J. JOHNSON
From the files of Stephen M. Lawson
The Johnson Family in America
One major source of information on the Johnson line is the
Genealogy of Captain John Johnson of Roxbury, Massachusetts,
by Paul Franklin Johnson and edited by Ada Johnson Modern, 1951.
This work includes additional materials from various records,
and data on over 6000 descendants to 14 generations from Capt.
John JOHNSON. The immigrant family is covered in The Great Migration Begins, by Robert Charles Anderson (1995, Boston), Vol. II, pp. 1105-10, and The Ancestry of Emily Jane Angell, by Dean Crawford Smith and Melinde Lutz Sanborn (1992, Boston), pp. 376-91. For an excellent comprehensive biography of Capt.
Johnson, refer to The Biography and Genealogy of Captain John
Johnson from Roxbury, Massachusetts, by Gerald Garth Johnson
(2000, Heritage Books, Inc., Bowie, MD), available
from the publisher. See also Ancestors and Descendants of Ira Johnson and Abigail (Furbush) Johnson from 1590 to 2003, edited by William A. Blandon and Gerald Garth Johnson (2004, Heritage Books, Inc., Bowie, MD), and The Diaries of Nancy A. Brown and William H. Brown of Edwards, New York, edited by Gerald Garth Johnson (2004, Heritage Books, Inc., Bowie, MD), both also available
from the publisher. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635, Volume V (Boston, 2007), pages 231-25, includes articles on Grace NEGUS (FAWER) JOHNSON and her brother Jonathan NEGUS.
The JOHNSON ancestry is not known. Among various conjectures
is that he was the son of John
JOHNSON of Co. Kent, England. However, refer to the volume
noted above by Gerald Garth Johnson (pages 61-97) for a detailed
analysis of the various conjectures, leading to the conclusion
that Capt. John JOHNSON's "ancestry remains a mystery."
The sometimes claim that Capt. John JOHNSON's second wife was
possibly Margery SCUDDER, daughter of William (d. 1607) and Margery
SCUDDER of Darenth, Kent, is based only on the will of William
SCUDDER, dated July 27,1607, and probated November 4, 1607, naming
John JOHNSON, Sr., John JOHNSON, Jr. and daughter Margaret. No
known record supports the claim that the daughter of William and
Margery SCUDDER married John JOHNSON, and her widowed mother's
will of 1626 does not mention her, suggesting her prior death.
It is to be noted that John JOHNSON lived in England 12 miles
north of London, whereas Darenth, Kent is a few miles southeast
of the city.
Capt. John and Mary (Heath) Johnson
John JOHNSON - b. about 1588, England; d. Sep. 30, 1659,
Roxbury, MA. The JOHNSON ancestry is not known. John's will,
dated Sep. 30, 1659 (the day he died) and proved Oct. 15, 1659
names son Isaac as co-executor. Arrived in New England with the
Winthrop fleet at Salem, Jun. 22, 1630. He settled at Roxbury,
MA and was made Freeman on May 18, 1631. Subsequently served town
and colony in many capacities, including Constable (first on Oct.
19, 1630), Surveyor General, Town Clerk, Deputy to the House of
Deputies, and Clerk of the Military Company of Massachusetts.
The position as Surveyor General of Arms and Ammunitions of the
Colonies made Capt. Johnson responsible for the acquisition, maintenance
and distribution of the primary means of protection. Gov. John
Winthrop wrote in his Journal under the date of Feb. 6, 1645:
John Johnson, the Surveyor General of Arms and Ammunition,
a very industrious and faithful man in his place, having built
a fair house in the midst of the town, with divers barns and
outhouses, it fell on fire in the day time, no man knowing by
what occasion, and there being in it seventeen barrels of the
country's powder, and many arms, all was suddenly burnt and blown
up, to the value of four or five hundred pounds, wherein a special
providence of God appeared, for, he, being from home, the people
came together to help and many were in the house, no man thinking
of the powder till one of the company put them in mind of it,
whereupon they all withdrew, and soon after the powder took fire
and blew up all about it, and shook the houses in Boston and
Cambridge, so that men thought it had been an earthquake, and
carried great pieces of timber a great way off, and some rags
and such light things beyond Boston meeting house, there being
then a stiff gale south, it drove the fire from the other houses
in the town (for this was the most northerly) otherwise it had
endangered the greatest part of the town.
