Person

Prince Johonnot: Methuen's Patriot of Color

Quick Facts
Significance:
Patriot of Color at the Battle of Bunker Hill
Place of Birth:
Boston, Massachusetts
Date of Birth:
July 6, 1749
Place of Death:
Goffstown, New Hampshire
Date of Death:
May 25, 1836

Twenty-five-year-old Prince Johonnot was one of the 119 patriots of African or Native American ancestry who fought in the first battles of the American Revolution. As a former enslaved person, his courage and duty at the Battle of Bunker Hill marked the beginning of a life of commitment.

Born on July 6, 1749, Prince Johonnot grew up in Boston.1 Though not much is known about his early life, Johonnot was most likely an educated free man by the time he came to Methuen, Massachusetts. He married Mehitabel Emerson in 1773 and the couple eventually had at least six children.2 In 1774, when Methuen formed its first minute man company, Johonnot was listed as a member of Captain John Davis' company. He formally enrolled on February 14, 1775, on a ninety-day enlistment. According to Johonnot's 1831 pension request, he wrote that "said company was kept organized and drilled two half days in each week, when the weather would permit."3

In the early hours of April 19, 1775, word reached his hometown that British Regulars were marching toward the military stores in Concord. Johonnot, as a member of Davis' Company, attempted to cut off the British retreat in Cambridge. While unsuccessful, the company did join the colonial forces laying siege to Boston. His unit was stationed in the Centre (Harvard) college building. On May 14, 1775, Johonnot re-enlisted. This time he committed to eight months of service as part of Captain Davis' Company, Colonel James Frye's Regiment. The company joined the newly formed Massachusetts Provincial Army.4

"On the night of the 16th of June A.D. 1775," Johonnot wrote in his pension application, "[we] marched to Bunker Hill, where a breastwork & fort were thrown up during the night and the next day (we were) in the Battle on that hill...."5 When the battle started, Johonnot's minute company was positioned inside the redoubt fortification at the top of Breed's Hill. Soldiers from other companies joined Johonnot in the redoubt, including Salem Poor, Peter Salem, and Peter Brown. While Johonnot did not describe his experience in the redoubt, Peter Brown, a young white farmer, wrote a detailed account of the battle from the redoubt to his mother. Brown recalled: "The enemy landed, fronted before us, and form'd themselves, in an oblong square in order to surround, which they did in part -- after they were well form'd they advanced towards us in order to swallow us up, but they found a Choaky mouthful of us..."6

Lt. John Waller described the scene at the redoubt from the British forces' perspective since his British Marines entered the redoubt where Johonnot and his comrades were fighting on the final assault. "[W]hen we enter'd it, 'twas streaming with Blood & strew'd with dead & dying Men the Soldiers stabbing some and dashing out the Brains of others."7

Prince Johonnot survived the battle, and when his enlistment expired in October, he returned to his hometown of Methuen. He later moved his family to Goffstown, New Hampshire. As a veteran of the war and a respected man, he was chosen to be a surveyor of highways in Goffstown on March 2, 1789.8

When Johonnot turned 78 years old he moved to nearby New Boston, New Hampshire.9 With every passing year, his health declined to the point that he was unable to support himself. He applied for a military pension and it was granted on August 27, 1832.10

Four years later, on March 25, 1836, Prince Johonnott died, leaving behind a legacy of commitment and sacrifice that we and future generations look at with respect and inspiration.11

Footnotes:

  1. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls. Pension #S18057, Roll 1435, Frame 88.
  2. National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). DAR Lineage Books (1890-1921). 166 vols. 13:100.
  3. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls. Pension #S18057, Roll 1435, Frame 88.
  4. Ibid.
  5. Ibid.
  6. Peter Brown, "Letter to Sarah Brown, June 25 ,1775" Retrieved from the Massachusetts Historical Society, MHS Collections Online: Letter from Peter Brown to Sarah Brown, 25 June 1775 (masshist.org) (Accessed May 26, 2022).
  7. John Waller, letter to an unidentified recipient, June 21, 1775. Retrieved from the Massachusetts Historical Society, MHS Collections Online: Letter from J. Waller to unidentified recipient, 21 June 1775 (masshist.org). (Accessed March 11, 2016.)
  8. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls. Pension #S18057, Roll 1435, Frame 90.
  9. Hadley, George Plummer. History of Goffstown [NH] (1924). 2 vols. 2:239.
  10. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls. Pension #S18057, Roll 1435, Frame 88; Frame 86.
  11. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls. Pension #S18057, Roll 1435, Frame 86.

