St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-07-19
Two Long and Eventful Lives.
To the Editor Of the Caledonian:


To the Editor Of the Caledonian
Mr.. Hanes Johnson who died at New
bury July Sd, was the last surviving son
of Col. Thomas johnson of Revolution
airy fame. He was born in 1857 in a
house nearly opposite to the one in
which he died, the latter having been
built in 1900, in which he has lived evel
since.
1t is rare in this age and country that
man lives to so great an age OH almost
the identical spot of his birth. Mr.
johnson was married March ID, 1913, to
Miss Phoebe Hazletine, who survives
him. Perhaps they had been married
longer than any other couple in Yer
mont at the time of his death. Sixty
five years and four months A long
journey for two human lives to take
together. One can imagine the smile
of amusement with which Mr.. and Mrs.
Johnson must have favored certain am
bilious young couples of these days,
who cOmplacently call in their friends
and neighbors to celebrate the astOnish-
ing fact that they have endured each
other for five, ten or twelve years. Mr..
Johnson made profession of religion
and united with the Congregational
church in 1929.
Till within few months of his death
Captain johnson, las he was called,
from his old-time military commission)
retained his mental faculties to sur
prising degree, his mind being a store
house of facts and anecdotes about peo-
pie in all the region about here, long
since passed away. His mind never
grew old, till his body gave way under
his great age and disease. Thus has
passed from among us one of the oldest
living landmarks; one of the few who
knew, intimately, the old patriots of
the Revolution.
Col. Thomas johnson, father of the
deceased was one of the first settlers of
Newbury, where he built in Tvs, the
quaint, square, two story house with its
peaked roof, massive chimney and huge
timbers, still standing CD the Ok Bow.
The glass for its windows was brought
on horseback from Concord N. H.,
through an almost unbroken wilderness
of 100 miles. By reason of its peculiar
construction and quaint ornaments it
looks old enough to have stood twice
as long, but is believed not to be the
oldest house in Newbury, as it is claim
ed that the Stevens house was built in
1866, but it does not look so antiquated.
Col. Johnson was the object of pecu-
liar hatred to the tories, who laid many
plans for his capture, and finally fol ce
of IA of them under one Capt. Prichard,
surprised him at the house of Dea.
Elkins in Peacham, where he had gone
with an OK team and load of millStones.
March 6, 1881. He was carried to Can
ada and kept in confinement, but was
released on parole the following October.
The British were DESTROYS to capture
Gen. Jacob Bayley of Newbury, for
whose apprehension large reward had
been Offer ed. On the afternoon of June
II, 1882, Col. johnson at work in his
garden, saw IL signal made to him from
the heights back of Cow Meadow, which
had been agreed upon, when he was
parOled, as an intimatiOn that he was
wanted by his enemies. He knew their
object was to capture Bayley, who with
his sons was blowing on the Ok Bow.
To warn him was to forfeit his parole,
and endanger his own life, but he con-
trived to do it in this manner: He
wrote upon piece of paper "The Phil
istines be upon thee, Sampson" and his
brOther-in-law carried it to the field,
and when the General had found the
paper in the furrow. he took the hint
and swimming the river, escaped.
How Col. Johnson Jared with his cap
tors, who would have made short work
WIN MIN hdu buCy ulSCONoIeu HIS SuIdIo-
gem, tradition does not say, but that
evening Prichard with % British and
Indians surprised the fort at Newbury
wounding one or two of the garrison,
but failing to find the General, retreat
ed with such plumber as they found and
a few prisoners.
Among Others they took one Peltiah
Bliss, who was very nervous sort of a
man, and cried like a child in his terror,
and after frightening the poor man near
ly out of his wits by making motions as
if they were going to scalp him, they
let him go, to die quietly in his own
bed long afterward.
When the tories found how Bayley
had escaped their hands they determine
ed to kill johnson, and burn his house
Those must have been trying days fol-
the old patriot, but peace was soon de-
clared and Col. johnson lived to enjoy
his well earned hOnOrs more than forty
years after the war was over. w.
Newbury vt. July 18th, 1878.
OF INTEREST TO ALL.-The follow
ing item from the Barton Monitor will
anDIv nc we'll tO this cOuntV