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Family
Marriage: Children:
  1. William Johnson: Birth: ABT 1784 in Lancaster County, South Carolina, USA. Death: 06 APR 1827 in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA

  2. Davis Johnson: Birth: ABT 1786 in Lancaster County, South Carolina, USA. Death: 03 APR 1853 in Madison County, Missouri, USA

  3. Willie Elmey [Wilhelmina] Johnson: Birth: ABT 1788 in Lancaster County, South Carolina, USA. Death: BEF 1823 in Cape Girardeau District, Territory of Missouri, USA

  4. