Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 4448, for Barnabass Johnson, North Carolina

SERVICE
NUMBER
NC
Johnson Barnabass
S 4448
Carded
CONTENTS

25580. West Tennessee
Barnabas Johnson of Warren in the State of Tennessee who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Bryant of the regt. by Col Armstrong in the Alabama line for 8 months
Inscribed on the Roll of West Tennessee at the rate of 20 Dollars — Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 23 day of Jan 1831 and 21 Merchant & McWilliams Arrears to the 4th of Sept 30.00 Pension allowance ending 4 March 10.00 $60.00
Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by Sam Boyd Clerk Book C Vol. 1 Page 83

Dead. See letters to P. A. J. D. Hon. J. B. Foester H.R. 27 Dec. 1836 -
Date of death not on AB

State of Tennessee S. S. County of Wayne
On this the 8th day of October 1833 personally appeared an open court, before the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for the County of Wayne the same being now in session present the Worshipful William H. Springer, Samuel Smith & David H. Hays Esq. presiding Justices of said Court. Barnabass Johnson a resident in the County of Wayne and State of Tennessee, aged about Eighty 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 the 7th. 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers, and served as herein stated.
That in the early part of the year 1776. the militia of North Carolina were called out and into the service to defend Wilmington against the attack of the British commanded by General Clinton, About this time in Brimfield County in said State (North Carolina) when he about the first of May in the year of 1776. volunteered into the service for the space of three months, he joined a Company commanded by a Captain Guff he does not recollect his given name, he joined the Company and encamped at a place on the Neuse River in Johnston County State of North Carolina called Smithfield. he does not recollect the name of the Major or Lieutenant of the Company, various other Companies encamped at the same place he recollects one of them was commanded by a Captain by the name of Bryant. At the place of encampment the American flag was suspended from a pole. From Smithfield he was marched to Wilmington North Carolina Cross the Cape Fear river, passing through Fayetteville. he also crossed the creek and a little river of the same name. At Fayetteville his Company was attached to a Regiment commanded by Col. Farnethy does not recollect his given name nor does he recollect the names

of the Major of the Regiment or of any of the other officers Commanding it there Col. Armstrong nor does he recollect his name. From Fayetteville he was marched to Wilmington N.C. He thinks it took them ten or twelve days to perform the route. They crossed the Cape Fear River at a ferry near Fayetteville. After his arrival at Wilmington, there was an officer attached to his Regiment by the name of Hulse or some such name he thinks he was a Col. tho' he may have been a Major. He thinks there was a General in Command in Wilmington by the name of Brown. Also thinks General Lee was there a part of the time he was in Wilmington, he does not recollect of seeing him. When he arrived at Wilmington there was a British ship of War in the Cape Fear River below Wilmington, he also understood that the whole British fleet sailed to the Cape during the time he was there and shortly after sailed to Charleston South Carolina, he remained in Wilmington until some time in the first part of the month of August in 1776 when after having served out his term of three months he was discharged in writing by his Captain General in Wilmington in the State of North Carolina, during his stay there he was frequently exercised and sometimes stood ready whilst there the intelligence of the declaration of Independence was received in that City it was greeted by the fire of thirteen Guns. He served in this Service at least three months.
From Wilmington he returned to his residence in Cumberland County North Carolina. After he had been at home about six months perhaps a few months longer he was again in Cumberland County State of North Carolina drafted into the service for three months and commanded to encamp at Fayetteville in the same County, which he did he thinks it was in moderate weather perhaps the Spring season indeed he feels

Satisfied that it was late in the spring from the circumstances that during the service of the lower end of his company who had ate a watermelon was afterwards shot, and a watermelon seed came out at the bullet hole. Applicant therefore states that late in the spring months of the year of 1877, he entered the service. He was attached to a company of infantry commanded by a Captain Armstrong a son of the Col who commanded his Regiment at Wilmington, he does not recollect the latter unit or brigade of the company. His company as Applicant understood was by the order of Col Armstrong a Ranger through the country in pursuit of Jones and to keep them in proper subjection. What Regiment if any it belonged to Applicant does not know, as it was not attached to any division he services he does not recollect the day he or month when he entered the service. Shortly after he joined his company they marched to Drowning Creek, from there to the Little Pede River. There they received information of a company of Jones being on the Cape for river, wherefor they immediately marched back to that river upon their arrival at which they ascertained that they had been there but a few days previous, and had killed a man by the name of Graft and fled in the direction to the big or Great Pede to which place they immediately pursued them, upon their reaching the latter place they found that their object had fled down that river concerning them to be beyond the reach of a successful pursuit. Applicant and his company were marched back to Grayville for the purpose of refreshing and resting themselves and horses here Applicant remained for some time also