John was one of the founders of the town and church at Roxbury,
MA and, together with his sons Isaac and Humphrey, was an original
donor to the Free School in Roxbury. Married first 21 Sep 1613,
Ware, Hertfordshire, England, second by 1633 Margery (b. England;
bur. 9 Jun 1655, Roxbury, MA), and third 1655 or later Grace NEGUS
(d. Dec. 1671), widow of Barnabas FAWER, and sister of Jonathan
and Benjamin NEGUS.
Mary HEATH - d. May 1629, Hertfordshire, England; bur.
May 15, 1629, Ware, Hertfordshire, England. Daughter of William
HEATH and Agnes CHENEY.
Children of John and Mary Johnson
See Notable Cousins for line to: Lucille BALL, Nelson Aldrich ROCKEFELLER,
Franklin Delano ROOSEVELT, James Schoolcraft SHERMAN, Mary LYON,
and Frank Winfield WOOLWORTH
- Mary - bap. Jul. 31, 1614, Ware, Hertfordshire, England; d.
Jan. 1678/9, Rehoboth, MA; bur. Jan. 29, 1678/9, Rehoboth, MA. Married
first Roger MOWRY (b. England; d. 5 Jan. 1666/7, Providence, Providence
Co., RI), friend of Roger Williams, founder of RI. Roger MOWRY arrived
at Boston in 1631, moved to Plymouth, then Salem, and settled at
Providence, RI. Mary married second Mar. 16, 1673/4 John KINGSLEY (bur.
Jan. 6, 1678/9, Rehoboth, MA). Children of Mary and Roger MOWRY:
Jonathan married first Mary (BARTLETT) FOSTER, and second Hannah
(PINCEN YOUNG WITHERELL; Bethiah married George PALMER; Mary;
Elizabeth; Nathaniel married Johanna INMAN; Mehitable married first
Eldad KINGSLEY, and second Timothy BROOKS; John married Mary OLNEY
(surname needs documentation); Joseph married Mary WILBUR; Benjamin
married Martha (HAZARD) POTTER; Thomas married Susanna NEWELL; and
Hannah married Benjamin SHERMAN.
- Isaac - bap. Feb. 11 1615/6, Ware
End, Great Amwell, Hertfordshire, England; d. Dec. 19, 1675,
Four Corners, RI (in battle).
- John - bap. Apr. 5, 1618, Ware End, Great Amwell, Hertfordshire,
England; poss. bur. Jul. 8, 1627, Ware, Hertfordshire, England.
- Elizabeth - bap. Aug. 22, 1619, Ware End, Great Amwell, Hertfordshire,
England; bur. Jan. 7, 1684/5, Roxbury, MA. Married Mar. 14, 1642/3
Robert PEPPER (b. about 1620; bur. Jul. 8, 1684, Roxbury, MA). Children: Elizabeth died in infancy;
Elizabeth married John EVERETT; John married Bethiah FISHER;
Joseph married Mary MAY; Mary married Samuel EVERETT; Benjamin
died young; Robert died young as captive of Indians; Sarah married
John MASON; Isaac married Apphiah FREEMAN; and Jacob married
first Elizabeth PAINE, and second Mary GLEASON.
- Humphrey
- bap. Nov. 5, 1620, Ware End, Great Amwell, Hertfordshire, England; d.
Jul. 24, 1692, Hingham, MA. Sgt. in company commanded by brother Isaac.
