Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 32349, for David Johnson, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Vol
Johnson, David
S 32349
CONTENTS

25713 Indiana
David Johnson of - actua in the State of Indiana who was a private in the co. commanded by Captain Martin of the regt commanded by Col Shelby in the Virginia line for 2 years
Inscribed on the Roll of Indiana at the rate of 50 Dollars — Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 6 day of Sept 1831 and to David Johnson over H.W.
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 200.00 Pension allowance ending March 40.00 $240.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by David Boyd Clerk Book 6 Vol. 7 Page 117
Will Mason May 22 1856
Date of death not on A.D. 1856

J. T. Springer, Jacksonville Ill. Feb 20/60
Relative to pension of Mary Ann Sutherland, only heir of David Johnson
Respectfully referred to. Commr Pensions
Moses Kelly Clerk
Int. Dept. Feb 24/60
Rec'd 24 Feb. 60 Mr. R. Hett

Jacksonville Illinois Feb 20. 1860.
Secretary of the Interior Washington D.C.
Mrs Mary Ann Sutherland, who is now in the poor house of Morgan County, says she is the daughter of David Johnson, a Revolutionary Soldier, that three years ago, she gave a power of attorney to one Jamesester then of Washington City but now of Nashville, Franklin County Tennessee, and she received from him $136, dollars - and that is all she ever received. She is desirous of knowing what can't was paid said Ester and that no more be paid him from the department.
Mrs Mary Ann Sutherland is now 65 years old. Her father David Johnson at the time of the Revolution was a Resident of Powell's Valley on Clinch River Virginia. He moved from thence to Simm Camp near Laurel River Kentucky removed from that place to

to Washington City about 18 years ago, and died there some 12 years ago. She states that he was his pension in full and at Washington. And that she is the only heir.
And information with regard to it, will be very gratefully received, and if she is entitled to it, certainly she is in very great need.
Yours etc
J. S. Springer

David Johnson
21166
{ Maryland } Plan
5.10

Declaration in Order to Obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7 th 1832 State of Indiana } ss On this 12 th day of February Jackson County } in the year One thousand eight hundred & thirty two Personally appeared in open court before the Hon. the Abel Findley Judge of the Probate court of Jackson County State of Indiana it being a court of Records now sitting David Johnson a resident of Jackson County Indiana aged seventy four or five 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 7 th June 1832 he was born the 10 th day of October 1759 or 60. at Frederick County Virginia and lived there until he was about 18 years old & then moved to Montgomery County in said state & in the year 1773 he moved to the head of Clinch River, and in the year 1774 the Indians drove us back a cross New river at Bells meadows where we fortified then we in the month of November moved back to Clinch River, and in the year 1775 he was called out as a spy, Built a Fort at the little Crab orch- ard 15 miles from the head of Clinch River, we was forted in the fort in 1776 and served as a spy, and in 1777 we Built a Fort at the big crab orchard, 1778 he volunteered under Colonel Shelby, Major Thomas Quirk Captain Thomas Martin, and Rendevoused at the long I land on Holston River and went down the river to the Chieghomoga Nation of Indians, where we killed some Indians and destroy- ed their towns then returned home we was out about 40 days. in 1779 I was chose as a spy & served about six months. in the year 1780 continued as a spy and in the year 1781 he volunteered under Captain James Maxwell and rendevoused on New River at Barbours ferry 4 miles below the lead mines

1 when he joined Col. Preston and marched to north Carolina and joined General Green near Gilford courthouse & served out my three months term and was discharged at Gilford Courthouse & returned home — he has now documentary evidence of his discharge And that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his services he is well known in his present neighbourhood by Jared B Huffman a Preacher of the Gospel, and Joseph Stewart and Leonard Shuemaker Esq. who will testify as to his character for veracity & their belief of his services as a spy & soldier of the revolution he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state Sworn to & subscribed the day & year first above written, sworn to and subscribed in open court the day and year aforesaid
David Johnson
County Monroe
We Jared B Huffman, a clergyman, residing in the County of Jackson and Joseph Stewart & Leonard Shuemaker residing in said County of Jackson hereby certify that we are well acquainted with David Johnson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 74 years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resided to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid
Jared B Huffman
Leonard Shuemaker his Joseph X Stewart mark

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 stated. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Jared B. Hoffman who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman residing in the County of Monroe; And that Leonard Shu-zmaker and Joseph Stewart, who has assigned the same, is residents in the County of Jackson and are credible persons, and that their statements is entitled to credit —
I William Crenshaw Clerk of the Probate Court of Jackson County State of Indiana; Do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of David Johnson for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal as the seal of said office, there being no seal as yet procured for the court this 12 th day of November in the year one Thousand eight hundred and thirty two
William Crenshaw CLK
I do hereby certify that Mr. Crenshaw whose signature is affixed to the above certificate is the Clerk of the Probate Court Jackson County Indiana and that the signature I believe to be genuine John Carr

May 18, 1939
XXXXXXXXXX
David Johnson, S.32349 BA-J/MOS
Miss Mabel M. Moore 951 South Ohio Avenue Columbus, Ohio
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your request for information relative to a David Johnson of Frederick County, Virginia, who served as sergeant of Virginia Artillery during the Revolutionary War.
The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in the pension claim, S.32349, based on the military service of the only David Johnson of Frederick County, Virginia, that is found in the Revolutionary War records of this office.
David Johnson was born October 10, 1759 or 1760, in Frederick County, Virginia. He lived there until he was about eleven years of age when he moved to Montgomery County, Virginia. In 1773 he moved to the head of Clinch River and in 1774 the Indians drove the settlers back across the New River to Belle Meadows where they built a fort and in November, 1774, they moved back to the Clinch River. The names of David Johnson's parents were not given.
David Johnson served with the Virginia troops as follows: in 1775, five months as Indian spy and aided in building a fort "at the little Crab Orchard which was fifteen miles from the head of the Clinch River"; in 1776 he served four months as a spy; in 1777 he served five months as spy and aided in building a fort "at the big Crab Orchard"; in 1778 he volunteered and served forty days against the Chickamauga Indians and was under Captain Thomas Martin and Colonel Shelby; in 1778 he also served fifty days and was engaged in guarding lead mines; from March 15, 1779, until September 15, 1779, he served as Indian spy; in 1780 he served five months as Indian spy; in 1781 he served three months as private under Captain James Maxfield and Colonel Preston.

David Johnson was allowed pension on his application executed November 12, 1833, at which time he was living in Jackson County, Indiana.
The papers in this claim contain no data relative to the family of David Johnson.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator

32349 Key INVALID.
1938 May 18. List. to Mrs. Mabel M. Moore. Add
File No. 32, 349
Davis Johnson His Rev. Rev.
Act: June 1 st 32
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 206
[Arrangement of 1870.]

David Johnson
from 1776 p 2 p $80
Wm John Carr. N.R.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of David Johnson 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. 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? AS

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? 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? XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? 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 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 objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
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 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.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

State of Indiana } ss
Jackson County } Personally appeared before me the undersigned a justice of the Peace in and for the County of Jackson David Johnson who being duly sworn, deposes and saith, that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot say positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods men- tioned below and in the following grades in the year 1775 I served for five months as a spy and keeping a fort, in 76 I served four months as a spy. in 77 I served five months as a spy and building fort in 78 I volunteered and went a campaign under Col. Shelby and was out 40 days - then was called out to guard the lead mines and served there fifty days, in 79 I served again as a spy from the 15th of March to the 15th of September which was six months, in 80 I served five months as a spy. in 81 I served three months as a volunteer under Col. Preston as a private making in all my service two years and 7 months, and for such service I claim a pension
Sworn & subscribed this 21 st day of November 1833 David Johnson
Wm Williams J.P. P.C.
State of Indiana } ss
Jackson County } I William Crenshaw clerk of the circuit Court of said County, Do certify that Wm Williams Esquire before whom it appears the above affidavit was taken is and was at the time of taking the same an acting justice of the Peace in and for the County of Jackson in the state of Indiana Commissioned and qualified and that full faith and credit is due to all his official acts as such as well in courts of Justice as otherwise
In Testimony whereof I have affixed my signature and the seal of said Court at Brownstown this 21 st day of November A.D 1833
William Crenshaw Clk

951 South Ohio Avenue Columbus, Ohio April 29, 1938
Respectfully submitted to —
The Veterans' Administration Washington, D. C.
Will you kindly tell me if you have any record of a pension having been paid to one David Johnson of Frederick County, Virginia, who served in the American Revolutionary War as a sergeant of Virginia Artillery? I shall appreciate any information that you may be able to give me concerning his service.
(Miss) Mabel M. Moore