not recollect how long, From then they marched to a place known by the name of the Bear Swamp, which place was frequently resorted to by the Tories, finding none there they were marched to a place called from then they were marched to a place called the Ash Pole Swamp, not finding any Tories at either of these places they marched back to Fayetteville, and after having been there a few days they marched to Green's Ford on the Cape Fear River, there they found a large Company of Tories commanded by one Hannon. They attacked them and had a pretty sharp skirmish with them, the Tories retreated and were not per- secuted being as was believed superior in number to Applicant's Company, in this skirmish they killed four Tories and had three of their Company killed and one of the names of Young, Birt badly wounded, after this Applicant and his Company scouted about in the neighborhood of this place for a few days and then returned to Fayetteville where they remained a few days when his Honor expired when and when he was in the latter part of the summer or part of the fall in the year of 1777, in Fayetteville in Gun- derland County State of North Carolina discharged in writing by his Captain Armstrong, Applicant under stood that his Company was retained in the neighbor- hood of Fayetteville by the direction of Col Arm- strong, from then he went to his residence in Gunderland County in the State aforesaid where he remained until about two or three months before the siege of Little York when he was again drafted into the service after which he had a

a rising to cover on the body being so much doubled by that as to make the service uncomfortable to him and at the same time it not being a sufficient inability to exonerate him from the service he hired one Wood Hoagland does not recollect his given name to serve his term as a substitute which he did for which Applicant paid him Fifty Two dollars. This was the termination of Applicant's military service in the last term under Captain Armstrong he served at least three months. as all he served at least six months. for which he claims compensation, before. He has no documentary evidence of his services. Nor does he know of any person living whose testimony he can prove can who can testify to his services.
1. He was born in Edgecombe County in the State of Virginia in the year of 1753. as he believes from the information of his parents. 2. He has not nor never did have any record of his age. 3. When called into the service he lived in Cumberland County North Carolina, since the Revolutionary War he lived a free years in Cumberland County North Carolina, he then moved to Robeson County in the same state and there several years. Then he moved back to Cumberland County and remained there until about six years ago, when he moved to this Wayne County in the State of Tennessee where he now resides and has in such he moved to it. 4. The first term of three months he served he volunteered into the service. The second term of three months he served he was drafted into the service. 5. When he served in Wilmington he understood that there were Regular Officers and Continental Regiments there. if so he does not if he

was known at this time recollect any of their names or regts, nor can he state any thing more about Matilda Regiments than he has in the body of the declaration. He was an ignorant buck woodman, and had not either the means or inclination to make many inquiries upon the subject. If he had he does not suppose that after the lapse of fifty seven years with a naturally weak mind and that too infirmed by old age that he could recollect them. His mind is now quite full as well as his body. He is very poor. to his weakness of memory must be attributed his not recollecting more of the field officers of his re- giment.
6th. For each of the Pensions he served he received written discharges from the service. The first was given to him by his cap- tain Gueff. The second by his Captain Armstrong. They have been lost or discharged many years ago when now or when he does not recollect.
7th. He is known to Joseph Banks, Sampson D. Bell and diverse others all of whom live in his present neighborhood and can testify as to his character for veracity and of their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution. He fully 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.
Known to and subscribed the day Barnabas B Johnson mark
Joseph Colwell Clerk By L Colwell D.D.
We Joseph Banks _____ a clergyman residing in the

