Part of an old map of the San Jacinto area from the Texas Revolution

Veteran Bio

Texian Location:  Participant

The Kemp Sketch

(What is this?) | Download the original typescript

JOHNSON, JOHN R. -- Listed on page 18 of the San Jacinto rolls printed in 1836 as J. R. Johnson, a member of Captain Benjamin F. Bryant's Company of Sabine Volunteers. In the Headright Certificate for one-third of a league of land issued February 1, 1836 by the Board of Land Commissioners for Liberty County to J. R. Johnson it is stated that he came to Texas in January, 1836. The land was surveyed on the west side of the Trinity, eight miles below the Coushatti Village in Liberty, now San Jacinto County. Mr. Johnson was deputy surveyor of Liberty County in 1838 and surveyed his own land.

Donation Certificate No. 1211 for 640 acres of land was issued to John R. Johnson October 14, 1845, for having participated in the Battle of San Jacinto. The land was surveyed in Polk County in 1857. John R. Johnson was issued Bounty Certificate No. 1827 far 320 acres of land December 8, 1854 for having served for a period of three months in the army. The land was surveyed in Polk County.

The following is from the Pension Papers in the Archives of the Texas State Library, Austin:

John R. Johnson of the town of Cold Springs County of San Jacinto in the State of Texas on this 14th day of June One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy one personally appeared before me the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace for the county and State above mentioned. John R. Johnson who being duly sworn according to law, declares he is the identical person who was a soldier in Capt. Benj. Bryant's Company of the Sidney Sherman's Regiment of Infantry that he enlisted on the 25th day of March 1836 for the term of three months and was discharged at the West of the Brazos River on the 25th day of June 1836 by reason of having served out his time.

JOHN R. JOHNSON

Donation Warrant No. 1211 issued by Wm. G. Cook, Secretary of War to John R. Johnson on 14th day of October 1845 for six hundred and forty acres of land ... that the said John R. Johnson participated in the battle of San Jacinto 21st April 1836. General Land Office -- Sept. 8, 1874.



Written by Louis W. Kemp, between 1930 and 1952. Please note that typographical and factual errors have not been corrected from the original sketches. The biographies have been scanned from the original typescripts, a process that sometimes allows for mistakes in the new text. Researchers should verify the accuracy of the texts' contents through other sources before quoting in publications. Additional information on the veteran may be available in the Herzstein Library.


Battle Statistics

  • Died in Battle: No
  • Rank: Private
  • Company: Capt. Benjamin F. Bryant

Personal Statistics

  • Birthplace: Virginia
  • Came to Texas: 1834
  • Date of Death: 1852
  • Other Battles: Bexar
  • Bounty Certificate: 1827
  • Donation Certificate: 1211