An original donor of the Free School at Roxbury, he moved about 1651 to
Scituate, MA. Married first Mar. 20, 1641/2, Roxbury, MA Ellen/Elinor
CHENEY (b. about 1625, England; d. Sep. 28, 1678, Hingham, MA),
daughter of William and Margaret CHENEY, ancestors of Pres. William
Howard TAFT. He married second Dec. 6, 1678, Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA, Abigail (STANSFIELD) MAY (d. after May
14, 1714), widow of Samuel MAY (d. Jul. 17, 1677). For details on the families of the
children of Humphrey and Elinor JOHNSON, grandchildren of son Nathaniel
JOHNSON, and descendants of Nathaniels grandson Ira JOHNSON, see Ancestors and Descendants of Ira Johnson and Abigail (Furbush) Johnson from 1590 to 2003,
edited by William A. Blandon and Gerald Garth Johnson (2004, Heritage
Books, Inc., Bowie, MD). Children of Humphrey and Elinor: Mehitable
married first Samuel HINSDALE, second Robert ROOT, and third John
COLEMAN; Martha married Obadiah MORSE; Benjamin married Rebecca HERSHEY
(sister of Deborah HERSHEY who married Samuel LINCOLN, brother of
Mordecai LINCOLN, ancestor of Pres. Abraham LINCOLN); Margaret married
Josiah LEAVITT; Deborah died young; Mary; Nathaniel married Abigail;
Isaac married Abigail LEAVITT; and Joseph died young. Children of
Humphrey and Abigail: John married Mary RAMSEY; and Deborah married
Isaac DAVIS.
- Joseph - bap. Apr. 20, 1622, Ware End, Great Amwell, Hertfordshire,
England; bur. there May 1622.
- Susan - bap. Jul. 16, 1623, Ware End, Great Amwell, Hertfordshire,
England; bur. Aug. 16, 1629, Ware, Hertfordshire, England.
- Sarah
- b. and bap. Nov. 12, 1624, Ware, Hertfordshire, England. Married
first by 1647 Hugh BURT (d. abt Oct. 1650, Lynn, MA). Married second by
Jul. 1653 at Lynn, MA William BARTRAM (d. Swanzey, MA). Resided at
Lynn, and then Swansea, MA. Children of Sarah and Hugh BURT: Mary; and
Sarah. Children of Sarah and William BARTRAM: Mary; Elizabeth; Rebecca
(twin); Esther (twin) married John NEWHALL; Ellen; Hannah; and Susanna.
- Joseph -bap. Mar. 6, 1626/7, Ware, Hertfordshire, England;
prob. bur. there Mar. 30, 1627.
- Hannah - bap. Mar. 23, 1627/8, Ware, Hertfordshire, England. Probably died young.
Capt. Isaac and Elizabeth (Porter) Johnson
Isaac JOHNSON - bap. Feb. 11, 1615/6, Ware End, Hertfordshire,
England; d. Dec. 19, 1675, South Kingstown, RI (in battle). Son
of John JOHNSON and Mary HEATH. Isaac's
will dated Mar. 8,
1673 and proved Feb. 10, 1676, Roxbury, MA names sons Isaac and
Nathaniel. Freeman at Roxbury, MA Mar. 4, 1635. Capt. of the Roxbury
Company 1663, the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company 1667,
and in the Narragansett Expedition 1675. Killed at head of his
company in the 'Great Swamp Fight' of King Philip's War. His military
career is detailed in Soldiers in King Philip's War, by
George M. Bodge (Leominster, MA: 1896), pages 159-163. Married
Jan. 20, 1636/7, Roxbury, MA.
Elizabeth PORTER - bap. Feb. 10, 1610/11, Ware, Hertfordshire;
d. Aug. 15, 1683, Roxbury, MA. Daughter of Adrian
PORTER and Elizabeth ALLOT.
Children of Isaac and Elizabeth Johnson
- Elizabeth - b. Dec. 24, 1637,
Roxbury, MA; d. Apr. 20, 1701, Woodstock, CT. Married Lt.
Henry BOWEN.
- John - b. Nov. 3, 1639, Roxbury, MA; d. Dec. 18, 1661, Roxbury,
MA.
- Mary - bap. Apr. 10, 1642, Roxbury, MA; d. 1705, Branford, New Haven Co., CT. Married Dec. 16, 1663,
Roxbury, MA William BARTHOLOMEW (d. Spring 1697), son of William
BARTHOLOMEW and Ann LORD. Lived at Deerfield, MA, and Branford,
Woodstock and Harrisville, CT. Children: Isaac married Rebecca
FRISBIE; William; Mary married Bartholomew GOODRICH; Andrew married
Hannah FRISBIE; Abigail married first Joseph FRISSELL, and second
Samuel PAINE; Elizabeth married Edmund CHAMBERLAIN; Benjamin;
John married first Elizabeth MORRIS, and second Mary HARRINGTON;
and Joseph married Elizabeth SANGER.