Prince Johonnot was born in Boston on 6 July 1749.I

He was a minute man in Methuen in 1774, in the company of Capt. John DavisII and was formally enlisted on 14 February 1775.III In his own words he described his training:

said Company was kept organized and drilled two half days in Each week, when the weather would permitIV

Upon the news of the Lexington Alarm his company marched to Cambridge.V There he enlisted in the eight months’ service from Andover on 14 May 1775 in Col. James Frye’s regiment.VI He served on the main guard under Lt. Col. Loammi Baldwin on 15 May 1775VII and was in camp on 17 May 1775.VIII His unit ‘was stationed at the Centre [Harvard] College building.’IX On 8 June 1775 his name was on a ‘receipt for advance pay.’X He was one of the men who went onto Breed’s Hill to dig the entrenchments. In his own words he relates:

On the night of the 16th of June A.D. 1775 he marched to Bunker Hill, where a breastwork & fort were thrown up during the night and the next day was in the Battle on that hill …XI

On 5 October 1775 he was listed on a company return.XII

After his discharge at the end of 1775, he moved from Methuen to Goffstown (NH).XIII On 2 March 1789 he ‘was chosen a surveyor of highways on the northerly side of the Piscataquog River,’XIV being the only known man in this study to have held a town office.

The 1790 census of Goffstown lists him as head in a household of nine free people of color.XV

He was a member of the First Baptist Society, which was organized in 1792.XVI He resided in Goffstown until around 1827 when he moved to New Boston (NH).XVII There, on 27 August 1832 he applied for a U.S. pension,XVIII which was granted at $26.66 per year.XIX

He died in GoffstownXX on 25 May 1836.XXI

He married Mehitabel Emerson sometime in 1773.XXII Prince and Mehitabel had at least six children:

  • Peter: b. 25 December 1773 in Methuen,XXIII m. Bathsheba Camp, moved to VT, d. 22 November 1806XXIV
  • Titus: b. 16 August 1775 in Methuen,XXV m. Rebecca Ditson, moved to Palmyra (ME), d. 1854.XXVI
  • Moses: b. GoffstownXXVII
  • Mehitable: m. Jacob KidderXXVIII
  • William: m. Sarah EmersonXXIX
  • James: b. 7 February 1782, m. Eunice Ferrin camp, d. 16 July 1846 in GoffstownXXX

Footnotes:

  1. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls. Pension #S18057, Roll 1435, Frame 88.
  2. Ibid, Frame 88.
  3. Secretary of Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908), 8:811, listed as ‘Johnnot.’ Also 2-CD Family Tree MakerTM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.”
  4. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls. Pension #S18057, Roll 1435, Frame 88.
  5. Ibid.
  6. Secretary of Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908), 8:811. Also 2-CD Family Tree MakerTM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.”
  7. Ibid 8:971; listed as ‘Jonnot.’
  8. Ibid; listed as ‘Jonhonot.’
  9. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls. Pension #S18057, Roll 1435, Frame 88.
  10. Secretary of Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908), 8:811. Also 2-CD Family Tree MakerTM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.”
  11. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls. Pension #S18057, Roll 1435, Frame 88.
  12. Ibid.
  13. Ibid, Frame 90.
  14. Hadley, George Plummer. History of Goffstown [NH] (1924). 2 vols. 2:239.
  15. United States Census, National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 29 (1790-1850). Index. New Hampshire, Goffstown, 45.
  16. Hadley, George Plummer. History of Goffstown [NH] (1924). 2 vols. 1:405.
  17. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls. Pension #S18057, Roll 1435, Frame 90.
  18. Ibid, Frame 88.
  19. Ibid, Frame 86.
  20. National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). DAR Lineage Books (1890-1921). 166 vols. 13:100.
  21. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls. Pension #S18057, Roll 1435, Frame 86.
  22. National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). DAR Lineage Books (1890-1921). 166 vols. 13:100.
  23. Vital Records to 1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. Vols for most Massachusetts towns. Methuen, Births, 71; listed as ‘Johnnat.’
  24. Hadley, George Plummer. History of Goffstown [NH] (1924). 2 vols. 2:239.
  25. Vital Records to 1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. Vols for most Massachusetts towns. Methuen, Births, 71; listed as ‘Johnnat.’
  26. Hadley, George Plummer. History of Goffstown [NH] (1924). 2 vols. 2:239.
  27. Ibid.
  28. Ibid.
  29. Ibid.
  30. Ibid.

Learn more about Quintal's study.

Boston National Historical Park

Tags

Last updated: May 28, 2022