Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18,909, for Stephen Johnson, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Mass
Johnson, Stephen
L 18,909
Carded.
CONTENTS

954 Vermont Stephen Johnson
of Windham Co in the State of Vermont who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Sibley — of the Regt commanded by Col Kings — in the Massachusetts line for Pensions 10 months — $33.83
Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont at the rate of 3 Dollars 83 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 5 th day of June 1833 and sent to J. Elliott Brattleboro Vt.
Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1832 — $49.99 Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Mar 1833 — 16.66 $66.65
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Not June 7, 18 } {
Recorded by Viral Luce Book 9 Vol. 4 Page 94
Col. E. T. Englesby to Certificate enclosed re to Chipman Swain Halifax see his letter within.

No 2629
Vermont
Surp. 11 Dec. '32
Obj. 5: 11.12.
J. Elliot Brattle Marlborough
Admitted \frac{25}{11} Private 10 months $33.33
P147

BRIEF in the case of Stephen Johnson of Vernor  County of Windham in the State of Vermont (Act 7 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? 73 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days. As a Gen.     June 1 In 1777 3 Private Capt Sibley Col Keyes   Sept " " 2 do " Howard Col Holman   1778 time not stated do " Houghton Col Whitney   1781 3 do do Col Washburn   He says the whole time he served was 10 months Genl Sullivan  
 5. In what battles was he engaged?  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Sutton, Worcester County Massachusetts.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional, two credible witnesses  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.
James C. Wilkins Examining Clerk.

Stephen Johnson. Dec 12 for Pensions. August 1832.
No 26 29

STATE OF VERMONT.
County of Windham ss.
Probate District of Marlborough?
At the Probate Court, for said District, being a Court of Record.
On this first day of August A. D. 1832—Personally appeared in open Court, — At Brattleborough in said District
Present. Marshall Miller, Esquire Judge.
Before the said Probate Court, within and for said District — now sitting — Stephen Johnson a resident of Vernon in the county of Windham and State of Vermont, aged seventythree 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 provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832—That he entered into the service of the United States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
That he served by voluntary enlistment three months from June 1 st 1777. Capt Joseph Dibley of Sutton & Colonel Hovey of Western was his Colonel. marched through Uxbridge & Smithfield to Providence Rhode Island. That he was drafted from Sutton two months from Sept r 1777. marched thro' Brookfield Hadley, Williamstown, & Bennington to Batten Kill. under Capt Howard & Colonel Oldsman both of said District. That in 1778. he was again drafted for a campaign to Rhode Island, under Capt Houghton of Peterham and Colonel Whitney of Harvard, and marched with General Sullivan to take Newport Island, & suffered much in a cross sea, dry storm. And that lastly in 1781. he again enlisted for three months, under said Capt Houghton & Colonel Seth Washburn of Leicester. Marched to Albany & served the term out there and about there, general business was trenching & fortifying. That he served his country faithfully during the revolutionary war ten months in the Massachusetts line, as above stated. That he has no documentary evidence, & that he knows of no persons whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his services.
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.
To the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, he answers, upon his said oath, as follows:
 1. That he was born in Southboro' in the County of Worcester, & State of Massachusetts. July 16 th 1759.  2. That the record of his age in his father's writing is in his Brother Isaac Johnson's Bible at said Vernon.  3. That he was living at Sutton, Worcester County. Ms. when called into service; that after the close of the war he lived a few years at Southboro' and have resided at Vernon 8 th for more than forty years, last past.  4. That for his first term of service it was by voluntary enlistment June 1 st 1777. That for his next term he was draughted to go a B urgaining two months from Sept r to Nov r 1777. immediately on returning from his first term. And that he was drafted again in 1778. to go to Rhode Island, when General Sullivan marched to Newport.  5. That again enlisted in July 1781. He enlisted again for three months in said Capt Houghton's company of Col. Washburn of Leicester. The general circumstances of officers & services as above stated. —  6. That at the close of his several terms of service he was dismissed by some field officer. At the close of the last term his Regiment passed muster under Baron Stuben at Troy N.Y. & was dismissed by Colonel Washburn without any written certificate. —  7. Capt Jerijah Hovey Esquires Washburn, Whitfield, Stabbins, Lee or any inhabitants of Vernon would doubtless testify to his character for truth and veracity, and their belief of his having been a soldier of the Revolution. — 
Stephen Johnson

5. of the earth, water, and air.
The general circumstances of officers & services as above stated. —
6. That at the close of his several terms of service he was dismissed by some field officer. At the close of the last term his Regiment passed muster under Barron Stieben at Troy N.Y. & was dismissed by Colonel Washburn without any written certificate. —
1. Capt. Jerijah Thayer Esquires, Worthington, Whited, Stebbins, Lee or any inhabitants of Vernon would doubtless testify to his character for truth and veracity, and their belief of his having been a soldier of the Revolution. —
Stephen Johnson
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Marshall Miller Lodge of Probate
We Cyrus Washburn & Andrew Parsons citizens  residing residing in the town of Vernon  in said County  and State   of  in said hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Stephen Johnson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy three   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. Cyrus Washburn
Sworn, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Andrew H. Carlson.
Marshall Miller Ledge of Probate
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 Cyrus Washburn who has signed the preceding certificate, is a resident , resident in the said town of Stearns and that Andrew Parsons who has also signed the same, is a resident in the town of Stearns in said county, and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I James Elliott, Register of the Probate Court, within and for the District of Marlborough aforesaid, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Stephen Johnson for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this first
day of August ,
A. D. 1832.
James Elliott, Prob. Register.

