REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION - HUGH JOHNSON/JOHNSTON, Mason Co., Ky Contributed by: Kathryn Richmond (kathydee@ix.netcom.com) ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Hugh Johnson/Johnston--4th Regiment Pennsylvania Line 1775-1777--Revolutionary War Pension Application filed in Mason County Kentucky 1820. File #S33641 National Archives Veterans Records Note: At the bottom of the application for these records is written 805 incomplete. I'm not sure what this means. No date of death is given in these files but Hugh's death is given as 4 April 1823 in information on Revolutionary War Pensions on KY GenWeb, so probably the papers filed to end this pension did not get filed in the same place. On the Cover of the file: Hugh Johnson, of Mason Co. in the state of Kentucky who was a private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Wayne of the Pennsylvania line, for the term of 14 months. Inscribed on the Roll of Kentucky at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 28 of March, 1820. Certificate of Pension issued 6 of Oct. 1820 and sent to A. Beatty, agent, Washington, Kentucky. Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1820 $42.10 Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4 March 1821 $48.00 $90.10 Hugh Johnson residing in Mason County, in the State of Kentucky, declares and states, that sometime in the month of December in the year 1775 (the particular day of that month he does not recollect) he was enlisted in the army of the United States of America, under John Wagner an ensign belonging to the Company Commanded by Capt. James Moore of the fourth Regiment of regulars in the Pennsylvania line which was under the immediate command of Colonel Anthony Wayne, at Chester in Chester county, Pennsylvania; that he was appointed an orderly Sergeant immediately after his enlistment which appointment he retained until he was discharged from the service;-that from Chester, where he joined said Regiment, he was marched some time in the latter part of March 1776 or first part of April in that year, to Long-Island at which place he remained until June following when he (and the Regiment afsd. was marched to Ticonderoga in the State of New-York; where in which section of the country he remained until February in the year 1777, was thence marched to Chester in Pennsylvania which place he reached in March following, and was there discharged. During the whole of which time he was in the Service of the said United States against the common enemy thereof. He was insisted for the term of one year, only sooner discharged. He states further that from his reduced circumstances in life, he is unable to support himself without the assistance of his country, he therefore prays to be placed upon the list of Pensioners who receive similar aid from the government of the United States. As he has never heretofore received a pension in anywise, from the United States, he has none to relinquish. He declares moreover that he has no witness within his control by whom to prove any of the facts stated in the foregoing declaration. (signed) Hugh Johnson (this is a rather shaky signature, different from the other writing) Note: There are a couple of paragraphs after this which are crossed out but appear to be the same information as appears afterward, but rewritten.I did not transcribe the crossedout section. The said Johnson further declares that he was never in any battle, and did not receive a written discharge. The reason no written discharge was given as he understood was that there were no funds to pay the ballance due the soldiers, and he was informed public notice would be given when they should attend to receive the ballance due, when regular discharges would be handed out. He received two dollars when he was discharged as stated in the body of this declaration, but never having received notice to attend and receive the ballance due him, he consequently never obtained a written discharge. Sworn to before the undersigned sole Judge of the Mason circuit court this 28th day of March 1820.-- A Beatty. I Adam Beatty, Judge as aforesaid, certify that the foregoing declaration was duly sworn to before me on the day above set forth. And being satisfied from the said proof that the said Johnson did perform the services set forth by him in the continental service, and for the period herein set forth, the same is certified to the war department. I further certify that it was proved to my satisfaction by the oath of Alexander Dougherty, and Soloman Simpson, both witnesses of credibility, that the said Johnson is in very reduced circumstances, and stands in need of the assistance of his country for a support, which is above certified to the war department. Given under my hand this 28th of March 1820. --A. Beatty State of Kentucky, Mason Circuit Ct. I, Marshall Key, Clerk of the Mason Circuit Court do certify that Adam Beatty Esq. whose name is subscribed to the foregoing certificate is and was at the time of subscribing the same Judge of the said Circuit Court, duly commissioned and qualified, and that full faith and credit ought to be given to all official acts as such by him done. In Testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court this 29th day of March 1820--Marshall Key. I Adam Beatty, sole Judge of the first Judicial District, and of the Mason circuit court, certify that the foregoing attestation of Marshall Key, clerk of said court, is in due form. Given under my hand this 1st of May 1820--A. Beatty Hugh Johnson Declaration: State of Kentucky Feb. On this 14th day of November 1821 personally appeared in open court, being a court of record expressly made so by the law of the State which created it for the Mason Circuit, Hugh Johnston aged seventy two years on the 12th day of May next, residing in Mason County in said circuit who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare that he served in the revolutionary war as follows, from 1775 having enlisted in the latter part of that year under Capt. James Moore 4th Regiment, Pennsylvania line commanded by Col. Wagner, that he continued in the service of the United States till the spring of the years 1777, when he was discharged, and as more fully set forth in the original declaration dated the 28th day of March 1820 on which a pension certificate was opened to him and now in his possession No. 17853 and I do solemnly swear that he was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner disposed of my property, or any part there of with intent so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of any act of Congress entitled an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary war, passed on the 18th March 1818, and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities, contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income, other than that contained in the schedule hereto annexed an by me subscribed. One horse of the value of $22.00 Thirteen head of hogs worth 20.00 4 chairs worth $1 cupboard & contents $15.00 16.00 One old flax wheel 1.00 One old wooden wheel 1.50 One oven and two pots worth est. 1.50 One chest and one old table worth 3.00 One water buckett and one axe worth 1.50 One shovel plough worth 1.50 One pair wall chains worth 2.00 $89.00 That he is a shoemaker by trade, but too old and infirm to pursue it for a living, that he has no family but himself and an old negro woman upwards of sixty years of age lent to him by his sons, and that I am in such indigent circumstances as to be unable to support myself without the assistance of my country--Hugh + Johnston (his mark) Sworn to and declared on the 11th day of November 1821 before me the subscribed sole judge of the Mason Court in open court the same being a court of record constituted by an act entitled an act to establish circuit courts passed December 20, 1802. --A Beatty I Marshall Key Clerk of the Mason Circuit Court do hereby certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed are truly copied from the originals on file amongst the records of said Court, and I do further certify that it is the opinion of the said court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is eight nine dollars. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court at Washington the 6th day of December 1821 --Marshall Key