Bell-Harlan-Fayette County KyArchives Military Records.....Johnson, Sarah June 11, 1890
Civilwar - Pension Corporal Co. F. 49th Ky. Vo. Infantry
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Kelly Courtney-Blizzard http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000022 July 6, 2005, 5:50 pm
MILITARY: Civil War Pension File, Sarah Johnson W/o Samuel Johnson
On this 11th day of June 1890, at Lock (4mi. E.) County of Bell, State of Ky, 
before me, W. H. Neas, a special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally 
appeared Mrs. Sarah Johnson, who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly 
all enterrogatories to her during this special examination of aforesaid 
pension claim, deposes and says:" My age is 51 years, as near as I can come at 
it-the record in father's bible was destroyed, and my children put this down. 
My occupation is housekeeper, and P.O. Lock, Bell Co. Ky. Residence about 4mi. 
E. on Mill Creek. My P.O. was given as Pineville by Mr. Culton who has done my 
writing, but that is 9 or 10 miles from here. I have never received your 
letter which you say was sent about 2 weeks ago. There was never nothing said 
about his opening my mail and it my be there yet. I am the widow of Samuel 
Johnson who was enrolled June 10, 1863 and discharged Dec. 26, 1864, Corporal 
Co. F. 49th Ky. Vo. Infantry as his discharge shows-it also shows him 22 years 
of age and that no objection is known to exist why he should not be enlisted. 
He died on Christmas night, a year ago last Christmas-no record. He died of 
piles and running off of the bowels to the best of my opinion. He was never 
employed in any other service, naval, or military. I was married when I was 
going on 19 years, to this soldier and we had two children when he went in the 
army. I have no record. I was married at my father's, Billy Burns, on Straight 
Creek, about 2.5 miles from here, in what was then Harlan Co. The ceremony was 
performed by Robert Helton, Esq. now dead, the license were brought from 
Harlan Courthse. I dont know whether there is any record of it or not. Amos 
Johnson, A.D. Johnson, John Lefevers.The above were present and saw us 
married. Neither of us had been previously married. My name was Sarah Burns. I 
have not remarried, cohabited or lived with any man as his wife since 
soldier's death." I had five children under 16 years of age at soldier's death 
as follows: John Johnson born _17, 1874Andy Johnson Sept. 6, 1876Leander 
Johnson Jan 3, 1879Betty Johnson July 13, 1881Millard Johnson Dec. 10, 
1883These are all the children I had by soldier that were under 16 years of 
age a this death, and soldier left no other children under 16 years that were 
sworn to him. He never provided or claimed any others, but there were two laid 
to him-one over 16 yrs, the other under 16 yrs. We always lived together as 
man and wife, never separated or divorced. None of the above children have 
died-all living now The record you see was put down by my eldest daughter, 13 
or 14 years ago. Me and her Pap told her the best we knew and she put it down. 
I know John was born in April, but the month was left out in that record. I 
have had the care, custody and maintenance of these children all the time 
since their father died. No doctor attended me at their births-just women. My 
sister, Mrs. Jane Johnson, is the only person who was present when the eldest, 
John was born. She has been divorced, and may go by the name of Burns. She 
lives with her son-in-law, John Saylor, P.O. Worstville, Paulding Co. Ohio. 
Dicey Johnson, P. O. here was present at birth of Andy and Betty, Mrs. Betsey 
Cox, P.O. here, was present when Leander was born. There is no other record of 
age than what I have shown you. The date of soldier's death was not set down." 
I did not have much acquaintance with my husband before marriage-had seen him 
several times-lived 15 or 16 miles apart. He had no disease or disability 
prior to enlistment, except a disease of throat which he had from my first 
knowing him, and his mother said he had it from a child, He would have about 
two spells a year-one in spring, and one in fall. They would last about a week 
that he could not work or swallow anything unless it was a little thin soup or 
milk. It would not swell much on the outside but would break and run on the 
inside about the root of the tongue. It appears like it was on one side. He 
never doctored it any or had a physician. He never had any diarrhea or piles 
before entering the service. He was at home twice for a few days on furlough 
while a soldier-do not remember of any complaints then. I went to see him once 
while at Somerset or Burnsides Point, Ky. the year after entering the army- it 
appears like he was complaining-know he was in tent not doing anything while I 
was there-3 or 4 or5 days. He come home immediately after discharge and lived 
right here until death-never followed anything but farming. Lyman Lefevers, 
Geo. Baker, and Amos Johnson all come home with him. I did not see much 
difference in his looks then and before-it has been so long ago I have not 
much recollection of it noway. He cleared some ground-I know we did not make 
much corn that year. He complained of piles, soon after coming home-dont know 
whether the first or second year, and continued so each and every year until 
death. I would frequently see blood stains on his clothes from the piles. He 
had to be careful about his eating, could not eat meat or anything greasy-said 
it laid heavey on his stomach and made him feel full. It got worse all along. 
