Independent is the theme for this week from Amy. I was having trouble with that until I looked up the difference between independent and independence. Here is what I found: "independence is the state or quality of being independent; freedom from dependence; exemption from reliance on, or control by others; self-subsistence or maintenance, ..." from wikidiff.com. The "freedom from control of others" is the part that caught me attention. With that thought, I was able to focus on another of my ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War, a battle for "freedom from control of others", namely the British government and king.
John Johnston was my 5th great grandfathers, 1 of 32. According to letters concerning DAR membership in the Fold3 file, it is stated that he was born in Scotland in either 1740 or 1753. One of John and Martha's grandchildren, John W. A. Johnston, the son of John Allison "Jack" Johnston, shared a great deal of information about the Johnston family in a letter written March 1, 1901. Denesa Johnston shared this with me by email about 1999. In this letter, he states:
According to the Declaration page of Martha Johnston, widow of John Johnston, Service and Pension Number W7942, of the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files at Fold3, Martha states, "affiant [Martha] was born in the state of Maryland, Nottingham County, in the year 1758, according to her recollection." She also states that "they were lawfully married in the City of Baltimore, in the state of Maryland in the summer of 1774". And that
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| SGT John Johnston Rev War Marker from FindAGrave 71985161 |
John Johnston was my 5th great grandfathers, 1 of 32. According to letters concerning DAR membership in the Fold3 file, it is stated that he was born in Scotland in either 1740 or 1753. One of John and Martha's grandchildren, John W. A. Johnston, the son of John Allison "Jack" Johnston, shared a great deal of information about the Johnston family in a letter written March 1, 1901. Denesa Johnston shared this with me by email about 1999. In this letter, he states:
Grandfather was born in dary (?) (I can’t make that word out) Co., Scotland in 1740. He went from Scotland to Ireland where he learned and followed the weaver's trade for 4 or 5 years. He emigrated to America to South Carolina in 1760. His motive in coming to America was to search for one of his sisters who had come from Scotland to America with her uncle. They were shipwrecked on the ocean but through the prescedence of God she was rescued. (This was Sarah "Sally" JOHNSTON McMackin) her father and the balance of the family intended to come to America but her father died soon after she left home. Grandfather's sister had married to a Mr. McMackin and settled in east Tenn. her name being changed it was several years before the brother and sister heard of each other. It came about in this way. some men went from east Tenn. to South Carolina in search of stolen horses. when they came back they told Mrs. McMackin they saw a man by the name of John JOHNSTON, so her and her grown son saddled horses and went to South Carolina to his house. Where after many years of separation brother and sister were met again.Another source, The King's Mountain Men, the Story of the Battle, with Sketches of the American Soldiers Who Took Part, by Katherine Keogh White, published by Joseph K. Ruebush Co., 1924, also states that John was born in Scotland.
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| https://archive.org/details/kingsmountainmen00whit/page/194, accessed July 6, 2019. |
According to the Declaration page of Martha Johnston, widow of John Johnston, Service and Pension Number W7942, of the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files at Fold3, Martha states, "affiant [Martha] was born in the state of Maryland, Nottingham County, in the year 1758, according to her recollection." She also states that "they were lawfully married in the City of Baltimore, in the state of Maryland in the summer of 1774". And that
shortly thereafter they removed to York District in the state of South Carolina, where they resided until after the close of the War of the Revolution... that her husband, the said John Johnston, was drafted several times during the War of the Revolution in the said County of York District in South Carolina and served four or five campaigns under Captain Moffitt as a Sargaent (sic) of the militia companies commanded by said Capt. Moffitt, and most of his time was under the command of Colonel Watson and General Sumpter (sic). Affiant has often heared (sic) her said husband speak of being in a Battle of the Indian Towns at Hanging Rock and Kings Mountain. Affiant is old and infirmed then said her husband has been dead since the 5th day of October 1818 and she has forgotten much of the accounts so often detailed to her by her said husband in his life time of his ardiour (sic) services in the War of the Revolution, but she knows he was a true Whig and rendered his country important services in the perilous times of the War of the Revolution...We can believe Martha's testimony about his service, since there are additional military documents at Fold3, Indent Book 2, No. 94, that confirm his service:
- No. 1 - Issued the 24th Sept 1784 to Mr. John Johnston for ten pounds seventeen shillings and ten pence farthing for one hundred and twenty-two days duty in the militia as sergeant as per acct. audited.