- Isaac - bap. Jan. 7, 1643/4, Roxbury, MA; d. Feb. 3, 1719/20,
Middletown, CT; bur. Riverside Cemetery. Married Oct. 26, 1669
Mary HARRIS (b. Apr. 2, 1651, Rowley, MA; d. Aug. 1, 1740, Middletown,
CT; bur. Old Farm Hill Cemetery), daughter of Daniel HARRIS and
Mary WELD. Children: Isaac married Margaret MILLER; Daniel married
Abigail LEEK; John died young; Joseph married first Elizabeth
BLAKE, and second Elizabeth PARTRIDGE; Nathaniel married Mary
BLAKE; Elizabeth did not marry; William died in infancy; Mary
married Jonathan BLAKE; and Ebenezer died in infancy.
- Joseph - bap. Nov. 9, 1645, Roxbury, MA; died there Dec.
12, 1645.
- Nathaniel - bap. May 2, 1647, Roxbury,
MA; d. Feb. 14, 1698/9, Woodstock, CT.
Nathaniel and Mary (Smith) Johnson
Nathaniel JOHNSON - b. May 1, 1647, Roxbury, MA; d.
Feb. 14, 1698/9, Woodstock, CT. Son of Isaac
JOHNSON and Elizabeth PORTER. Among the first settlers at
Woodstock CT 1686. Married Apr. 29, 1667, Roxbury, MA.
Mary SMITH - b. Feb. 28, 1642/3, Dorchester, MA; d.
Mar. 6, 1731/2, probably at Woodstock, CT. Daughter of Lawrence
SMITH (b. England; d. Oct. 3, 1665, Dorchester, MA) and Mary
(b. England; d. Jun. 11, 1683, probably at Dorchester, MA). Lawrence,
the son of John and Dorothy SMITH, was a member of the
Artillery Company in 1642, and a freeman at Dorchester, MA in
1643.
Children of Nathaniel and Mary Johnson
- John - b. Apr. 29, 1668, Roxbury,
Suffolk Co., MA; d. Nov. 29, 1742, Woodstock, CT.
- Nathaniel - b. Mar. 19, 1670, Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA; d.
Sep. 8, 1726, Branford, CT. Married Nov. 1690, Hannah HOADLEY
(b. Nov. 8, 1670; d. Jan. 15, 1725/6, Woodstock, Windham Co.,
CT), daughter of William and Mary (BULLARD) HOADLEY. Children:
Abigail married Bezaleel TYLER; Hannah married Daniel PAGE; Lydia
married Samuel BROCKWAY; Sarah died in infancy; Nathaniel died
in infancy; Nathaniel married Elizabeth WILFORD; Mary married
Jonah BUTLER; John died in infancy; and Samuel died in infancy.
- Smith - b. Jan. 22, 1671/2, Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA, d.
1730. Estate appraised at £1650. Married Sarah MILLER (b.
Jan. 7, 1679, Middletown, CT; d. Jun. 21, 1766, Woodstock, Windham
Co., CT). daughter of Thomas MILLER and Sarah NETTLETON. Children:
Sarah died in infancy; Nathaniel married first Mary HAYWARD,
second Mary ROBBINS, and third Jemima FARNHAM; Smith married
Experience PARKER; Sarah; Dorothy married Nathaniel CHILD; Susanna
married Samuel BUGBEE; Martha married William JOHNSON; Caleb;
Hannah; Esther; Prudence married Ebenezer CHAPMAN; Peter; and
David died in infancy.
- Mary 'Marah'- b. Feb. 14, 1673/4, Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA;
d. Dec. 15, 1709, Middlefield, CT; bur. Old Cemetery, Middlefield,
CT. Among the first settlers at Middlefield, CT in 1700. Married
first Sep. 18, 1695, Woodstock, CT Benjamin MILLER (b. Jul. 20,
1662-1672, Middletown, CT; d. Nov. 22, 1747 or 1749, Middlefield,
CT), son of Thomas MILLER and Sarah NETTLETON. Benjamin married
second Mercy BASSETT of New Haven, CT, and had seven children.
