Johnson, William - 1831 - Wilkes County, NC - Revolutionary War Pension Application Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Ed Teer edteer@bellsouth.net Transcribed copy of William Johnson Revolutionary War pension application # S 8764 16048 N.C.48 North Carolina. William Johnson of Wilkes in the State of North Carolina who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Herndon of the Regiment commanded by Col. Cleveland in the North Carolina line for 6 months and 28 days. Inscribed on the roll North Carolina at the rate of 23 dollars 11 cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831. Certificate of Pension issued the 25th day of June 1833 and sent /s/ S. F. Patterson Wilkesboro, N.C. arrears to the 4th day of March 1833 46.22 semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sept 11.55 1/L ---------------- $57.77 {Revolutionary Claim, act June 7, 1832} Recorded by /s/ William Miller Clerk Book E Vol. 6 page 45 State of North Carolina County of Wilkes On this 31st day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court, before the court of pleas and guardian section of the County of Wilkes, and State of North Carolina now sitting, William Johnson a resident of the County of Wilkes, State of North Carolina aged Eighty-one years, who 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 June 7, 1832. That he was born in the County of Fauquier in the State of Virginia on the 6th day of April 1751 (the record of which was entered in his bible by direction of his father) where he continued to reside until he was about fifteen or sixteen years of age, when he removed with his father to the County of Louden in the same state there he lived about two years, when he again removed with his father to Rowan (now Wilkes) County in North Carolina. In the Spring of the year 1776, the Cherokee Indians were very troublesome on the western side of the Blue Ridge in that part of the county particularly now embraced in the limits of Ashe County, N.C., and a requisition was made upon the militia of Wilkes County for a company to guard the frontier settlements on the western side of the ridge from this depredations - this deponent among others volunteered himself in the latter part of May in the year 1776 in the said County of Wilkes, and joined the company or volunteers command by Captain Joseph Herndon, and marched directly across the Blue Ridge near to where Ashe Court House now stands, where they found a number of the frontier inhabitants engaged in the erection of a fort -upon reaching that place Captain Herndon instantly tried to prevail upon the inhabitants to abandon the country and remove to the eastern side of the mountains, but this they declined to do - and after expedition was over, he proceeded about his work. About the first of August following the deployment he again volunteered himself and joined Captain Benjamin Cleveland's Company and rendezvoused near where Wilkes C.H. now stands, and as soon as the company could be properly organized, and the necessary arrangements made they marched to the Pleasant Garden in the County of Burke, where they joined the troops under General Rutherfold - In a few days after joining General Rutherford they marched direct to the Cherokee towns of Cowee, Wautauga (sic), (Watauga settlement) Ocanoluftee and some others not particularly recollected -at what was called the Middle Town (sic) (the troops being a good deal sickly from eating roasting corn and fresh beef) a proposition was made by General Rutherford for a thousand volunteers of the ablest and stoutest men to turn out and march to Valley Town - the deponent was one of the number and as soon as the required number was made up they marched immediately to the Valley Town, a distance of about fifty miles -upon their arrival, they found a few straggling Indians, (the balance having fled) whom they captured and kept prisoners - after burning the town and destroying their corn and all the property they could find, they returned again to the Middle Town, where they rejoined that portion of the army they had left, - after remaining a few days at the Middle Town until they rested and recruited, they set out upon their return to North Carolina, and after reaching the County of Wikes, Captain Cleveland discharged his company and this deponent returned home, which place he reached about the last of October, having been gone about three months - from the time that this deponent returned from the Cherokee Nation until about the month of August 1780 embracing a period of nearly four years the deponent performed sundry short terms of duty like of which were performed under Captain William Lenoir on the northwestern side of the Blue Ridge - in those two brief terms this deponent figures he served about a month - the portions of the other tours performed against the Tories cannot now be recollected - about the latter part of August 1780 information was received by Col. Benjamin Cleveland that Major Ferguson of the British almy was supposed to be approaching North Carolina from the south with a large number of British and Tories - upon which Col. Cleveland issued orders immediately for all fee militia in the County of Wilkes to rendezvous at the court house. This deponent immediately repaired thither and joined the company commanded by Captain William Lenoir after remaining at Wilkes Court House for some time until the troops could be organized, they set out upon their march to oppose Major Ferguson - upon the way they were joined by Col. Campbell with a regiment from Virginia, and also by other troops from North Carolina - when they had advanced perhaps to the Cherokee Ford on Broad River it was ascertained that Major Ferguson was endeavoring to post himself on Kings Mountain - upon which it was proposed that all those who had horses or who could procure same should proceed with all possible dispatch to engage with him - the deponent having no horse and not being able to procure one was necessarily left behind with the foot men, and did not reach the battle ground - the battle having been fought and the Americans being on their return with their prisoners a short distance, when the fort men rejoined them - after rejoining the army, the deponent was detailed by Col. Cleveland with others to take charge of the wounded, (among whom was a brother of this deponent) and after making what preparations they could and administering to their wants as much as possible they set out in advance of the army and proceeded on until they reached Wilkes Court House where Col. Cleveland ordered this deponent to convey his brother home, as he was in a very helpless condition, and to remain with hlm until he should recover - which this deponent accordingly did - in this expedition this deponent advises he was about nearly three months from the time that he rendezvous at Wilkes Court House until his return to that place - not counting the time that he remained with his brother after their return - though it was counted to him for a three month tour, and he drew pay for that length of time -in the spring of the year 1781 when Lord Cornwallis was marching through North Carolina, this deponent again volunteered him himself and joined a company commanded by Captain Nathaniel Gordon - the company to which this deponent belonged endeavored to form a junction with General Greene's army, which was supposed to be at that time somewhere on the waters of Dan River in the border of Virginia but before they had reached the Shallow Ford of the Yadkin, it was ascertained that Lord Cornwallis was ahead of them, and that he kept scouting and foraging parties constantly scouring the country so that they found it would be impossible to reach General Greene without running a great risk of falling into the hands of the enemy, they accordingly took post at a place in the County of Surry where the village of Jonesville now stands - and where they remained until they were discharge - in this expedition this deponent believes he served about two weeks. This deponent has resided in Wilkes County ever since the Revolutionary War, and resides there at this time - he never received any written discharge from the service, nor has he any documentary evidence, either traditional or incidental or any rolls however, his claim is supported by testimony of living witnesses in an affidavit is hereto annexed, as a witness who can testify to his service. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annunity except the present. and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid C.G.C.C. R. Martin C.G.C.C. /s/William Johnson On the day and year aforesaid personally appeared in open court before the court aforesaid Elijah Vickers (his mark) Who being first duly sworn according to law, desposeth and saith that he served with William Johnson the above applicant during the following terms of service - To Wit: first under Capt Joseph Herndon to the Western side of the Blue Ridge against the Cherokee Indians, secondly, under General Rutherford to the Cherokee Nation, and thirdly under Col. Cleveland to Kings Mountain, and further that the said three several tours of duty as set forth and specified in the foregoing declaration as having been performed by the said William Johnson were performed by him - and that the remaining tour of duty - set forth in the said declaration, he believes (from his knowledge of the character of the said William Johnson) was performed by him. Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid His /s/ Elijah X Vickers Mark R. 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