- No. 2 - The state of South Carolina to John Johnston Dn (ditto?) For 122 days duty in the militia in (no dates) amounting in currency to Sterling 76 pounds, 0 shillings and 5 pence 10 pounds, 17 shillings, 10 1/4 pence Comptroller Genl Office Columbia, S. C. 24 Sept 1840
In Indent Book V, No. 129, there are additional entries confirming service of 177 days as Sergeant in 1781 or 1782 which divide into these campaigns:
From the U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, John and Martha Allison were married in 1774. That matches the information on the Application, but in addition, it gives her maiden name. According to information shared by other researchers, including the account by John W. A. Johnston mentioned above, John and Martha had 8 children, 4 boys and 4 girls.
- 42 days Sergeant of Horse on an expedition to Congaree, Sumter Brigade in 1781
- 60 days as Sergeant on foot on Exp to Orangeburgh, Sumter Brigade in 1782
- 40 days as Sergeant on foot on Exp to Four Holes, Sumter Brigade in 1782.
- 35 days as Sergeant on foot on Exp to Edisto, Sumter Brigade in 1782. Comptroller Genl Office Columbia, S. C. 24 Sept 1840
- Total: 177
For more information about "Four Holes", see
https://www.scpictureproject.org/dorchester-county/four-holes-swamp-bridge.html.
Since Fold3.com is a pay site, I am not including pages from there. If you would like more information about the 46 images of documents in this file from the Fold3 site, let me know and I can send you the exact info. You can find more information about the Battle at King's Mountain here:
https://www.scpictureproject.org/dorchester-county/four-holes-swamp-bridge.html.
Since Fold3.com is a pay site, I am not including pages from there. If you would like more information about the 46 images of documents in this file from the Fold3 site, let me know and I can send you the exact info. You can find more information about the Battle at King's Mountain here:
https://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/revolution_battle_of_kings_mountain.html. There is mention of Capt. Moffett in a battle at Brown's Creek here:
From the U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, John and Martha Allison were married in 1774. That matches the information on the Application, but in addition, it gives her maiden name. According to information shared by other researchers, including the account by John W. A. Johnston mentioned above, John and Martha had 8 children, 4 boys and 4 girls.
- Margaret "Peggy" Johnston who married William "Billie" Kelley
- Mary "Polly" Johnston who married Andrew McMackin
- Roseanna "Rosie" Johnston who married Robert Howe Akin
- Robert Johnston who married a Hilburn
- Steven "Ellick" Alexander Johnston who married Eleanor "Nellie" Craig a Mrs. Stockard Mitchell
- Andrew Johnston who married Billie Nixon and a Mayfield
- Sarah Elizabeth Johnston who married Samuel J. Kelly (my 4th great grand-parents)
- John Allison "Jack" Johnston who married Nancy Hunnal
According to the Pension Application, John and Martha remained in South Carolina until after the War. She states that they removed to Davidson County, Tennessee about 1807 and from there to Maury County, Tennessee, where John died in 1818. In searching for Martha and John in the censuses, I have not been successful in locating them. There are several John Johnstons in South Carolina from 1780 through 1810, but it is impossible to be sure that any of these are the correct John Johnston.
Martha Johnston's death is also somewhat of a mystery. On FindaGrave,
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28674855/martha-johnston, a NEW tombstone states that she died in 1854, but the article states that she died in 1850. The John W. A Johnston 1901 letter above states that
Martha Johnston's death is also somewhat of a mystery. On FindaGrave,
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28674855/martha-johnston, a NEW tombstone states that she died in 1854, but the article states that she died in 1850. The John W. A Johnston 1901 letter above states that
My grandfather served in the Revolutionary War & grandmother drew a pension from his service. I[t] was small but I remember when she recieved (sic) the first payment. It was silver money and was brought to my father's house in little sacks like shot sacks and set on the table. She drew a pension until her death and divided her money between her children. She died at aunt Sallie Kelley's here on Knob Creek at the age of 96 or 97 and was buried at the Baptist church grave yard.John W. A. Johnston, the author of the 1901 letter was born July 31, 1835 in Maury County, Tennessee, where his grandmother lived. So, since he would have been in his teens, I assume he did have personal knowledge of her death. "Aunt Sallie Kelley", my [4th great grandmother], lived in Lawrence County in 1850.
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| Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: District 6, Lawrence, Tennessee; Roll: M432_886; Page: 333B; Image: 662. Township: District 6. Source Information. Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Accessed July 6, 2019. |
As you can see, Martha is not living with Sallie at this time, but, if John W. A. is correct, she very likely could have moved in after the census. So, we assume that since Martha was born in 1758 and died when she was 96-97 years old, then it must have been in 1854. She is buried in the Neal Cemetery, also known as Knob Creek Baptist Cemetery on West Point Road, Lawrenceburg, Lawrence County, Tennessee.
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| https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28674855/martha-johnston |
So, as so many of our Revolutionary War soldiers and their families, they were certainly independent thinkers who served their NEW country with pride and dedication.
'Til Next Time!
#52Ancestors
#52Ancestors
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