Children of Mary and Benjamin: Rebecca married David ROBINSON;
Mary married Mr. SPENCER; Benjamin probably married Hannah ROBINSON;
Sarah married Joseph HICKOX; Hannah married Ephraim COE; Isaac
did not marry; Mehitable married Mr. BARNES, perhaps Ebenezer;
and Ichabod married first Mary ELTON, and second Elizabeth CORNWELL.
- Isaac - bap. Apr. 2, 1676, Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA.
- Elizabeth - b. about 1678, Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA; d. Mar.
17, 1736, Middletown, CT. Married Oct. 20, 1705 John BLAKE (b.
May 19, 1683; d. Dec. 8, 1724), son of John BLAKE and Sarah HALL.
Children: Richard; Anna died in infancy; John married Sarah LUCAS;
and Joseph married Esther BACON.
- Rebecca - bap. Jun. 27, 1680, Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA. Married
Nov. 28, 1701 Joseph MILLER (b. Apr. 21, 1670; d. Dec. 1717),
son of Thomas MILLER and Sarah NETTLETON. Children: Joseph married
Thankful HUBBARD; Huldah died in infancy; Nathaniel married Elizabeth
WARD; Elijah married Bathsheba BUTLER; Huldah; Tabitha married
Elisha SEARS; and Jared married Elizabeth CENTER.
- Hannah - b. Mar. 13, 1682/3, Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA; d.
Jan. 23, 1752. Married Feb. 4, 1714 Samuel CARPENTER (d. Aug.
3, 1753) of Pomfret, CT. Children: Samuel married Keziah CARPENTER;
Nathaniel married first Mary LEFFINGWELL, and second Mary DURKEE;
and Hannah.
Deacon John and Margaret (Morris) Johnson
John JOHNSON - b. Apr. 29, 1668, Roxbury, MA; d. Nov.
29, 1742, Woodstock, CT. Son of Nathaniel
JOHNSON and Mary SMITH. Ordained as Deacon Nov. 14, 1731.
Moved to Woodstock, CT about 1692. Married Apr. 4, 1689, Roxbury,
MA.
Margaret MORRIS - b. Sep. 25, 1668, Roxbury, MA; d.
Aug. 12, 1750, Woodstock, CT. Daughter of Lt.
Edward MORRIS and Grace BETT.
Children of John and Margaret Johnson
- Margaret - b. Dec. 27, 1689, Roxbury, MA; d. Jan. 30, 1743/4,
Woodstock, CT. Married May. 5, 1714, Woodstock, CT Samuel HEMINGWAY
(d. before Sep. 11, 1725). Son: Isaac married Mercy SANGER.
- Abigail - b. 1691, Roxbury, MA.
- John - b. Jun. 29, 1692, Woodstock, CT. Married May 2, 1716
Hannah AINSWORTH (b. Jan. 21, 1690), daughter of Edward AINSWORTH
and Joanna HEMINGWAY. Settled at Brookfield, MA.
- Mary - b. Jul. 28, 1695, Woodstock, CT. Married Jan. 28,
1718/9 John HOLMES, son of John HOLMES and Hannah NEWELL. Children:
Mary; Sibyl married first John BISHOP, and second Joseph HAMMOND;
John; Mehitable; Samuel died in infancy; Samuel died young; Hannah;
Esther married Joseph SCARBOROUGH; Joseph; Samuel; and Philip.
- Isaac - b. Dec. 23, 1697, Woodstock,
CT; d. Apr. 3, 1766, Woodstock, CT.
- Edward - b. Sep. 6, 1700, Woodstock, CT. Married Feb. 20,
1729 Sarah MARCY (b. Feb. 8, 1707), daughter of John MARCY and
Sarah HADLOCK. Children: Edward married Mary PHILLIPS; John married
Rachel HAYWARD; Sarah; Mehitable married William HAYWARD; Isaiah
married Dorcas; Asahel married Phebe; Abel married first Lydia
MUMFORD, and second Eunice OLCOTT; Ebenezer married Zerviah;
and Abigail married Mr. KINGSBURY.