I heard him say many a time it would kill him. Do not remember what he said 
caused it. He never had but 1 or 2 spells with his throat after service-none 
for several years before death. I do not remember of his coughing any up until 
the last year or so, and then a right smart-the children had the hooping 
cough, and he said he coughed bad as they did." I dont think anybody worked 
with us the first year after discharge. Amos Johnson cleared some ground here 
in a year or two, and James Johnson worked here in a year or two and has 
worked by spells and lived near ever since. Lyman Lefevers, George Baker, 
Elijah Wilson, and Amos Johnson have known him best. Some of the nearest 
neighbors have died, some have moved to-I dont know where. Soldier worked some 
for Elijah Wilson, but mostly at home. At first he could do a good deal of 
work, but, could not stand it steady. He never could hold out to work as well 
after he was as before. For the last ten years he could not do hardly 
anything. He often complained that riding a horse hurt him, and got so by 
times he could not ride to do any good, nor even sit in a chair-would often 
lie down. He was bed fast and I helped him up and down about 3 mos. at last-
had no use of himself hardly-got very poor and thin. His bowels run off a 
sight, mostly blood, some yuellow stuff. The night he died the bed was a 
sight. His feet and legs had been swelling for a year, but was not as bad at 
last as about 6months before. He coughed up a right smart phlegm by times. He 
complained of griping pains in his bowels. Do not recollect of anything else. 
He never had any doctor come to see him at anytime but went to Dr. James 
Bingham Pineville,Ky and got medicine. James Johnson also went and got some. 
His mother would come and make tea for him at different times. This is all the 
medical treatment he ever received. I dont know that I have to make out 
application for pension as widow before Ican be put on the rolls. Nobody 
waited on soldier much but his own family and brothers, and Amos Johnson's 
wife-Tilda. I understand it is my right to bepresent during this examination 
but I cant go very well-maybe one of my boyswill go if he cant plow. I have 
understood your questions and my answers arecorrectly recorded in this 
deposition Neither me nor soldier could write any.Signed Mrs. Sarah Johnson X
(wife of Samuel Johnson)11 June, 1890Widow's Declaration For Pension:State of 
Kentucky county of Bell On this 7th day of August 1890 personally appeared 
before me James F. Slusher,Clerk, of the Bell County Court, a court of record 
within and for the countyand state aforesaid, Sarah Johnson aged 51 years, who 
being duly swornaccording to law, makes the following declaration in order to 
obtain pensionunder the act of congress approved on the 27th of June, that she 
is the widowof Samuel Johnson who was enrolled under the name of Samuel 
Johnson at CampNelson, Ky. on the 10 day of June 1863, in Kentucky and served 
one year anddischarged at Lexington Ky. Dec. 26, 1864 Co. F. 49th Regt. Ky. 
Vols. in thewar of the rebellion and who was honorably discharged from the 
service of theunited states at Lexington Ky., That she was married to said 
Samuel Johnsonunder the name of Sarah Burns on the -----day of March 1859 by 
Robert Heltonat the residence of Nancy Burns, that her said husband died at 
home on StraitCreek on the 25th day of December 1888. That the following are 
the names anddates of birth of all of said legitimate children yet surviving, 
viz:Catherine Johnson born Dec. 28th 1860, Martha Johnson b. January 15, 
1862,David Johnson b. July 28, James, Feb. 25 1868, L.A. Johnson March 28, 
1870,Wm. b. May 6, 1872, John April 17, 1874, Andrew b. Sept. 6, 1876, Leander 
b.Jan. 3, 1879, Elisabeth b. July 13, 1881, Milard b. Dec. 10, 1885Affidavit 
of Dicey Johnson regarding pension application:Affiant states that she is a 
midwife and that she was present and attended inthe capacity of midwife when 
Andrew Johnson, child of Samuel Johnson,deceased, and Sarah Johnson. Andrew 
Johnson was born on the 6th day September1876. I know the date from record 
kept in the family bible and from othercircumstances and the place I lived 
during the year 1876. Affiant states thatshe was present and acted in the 
capapcity of midwife when Elizabeth Johnson,child of Samuel Johnson and Sarah 
Johnson was born. Said Elizabeth Johnsonwas b. July 13 1881. I know the date 
from record kept in the family bible andthe place I lived during the year 
1881. I am not interested in this claimAffidavit of Jane Johnson:Affiant 
states that she was present and acted in the capacity of midwife whenJohn 
Johnson child of Samuel Johnson and Sarah Johnson was born. Theaforesaid John 
Johnson was born April 14 1874. I know the date from therecord given in the 
bible and by the circumstances that my brother, DavidBurns started to move 
from Kentucky to Indians on that day.October 1889


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