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Note: N208 Very little is known about our William Johnson. Conflicting information and the commoness of the name “William Johnson” make it difficult to find verifiable and accurate information. Other than the 1856 Iowa State census, which I am certain is for our William Johnson, the following notes are merely possible leads.
Various sources give Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Virginia as his place of birth. We only know he was in Ohio from the marriage record, and Iowa from the 1856 Iowa State census.
1830 Census for Chillicothe Ohio - lists a William C Johnson (20-30) as head of household with 3 males under 5 and 1 female (20-30). Also listed is a Henry Johnson (50-60) with 1 male (10-15), 1 female (10-15), 1 female (15 - 20) and 1 female (30-40).
These Johnsons may have been relatives of our William Johnson, or maybe not.
1860 - U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules - Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa (deaths are recorded for the year ending June 1860, so Wm Johnson would have died in 1859)
William Johnson, age 43, male, married, born in Kentucky, died in October, was a teamster, died of congestion of the brain, was sick 4 days.
(note: because of the age of this man I’m not certain this is our Wm Johnson, but the death date corresponds with that which John Merriel found. Perhaps the age was recorded in error. The 1856 Iowa state census also gives Kentucky for our Wm Johnson’s birth place)
_______ (Note: the death certificate for William’s daughter, Rebecca Wilson Johnson Rose, gives Pennsylvania as the place of William Johnson’s birth, but it could be wrong.) ________________
“He was a contractor and builder and built the first state capitol building at Chillicothe, Ohio.” - from the Brewster genealogy compiled by William McCray Brewster 1977.
Research shows that William Johnson was only 12 years old when the Ohio State Capitol was moved permanently to Columbus. It would seem unlikely that the above entry is accurate. Andy Merriell also researched this claim when he was living in southern Ohio and found no Johnson in the building records of state capitol buildings. It is possible that the story evolved and changed as it was passed down and whatever grain of truth is in it has been lost.
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1856 - Iowa State census - Burlington - Wm Johnson (43) born in Kentucky, Carpenter, Harriet Johnson (47) born in Pennsylvania, Samuel A Johnson (13) born in Ohio, Rebecca W (11) born in Ohio, William C (7) born in Ohio. The record shows this family has been in Iowa 2 years.
The following others are listed in the home as well:
T Parrot (23) b. Ohio - in Iowa 5 years Hannah Roberts (23) b. Maine - in Iowa 1 year Nathaniel Roberts (27) b. Maine - in Iowa 1 year Harris Palmer (15) b. Indiana - in Iowa 1 year James Palmer (12) b. Indiana - in Iowa 1 year
The census record does not report what the relationship is between these additional people and the Johnsons. None of these other people are married according to the record.
William Johnson, T Parrot, and Nathaniel Roberts are in the militia.
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(Note: I have no proof that the William Johnson mentioned below is our William Johnson. It may be the William Johnson mentioned below was our man’s father. I include the passage here as a possible lead to more information about our man)
The plat of Franklinton is on record at Chillicothe. The two main streets were named for George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. The four lots at the center of the town, which was at the corner upon which we stand today, were appropriated for public buildings only . . . "a state-house or court-house and as a commons." If at first Mr. Sullivant gave away lots, in the deeds which are also recorded at Chillicothe, the early residents were wise enough to state that the consideration for the purchases was $33.33, in some cases five shillings, and in others ten pounds, although, of course, these deeds may not represent the first pur- chases. Joseph Dixon made the first family settlement in the autumn of 1797. The early purchasers, in order named, according to the records, were James Robinson, William Trimble, John Boyd, John Woolcutt, William Johnson,
(from Ohio History; The Scholarly Journal of the Ohio Historical Society; Vol. 37; p 171)
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"A year later (1805) the tide of emigration was increased very perceptibly, and many new homes were established in the wilderness, among whom were the families of Robert Simpson, William Johnson, Andrew Thompson,...
The war of 1812 retarded immigration for a time, and also removed nearly every able-bodied man from the township (Harrison twp). William Johnson entered the army as a colonel, ...
(The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio, from the earliest days, with special chapters on the bench and bar....
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Ohio, Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 about William A Johnson Name: William A Johnson Land Office: Chillicothe Document Number: 4868 Total Acres: 39.87 Signature: Yes Canceled Document: No Issue Date: 1 Aug 1837 Metes and Bounds: No Statutory Reference: 3 Stat. 566 Multiple Warantee Names: No Act or Treaty: 24 Apr 1820 Multiple Patentee Names: No Entry Classification: Sale-Cash Entries Land Description: 1 SWSW OHIO RIVER SURVEY No 3 N 21 W 7
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