CIVIL WAR  

Submitted by Roberta Whitacre 
Tue, 2 Feb 1999

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, personallyappeared Mrs. Sarah Johnson, who, being by me first duly sworn to answer trulyall enterrogatories to her during this special examination of aforesaidpension claim, deposes and says:"My age is 51 years, as near as I can come at it-the record in father's biblewas 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 hasdone 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 anddischarged Dec. 26, 1864, Corporal Co. F. 49th Ky. Vo. Infantry as hisdischarge shows-it also shows him 22 years of age and that no objection isknown to exist why he should not be enlisted. He died on Christmas night, ayear ago last Christmas-no record. He died of piles and running off of thebowels 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 twochildren when he went in the army. I have no record. I was married at myfather's, Billy Burns, on Straight Creek, about 2.5 miles from here, in whatwas then Harlan Co. The ceremony was performed by Robert Helton, Esq. nowdead, the license were brought from Harlan Courthse. I dont know whetherthere 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 previouslymarried. My name was Sarah Burns. I have not remarried, cohabited or livedwith 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 athis death, and soldier left no other children under 16 years that were swornto him. He never provided or claimed any others, but there were two laid tohim-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 sh put it down. I know John wasborn in April, but the month was left out in that record. I have had the care, custody and maintenance of these children all the timesince 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 theeldest, John was born. She has been divorced, and may go by the name ofBurns. She lives with her son-in-law, John Saylor, P.O. Worstville, PauldingCo. Ohio.Dicey Johnson, P. O. here was present at birth of Andy and Betty, Mrs. BetseyCox, P.O. here, was present when Leander was born.There is no other record of age than what I have shown you. The date ofsoldier's death was not set down."I did not have much acquaintance with my husband before marriage-had seen himseveral times-lived 15 or 16 miles apart. He had no disease or disability prior to enlistment, except a disease ofthroat which he had from my first knowing him, and his mother said he had itfrom a child, He would have about two spells a year-one in spring, and one infall. They would last about a week that he could not work or swallow anythingunless it was a little thin soup or milk. It would not swell much on theoutside 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 aphysician. 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 notremember of any complaints then. I went to see him once while at Somerset orBurnsides Point, Ky. the year after entering the army- it appears like he wascomplaining-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 AmosJohnson all come home with him. I did not see much difference in his looks then and before-it has been solong ago I have not much recollectrion of it noway. He cleared some ground-Iknow we did not make much corn that year. He complained of piles, soon after coming home-dont know whether the firstor second year, and continued so each and every year until death. I would frequently see blood stains on his clothes from the piles. He hadto be careful about his eating, could not eat meat or anything greasy-said itlaid heavey on his stomach and made him feel full. It got worse all along. Iheard him say many a time it would kill him. Do not remember what he saidcaused it.He never had but 1 or 2 spells with his throat after service-none for severalyears before death. I do not remember of his coughing any up until the lastyear or so, and then a right smart-the children had the hooping cough, and hesaid he coughed bad as they did."I dont think anybody worked with us the first year after discharge. AmosJohnson cleared some ground here in a year or two, and James Johnson workedhere 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 himbest. Some of the nearest neighbors have died, some have moved to-I dont knowwhere. Soldier worked some for Elijah Wilson, but mostly at home. At first hecould do a good deal of work, but, could not stand it steady. He never couldhold out to work as well after he was as before. For the last ten years hecould not do hardly anything. He often complained that riding a horse hurthim, and got so by times he could not ride to do any good, nor even sit in achair-would often lie down. He was bed fast and I helped him up and down about 3 mos. at last-had no useof himself hardly-got very poor and thin. His bowels run off a sight, mostlyblood, some yuellow stuff. The night he died the bed was a sight. His feetand 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 ofgriping pains in his bowels. Do not recollect of anything else. He never hadany 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 wouldcome and make tea for him at different times. This is all the medicaltreatment 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 andbrothers, 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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