line of the State of New York, for 12 months, in actual service, could have been given to a private draft. Mr Johnson states that the new levies received by Col. Weir were quartered about in squads at the place of rendezvous and without officers. If therefore any transfer was made it became necessary that a temporary command at least should be given to a private draft.

to Pompton Moreover, had the transfer of this Company, been made with a view that it should act against an organized force there and the command of it been given to a private draft under such circumstances, the improbability would be more apparent. But when it is recollected that the men composing this Company or a part only, were employed as scouts to guard the mails against the depredations of robbers, who infested the Haverstrom and Ramapo mountains, it is not easily to conceive that it is suggested whether the command of them should have been continued to Mr Johnson by permission; and whether the improbability that he served at all, because a private draft would not have been given the command of a Company, ought not to yield to the positive testimony of Mr Parkman, who states he saw Johnson on duty as a soldier at Pompton. Mr Johnson states that he both entered the service and was discharged as a private. He also states the capacity in which he served according to the requisitions of the printed rules of the department & from which it might determine the amount of his compensation, if the service was satisfactory. If the information asked, or the suggestions above made are considered by the Commission of Pensions, to be improper, the extreme poverty and destitution of Mr Johnson must be offered as an apology. He has a wife, and although nearly eighty years of age, he has, strange as it may seem to be, two children of about eight and six years of age. If a belief, by the Commission of Pensions, in the truth of the statements made, would induce him to reconsider the claim or impair the information asked for, the undersigned would respectfully refer him, as to the degree of credit which may be placed in the representations of he has made, to the Hon John B. Ayer, although he has not obtained the permission of Mr Ayer to do so. An answer directed to the undersigned, Hackensack, Bergen Co. New Jersey would be thankfully received
To S. L. Edwards Esq. Com r of Pensions
Richard R. Paulsen

In pursuance of a law passed the 27th day of April, 1784, entitled "An act for the settlement of the pay of the Levies and Militia, for their services in the late War, and for other purposes therein mentioned," the following certificates have been issued, bearing interest at five per cent per annum, viz :
  1782 December 12 35398 Josiah Johnson Yri -17- -4- 10 1/2   1782 May 31 34428 Josiah Johnson " -2- 13- 4 
STATE OF NEW-YORK, COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, Albany, June 22 1841. }
I hereby certify the above to be true extracts from Book No. — 7 — now remaining in this office, and that the service for which the certificates above named were issued, were performed under the following officers, viz :
First—under Capt  Lieut Michael Connolly in Col. does not appear Regiment. Second, " " Michael Connolly " " does not appear " Third, " " " " " " Fourth, " " " " " " Fifth, " " " " " " Sixth, " " " " " " Seventh, " " " " " " Eighth, " " " " " "
M c Intire Dep. Compt.

All inquiries regarding this job should refer to Requisition No.
14712
Requisition for Duplicating, Addressograph, Photostat, and Blue Print Work.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WASHINGTON
Handwritten initials 'OK' or similar.
CHIEF, Division of Publications, Room G 137.
April 29, 1927 192
Please furnish work specified below.
Bureau ordering Pension Deliver to Room No. 5033
(ALL COPY FOR DUPLICATING WORK SHOULD BE PLAIN AND WRITTEN IN ELITE TYPE, EXACTLY LINE FOR LINE AS IT IS TO APPEAR ON FINISHED JOB.)
Title and description of job photostat copies of 10 pages from the Rev. War pension claim, R. 5641, Josiah Johnson
No. of copies 1 of each page Shall form be kept standing? days
For further information see A. E. Wilson 5033 541 Room No. Phone No.
Approved: Chief Clerk of Bureau Chief of Branch or Division
NOTE: No order made "SPECIAL" unless statement showing necessity is written below and approved by Chief Clerk of Bureau ordering
CHECK WORK DESIRED
Duplicate, Multigraph, Mimeograph, Folding, Assembling, Stapling, Electric typewriter, Fill in addresses? Dated? Addressograph from lists, Envelopes, size, Proof list, Labels (submit sample), Fill in letters, Cards, size, Pay rolls, Corrections, Tabulation sheets
Photostat x Size actual Official use? Repay? yes $ 1.50 Blue Print Size Official use? Repay? $
Remarks
Handwritten notes on the left margin: W. 21 H 81, payment in Abner Johnson, new receipt for

NOTE: Routine changes of addresses may be made on this blank without formal reference through or initialing of chiefs of branches or chief clerks of bureaus.
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Change present addressograph plate
Destroy present addressograph plate
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