County of Warren State of Tennessee and in the neighbourhood in said County in which the above named applicant at present re- sides and Sampson Bethell residing in the same neigh- bourhood County and State, hereby certify that We are well acquaint- ed with Barnabas Johnson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that We believe him to be Eighty years of age; that he is respected and beloved in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that We concur in that opinion.  Joseph Banks Sampson Bethell  Given to and subscribed the day _____ and year aforesaid,
J. H. Taylor Clerk J. H. Taylor
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the in- vestigation of the matter and 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 believes that it appears to them that Joseph Banks _____ who has signed the foregoing certificate, is a gentleman residing in the neighbourhood of the appli- cant in the County of Warren and State of Tennessee. that Sampson Bethell _____ who has also signed the same is a resident in the same neighbourhood County and State, and is a respected person, and that their statements as to the age of the applicant are correct.  Joseph Colville Clerk of the Court of Pleadings  James M. H. H. H. Daniel D. D. D. H. H. H. H.  Given in the County of Warren in the State of Tennessee this _____ day of _____ 19____  whereby certify that the foregoing certificate the

Original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Barnabas Johnson for a Pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and formal seal then being vested of office yet provided at office this the
8th day of October 1853
Joseph Colville Clerk By L Colville D.C.
Barnabas Johnson applicant for a Pension
From 1776 to 1842
He
Return to A.S. Newcomb Esq. Attorney for the Pension
I certify that Joseph Colville whose name appears to the foregoing Certificate is Clerk of the Warren County Court in the State of Tennessee. The signature of said Clerk is in the hand writing of Lusk Colville. I am acquainted with said Lusk Colville, his hand writing the foregoing signature as in his hand writing. I also know that he acts as deputy Clerk of said Court. I also believe there is no seal of office of said Court this the 16th October 1853.
H. Isaacs

September 18, 1933
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
BA-J/HEL Barnabas Johnson-S.4448
Mrs. M.T. Norris 519 N. Blount Street Raleigh, North Carolina
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request information in regard to Barnabas Johnson, a Revolutionary War pensioner.
The data furnished below are obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim, S.4448, based upon the military service of Barnabas Johnson in that war, the only soldier of that name found on the Revolutionary War records of this office.
Barnabas Johnson was born in 1753 in Edgecomb County, "Virginia".
While residing in Cumberland County, North Carolina, he volunteered about May 1, 1776, and served three months in Captain Guess' Company, Colonel Armstrong's North Carolina Regiment; he again enlisted in the spring of 1777, served in Captain Armstrong's (a son of his former colonel) Company and was ordered by Colonel Armstrong "to range the country in pursuit of Tories" and had a skirmish with the Tories at a ford on the Cape Fear River, and was discharged late in the summer or early in the fall of same year.
After the Revolution, he lived for a few years in Cumberland County, North Carolina, then moved to Johnson County, same state, where he lived for several years; moved back to Cumberland County, North Carolina, where he remained until about 1827, when he moved to the state of Tennessee.
He was allowed pension on his application executed October 8, 1833, while residing in Warren County, Tennessee.
There are no data as to soldier's family.
In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, the name and address of person paid and possibly the date of death of
must have meant N.C. as there never was such a Co. in Va
Could not identify Capt Guess

the Revolutionary War pensioner, Barnabas Johnson(S.4448), you should apply to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, citing the following data:
Barnabas Johnson, Certificate No.25500, issued January 18, 1834, rate $20 per annum, commenced March 4, 1831, Act of June 7, 1832, West Tennessee Agency.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Assistant to Administrator.

Rev. May
4448
INVALID.
File No. 4448
Barnabas Johnson
Pr. N.C. line
Act: June 7 th 32
Index:—Vol. A , Page 194
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Barnabas Johnson, W Term roll - act 7 June 1832
Wh to What time was he last paid?
Plufin Offic } Dec. 16. 1836. }
to the 4 March 1834

Dec 15 CITY OF NEW YORK Barnaboo John B. Horatio
John B. Horatio
S. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions Washington City D. C.

Brown Hotel Bleecker
Sir,
I enclose you the papers of Barnabas Johnson who died last June. It seems he never drew any thing of in his life time and that the agent cannot now pay it without an order from the department to do so. I know Floyd has been absent I think in the Creek nation for the last year or two. Please attend to this promptly and let me know the result.
Very respectfully John B. Forster

519 N. Blount St Raleigh N.C.
9, 12 " 33
My dear Sir, Will you oblige by sending me, the record of Danahar Johnson of Virginia - He is listed in Virginia State Library - list of soldiers of the American Revolution, Thank you Much, I am Cordially Mrs M. T. Morris
A Cousin