The 1776 Confiscation of Johnson Hall
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Johnson Hall is a Georgian manor built in 1763 by Sir William Johnson in Johnstown, New York, in the Mohawk Valley. Sir William, an Irish immigrant, served as British Superintendent of Indian Affairs. He died in 1774. His son, Sir John Johnson, inherited the estates, baronetcy, and role as Indian Superintendent. Sir John lived there with his wife Lady Mary Watts Johnson and their children until 1776.
By early 1776, Johnstown and Tryon County were divided between Loyalists and Patriots. Many local residents, including Irish tenant farmers and Mohawk allies, supported the Crown. Patriot Committees of Safety saw the Johnson family as a Loyalist threat. In January 1776, Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler disarmed Sir John and his supporters and placed him on parole. In May, Sir John fled to Canada with followers and raised a Loyalist regiment. Lady Mary and the household remained at the Hall.
On May 16–17, 1776, the 3rd New Jersey Regiment (“Jersey Greys”) under Col. Elias Dayton marched into Johnstown and seized Johnson Hall. They arrested Lady Mary Johnson and other suspected Loyalists. Gen. Schuyler’s orders required protection of private property and no looting. In early June, some officers and soldiers entered the Hall at night and stole furniture, clothing, furs, alcohol, and other items.
Col. Dayton demanded the stolen goods be returned. Only a portion came back. Lt. William McDonald was court-martialed, convicted, and dismissed from the army. Other officers faced inquiries but were acquitted. The Hall was damaged. Lady Mary and her children were imprisoned and later exchanged. The Johnson properties were confiscated by New York State in 1779. Sir John continued fighting from Canada.
Sources:
Primary: Journals of Capt. Joseph Bloomfield and Lt. Ebenezer Elmer (3rd NJ Regiment), Gen. Philip Schuyler correspondence, and court-martial records.
Secondary: Philip D. Weaver, “The 3rd New Jersey Regiment’s Plundering of Johnson Hall” (Journal of the American Revolution), Johnson Hall State Historic Site, and New York historical records. The 250th reenactment takes place May 16–17, 2026.
