The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-02-22


Col Thomas Johnson was Upright par
ticular star" in Newburys GALAXY of Revolu-
tionary heroes. He possessed most of the
natural, physical and mental attributes that
constitute born leader and his strong per-
sonality stands out clear cut against the
stormy sky of the times that "tried mems
| souls" He was of excellent Puritan lineage,
the fourth generation from William John :
son one of the founders of Charlestown, M ass,
and first saw the light of day at Haverhill,
! Mass, IN l742. He came to Newburv in the
service of Col. Jacob Bailey in 1862 and soon
| became large landowner and hotel k eeper
an enterprising merchant and a leading
four houses at Johnson Village on the Ok
Bow, one of them as early as l775, all of which
are still standing.
He was three times married and reared a
family of thirteen children. The breaking
out of the Revolution found him staunch
and unyielding patriot and his influence was
exerted and felt in this region in the raising
and quarter1ng OftrOOps and advancing his
country's cause. He took an active part in
the siege of Ticonderoga and Mt. Independ-
ence. In the fall of l777 he commanded
company of volunte ers from Newbury but
part of the time acted as aid to General Lin
coin. After the surrender of the British at
Iiconderoga 100 prisoners were given to his
charge and marched back into the cou ntry
to Charleston No. 4, out of danger of recap
ture. There were several men in town who
made themselves quite obnoxious to the
British by their devotion to their country,
among whom W as Col. johnson, who they
considered very great rebel as he had dis
tinguished himself at the taking of Ticonder-
oga and they sought opportunity to capture
him, but he eluded all their efforts until the
spring of 1881 when they succeeded. His
journal of Thursday, March Sth bears the fole
or one O'Clock walked out of my sleep and
found the house beset with enemies, thought
would slip on my stockings and jump out
of the window and run, but before that came
in two men with their guns pointed at me,
and challenged me for their prisoner, but
did not find myself the least terrified; soon
md fNNTn of hn nj faF, f.f
mine. / saw some motions for tying me but
/ told them that submitted myself a pris-
oner and would offer no abuse, soon packed
up and marched but never saw people so
surprised as the family was when it came to
Mr. Davis l found the party to consist of
eleven men Capt. Prichard commanding"
He was taken to Canada and treated with
marked courtesy and attention for the pur-
pose of winning him over to the British
cause. but in vain. In September of the same
year he was released on parole and returned
to Newbury. This parole placed him in
very trying situation as the British kept a
constant watch over his movements. He
had an interesting correspondence with Gen.
Washington giving him such Information as
he had obtained regarding the enemies
move ments in Canada and later visited him
at Exeter, N. H. He represented the town of
Newbury ten terms in the legislature between
the years of 1856 and 1901, and died in 1919.
Haynes Johnson, one of his children by
Abigail Carleton, his third wife, was a life
long farmer and resident of the town, cap
tain of Independent company, and reared
family of sixteen children all but two of
whom arrived at maturity. Sidney johnson
one of his sons was born on the old home
stead in 1910, was educated in tee town school
and at Newbury Seminary and has practi-
cally always lived on the ancestral home
stead, now farm of 100 acres. In 1870 he
married Mary f. Ford of Lowell, Mass. They
have four children, Leonard is a student of
Dartmouth Medical College; Erwin II. a
student of Boston Dental College; Louise
and Haines remain at home with their par
ents Mr.. Sidney johnson is an intelligent
and estimable gentleman and deacon of the
church.