- Anna - b. Apr. 14, 1703, Woodstock, CT; d. Apr. 8, 1758,
Woodstock, CT. Married Jun. 5, 1734, Woodstock, Windham Co.,
CT Thomas BACON, Jr. (b. Apr. 10, 1695; d. Mar. 25, 1765), son
of Thomas and Rebecca. Children: Dinah married Jonathan CHILD;
Esther married Ichabod ORMSBEE; Bridget married Charles NELSON;
Tryphosa; Hannah; Eunice; Zerviah died young; and Thankful married
Asa BISHOP.
- Mehitable - b. Mar. 13, 1706/7, Woodstock, CT;. d. May 3.
1707, Woodstock, CT.
- Mehitable - b. Sep. 6, 1708, Woodstock, CT; d. Jan. 29, 1708/9,
Woodstock, CT.
Isaac and Abigail (Peake) Johnson
Isaac JOHNSON - b. Dec. 23, 1697, Woodstock, CT; d.
Apr. 3, 1766, Woodstock, CT. Married Apr. 28, 1720, Woodstock,
CT. Son of John JOHNSON and Margaret MORRIS.
Abigail PEAKE - b. Apr. 7, 1700, Woodstock, CT; d. Feb.
22, 1766, Woodstock, CT. Daughter of Jonathan
PEAKE, Jr. and Hannah LEAVENS.
Children of Isaac and Abigail Johnson
- Ephraim - b. Feb. 9, 1721/2, Woodstock, CT; d. Jun. 7, 1725,
Woodstock, CT.
- Dinah - b. Nov. 16, 1722, Woodstock, CT; d. Apr. 2, 1808,
Deerfield, MA. Married in 1757 Samuel HARDING as his second wife.
Resided in Whately, MA. Children: Anna died young; Abijah married
Lydia DICKINSON; Abiel married Olive SMITH; Keziah married Lemuel
GRAVES; and Esther married Justin NORTON.
- Isaac - b. Apr. 2, 1725, Woodstock, CT. Married Nov. 1, 1748
Mary BARTHOLOMEW, daughter of Joseph BARTHOLOMEW and Elizabeth
SANGER, and widow of Andrew DURKEE. Children: Stephen William
married Mary SMITH; Jonathan married Celia ANTHONY; Abigail married
John CUMBO; and Anna married Aaron GRISWOLD.
- Abigail - b. Aug. 20, 1727,
Woodstock, CT; d. Sep. 9, 1774, Woodstock, CT. Married Abijah
CHILD.
- Mary - b. Jan. 14, 1729/30, Woodstock, CT. Married Jun. 11,
1751 Nathaniel BABCOCK. Children: Hannah married John ALTON,
Jr.; a daughter; Lucy; John; Molly; and Amy.
- Ephraim - b. Apr. 24, 1733, Woodstock, CT.
- Moses - b. Jul. 26, 1737, Woodstock, CT; d. Aug. 3, 1815.
An early settler at Colraine. Private in Capt. Lawrence Kemp's
company, Col. David Well's Regiment in the Revolutionary War.
Married first Jul. 5, 1757 Mercy FOX (b. Mar. 10, 1741; d. by
1795), daughter of Thomas FOX and Mercy LAWRENCE; second Jan.
13, 1795 Ruth WHITMAN (b. Oct. 20, 1755, Abington, MA; d. by
1801-1808), daughter of Abiah WHITMAN and Sarah REED, and widow
of Jesse REED; and third Molly TOWER (b. Apr. 27, 1765, Hingham,
MA; d. Oct. 8, 1854) daughter of Peter TOWER and Deborah STOWELL.
Children of Moses and Mercy: Molly married Jonathan HAWKS; Hannah
married Walter AVERY; Isaac married Lydia HASTINGS; Fanny married
John CALL (3-great grandparents of Walt DISNEY); Billy married
first Levina PARMENTER, second Mary WOODWARD, and third Saloam;
Asa married Josephine CUTTING; Mercy married James SMITH; Thomas
died in infancy; Jemima died in infancy; Jemima married Hezekiah
WARD; Thomas married second Betsey WASHBURN; Lemuel married Rhoda
PETERSON; and Lucy married Reuben FARLEY. Children of Moses and
Ruth: Hannah married Abel WILDER; Jesse Whitman; Calvin married
Laura STEELE; and Oren B. married Helena WOOD. Possible children
of Moses and Molly: A child died in infancy; and Perley married
Miranda MCCLELLAN.