Reuben Johnson (abt. 1759 - 1833)

Born about Jan 1759 in North Carolina

Husband of Nancy Caroline (Greenlee) Johnson — married 30 Oct 1788 in Wilkes County, North Carolina

Descendants

Died 24 Jan 1833 at about age 74 in Williamston, Anderson, South Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Amanda Connell [send private message] and Mike Burgess [send private message]

Biography

Private Reuben Johnson served with 4th North Carolina Regiment, Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Private Reuben Johnson served with 1st North Carolina Regiment, Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Reuben Johnson is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A063584.

Reuben Johnson is DAR Patriot Ancestor #: A063584. He served as a Private in the North Carolina Militia with Captain Jos Phillips and Colonels Page, Clark and Mabin. The DAR lists his birth as 1758 and his death as 1-26-1833 Anderson, South Carolina. Wife: Nancy Greenlee. ^[1]

Narrative from Findagrave.com:

Revolutionary War Soldier. He enlisted from Surry County, NC in 1776 with Richard Phillips in the 4th Regiment, NC Line. He was later at Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, and Valley Forge. He was taken prisoner by the British at the siege of Charleston, SC. He was credited with 7 years service (1776-1783). Married Nancy Greenlee, daughter of Peter Greenlee, in Wilkes County, NC on 20 Nov 1788. Reuben and the Greenlees soon relocated to the Pendleton District of SC. Reuben and Nancy had 15 known children and countless descendants to the present day.^[2]

Notes

There is a strong probability that this is the same Reuben Johnston/Johnson who was enlisted in 1781 in the Duke of Cumberland's Regiment [1], made up of American prisoners of war (most captured at the Surrender of Charleston in 1780) and whose terms of service stated that they would serve garrison duties in Jamaica and not against their countrymen in America. Given the desperate conditions on the British prison ships at Charleston, upwards of 500 Patriot POW's enlisted under these limitations. At the end of the war, this regiment was disbanded and the soldiers were eligible for land grants in Nova Scotia - most however chose to return to the United States either immediately or within a few years. In their pension applications, there is often great detail of their military service up to the fall of Charleston, followed by statements of being held prisoner usually without mention of either voluntary or involuntary British service from 1781-83.

It may be noteworthy that of the soldiers listed in Captain Read's Company, 1st North Carolina Regiment [2], one can identify seven soldiers who enlisted in the Duke of Cumberland's Regiment: William Barlow, James Horseford, Reuben Johnson, Robert Kilpatrick, William Lewis, Lewis Tilley, and Shadrack Watkin. Similarly, from Captain Phillips' Company, 4th North Carolina Regiment [3], one can identify three Patriot soldiers Reuben Johnson, John Taylor, and Lewis Tilley who subsequently enlisted in the DoC Regiment. Given that Reuben Johnson and Lewis Tilly both appear later in Captain Read's Company, these are the same soldiers, reassigned to the 1st NC Regiment prior to 1780.

If this is all correct, then Reuben Johnson's biography should include his enlistment and service (whether voluntary or not) in Jamaica as a Corporal in the Duke of Cumberland's Regiment, his relocation from Jamaica to Nova Scotia in 1784 [4], and his allocation of Lot #7, 200 acres, at Manchester Township, Nova Scotia [5][6]. As there is no further record of Reuben Johnson in Nova Scotia, including the 1790 allocation of Town Lots at Guysborough, it is highly likely that he returned to his family in the Carolinas at the first opportunity, which is consistent with the narrative that he was back in North Carolina before 1787.

This is not inconsistent with his sworn affidavit supporting his Revolutionary War pension application, viz:

South Carolina, Anderson District On this 19th day of November 1832 Personally appeared before me one of the Justices of the peace for the State and district aforesaid Reuben Johnson a resident of South Carolina in the district of Anderson aged Seventy four years next January, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1776 with Richard Phillips and served in the 4th Regiment of the North Carolina line or troops under the following named officers -- Enlisted in the Spring of the above year, for 2 1/2 years under the command of Joseph Philips Captain, Micajah Lewis 1st Lieutenant, William Hickman 2nd Lieutenant, Poge [Thomas Polk] was my Colonel Thaxton [sic, James Thackston ] 2nd Col. Davisson my Major and Nash [Francis Nash] my General and before the term I enlisted for [expired] I enlisted a second time for during the war; and in my first term of time I marched from North Carolina Surry County where I enlisted to Charleston in South Carolina and from thence marched back to Halifax I then enlisted as above and got a furlough to go home I did so and joined the Army at Wilmington and spent the winter there. I marched next to Georgetown on the Potomac [River] and was after that at the battles and in them at Brandywine [September 11, 1777], Germantown [October 4, 1777] and Monmouth [June 28, 1778], at the Valley Forge I was put into the 1st Regiment under Colonel Clark [Thomas Clark] and Colonel Maburn [Robert Mebane] Majors name not recollected, and at the siege of Charleston South Carolina [Charleston South Carolina fell to the British on May 12, 1780], was taken a prisoner by the British, Hogan [sic, James Hogun] commanded me at Charleston when taken. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in the State of South Carolina. Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. S/ Reuben Johnson

Sources

1. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed Jan 23, 2020), "Record of Reuben Johnson", Ancestor # A063584.
2. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images memorial page for Reuben Johnson (1758–24 Jan 1833), Find A Grave: Memorial #29250938, citing Big Creek Cemetery, Williamston, Anderson County, South Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Ron Griffin (contributor 47030519) .

Reuben Johnson 1787 NC census Reuben Johnson lived in Wilkes County, North Carolina long enough to be included in the 1787 North Carolina State Census. He was listed as a single male without dependents in Captain Tribble's district. Reuben's location right next to Benjamin Johnson

1790 United States Federal Census Pendleton, South Carolina

1820 United States Federal Census Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820 Pendleton, South Carolina

North Carolina, Index to Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868 Spouse: Nancy Greenle Spouse Gender: Female Bond Date: 30 Oct 1788 Bond #: 000165970 Level Info: North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868 Image Num: 003116 County: Wilkes Record #: 01 136 Bondsman: William Johnson Witness: G Wheatley, Clerk of Court

War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815Military Service Location: South Carolina Pension Number - #1: WO 41423 Roll number: 51 Archive Publication Number: M313

U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900 Application State: North Carolina Applicant Designation: Widow's Pension Application File Second Applicant Name: Nancy Johnson Second Applicant Pension Year: 1846 Second Applicant Application State: South Carolina Archive Publication Number: M804 Archive Roll Number: 1428 Total Pages in Packet: 30

Reuben Johnson Church member, 1802 It appears that Reuben Johnson and his brother-in-law Willis Greenlee joined the Big Creek Baptist Church located in Williamston, Anderson, South Carolina on 2 January 1802. --Date 8/7/2010 Submitted By jimison27

[7]

Big Creek Baptist Williamston, SC records[8]