A World Turned Upside Down: Confiscation and Occupation in Johnstown, 1776 at Sir William Johnson Hall

Only five months after disarming Johnstown in January 1776, Continental soldiers occupied the community once again in May, seizing Johnson Hall and arresting residents accused of refusing to support the Revolution. Lady Mary Watts Johnson, her young children, and other members of the household were taken to Albany, where they were held hostage to ensure the compliance of the Johnson family. Johnstown would remain a key location in the contest for control of the region, as local residents – rebel, loyalist, and neutral alike – found their world turned upside down, facing an uncertain future in the civil war that was to come.

On Saturday, May 16, the event will begin in downtown Johnstown at 9:30am at the corner of Main Street and North William Street. Reenactors portraying community members will explain the varied news of approaching Revolutionary soldiers. This will be followed by the arrival and military parade of the 3rd New Jersey Regiment, the arrest of suspected Loyalists, and a recreation of the conference between officers of the regiment and representatives from the Mohawk community of Tiononderoge/Fort Hunter. At 12:30pm, the downtown portrayal will conclude, and the reenactment procession will move to Johnson Hall State Historic Site (139 Hall Ave. Johnstown, NY 12095) where at 1:30pm, the action resumes with a recreation of the Hall’s confiscation, the arrest of Lady Johnson, and the looting of the Hall. After the conclusion of the scripted commemorations, attendees will have the opportunity to talk with reenactors and site staff about the history of the event while touring the ransacked Hall until 5:00pm.

On Sunday, May 17, Johnson Hall State Historic Site will be open from 9:00am to 3:00pm for ongoing living history interpretation. Explore the historic house, defensive structures and grounds, witness recreations of the courts-martial that followed the looting of the Hall, and converse with reenactors and staff to learn about the aftermath of the confiscation and raid.

This event is part of a series commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution at New York state parks and historic sites. For more events and information, visit https://parks.ny.gov/history/rev-war.