O. W. & N. Division.
F. S.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D. C., November 18, 1894.
Sir:-
In reply to your request for a statement of the military history of STEPHEN JOHNSON a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE. CAPTAIN. COLONEL. June, 1777 8 mo. Pri. Joseph Sibley Keys Mass. Sept., 1777 2 mo. " Howard Holman Mass. ----- 1778 2 mo. " Houghton Whitney Mass. ----- 1781 5 mo. " Houghton Washburn Mass.
Battles engaged in, None mentioned. Residence of soldier at enlistment, Sutton, Mass. Date of application for pension, August 1, 1852. Residence at date of application, Vernon, Vt. Age at date of application, Born, Southboro, Mass., July 16, 1759.
Remarks:
Mr. George W. Metcalf, #110 W. Fourth St., St. Paul, Minn.
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.

18909
INVALID.
1894 Nov. 16, High to Geo. W. Metcalf, St. Paul
File No. 18909
Stephen Johnson
His Rev. Mrs.
Act: June 7" 82
Index: —Vol. 1 , Page 385
[Arrangement of 1870.]

State of Vermont-
Windham County Court Clerk's Office, New Haven, December 21. A.D. 1832.
I certify that Cyrus Washburn, Esquire, is one of the Justices of the Peace within and for the County of Windham aforesaid, and that the signatures purporting to be his, on the sheet of paper to which this is annexed, are in his hand writing-
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the said County Court on the day and year above written-
James Elliot, Clerk.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Stephen Johns on  which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides ? II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? 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? 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 ? No. See Query 5, VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? 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?

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?
No
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
No.
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?
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?
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
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."

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the 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 objectionable.
†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 to 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 authenticated 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 end 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.
State of Vermont, } At Vernon in said County, on this 2 nd day Windham County ss. } of Dec r A.D. 1832, Personally appeared before me Cyrus Washburn Justice of the Peace, in & for said County, Stephen Johnson, a resident of said Vernon aged 73 years, and on his oath makes the following Declaration in addition to his Declaration made and sworn to, before the Probate Court, of the District of Marlboro' in said County on the first day of August 1832, in order to obtain the benefit of an act of Congress passed June 7 - 1832, That he is an inhabitant of said Vernon & has been for more than 40 years past, that in the first term mentioned in his former declaration aforesaid, he engaged for six months, and after serving three months, Samuel Wallis then of Sutton Mr., took his place & he was dismissed, & soon ready to engage & serve his Country again. - That the grade in which he served was that of a private during the several terms, and that he served his Country faithfully during the Revolutionary war, ten months in the Massachusetts Line, as expressed in his Declaration aforesaid.  Stephen Johnson  Sworn to; and subscribed the day and year aforesaid, Before me, Cyrus Washburn Justice of the Peace —

State of Vermont. { Vernon in said County Decr 20 th A. D. 1832. Windham County, ss. } We Timothy F. Rogers, a Clergyman, residing in the town of Bernardston, a town adjoining the town of Vernon, and William Johnson, residing in said town of Vernon, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Stephen Johnson, an applicant for a pension on account of services as a soldier of the Revolution, that we believe him to be 73 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.
Timothy F. Rogers. William Johnson
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid, Before me, Cyrus Washburn Justice of the Peace.
Return this.
And the said Justice hereby declares his opinion that the said Stephen Johnson, was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states, and that Timothy F. Rogers, who has signed the above certificate, is a Clergyman of the first Church & Congregation of Bernardston aforesaid, & has officiated as a Clergyman in said Vernon, more than one fourth part of the time for seven years last past, there having been no Clergyman, residing in said Vernon, during said term, or at any previous time, and that William Johnson, who has also signed the same, is a resident of the said town of Vernon, and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to full credit.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 20 th day of Decr A. D. 1832.
Cyrus Washburn Justice of the Peace.

Halifax VA April 25th
True.
J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
_____

Halifax April 24th 1884
Dear Sir
Enclosed is Certificate of Stephen Johnson I have made application as attorney, in March last for his money and found it did not agree with the amount on roll at the Burlington Bank. I have also sent to your office with others to have it corrected & am informed that the true amount on the — roll is thirty three dollars eighty three cents per annum — I wish the certificate to be corrected & returned to me and with oblig
Yours sincerely
& Humble Servt
Chipman Swain
J. L. Edwards Esq. —

DR. GEORGE R. METCALF, 110 WEST FOURTH STREET, (RICE PARK.) SAINT PAUL.
29261 S. Mass 18909 " " 10919 " Conn
Oct 27/94 Commissioner of Pensions -
Washington, D.C.
2 33
Dear Sir -
Will you
kindly send me such information as may be found in records of the Pension Office in re- gard to Stephen Johnson, a revolutionary soldier and pensioner, who died in Windham County, Vermont -
Yours Respectfully George R. Metcalf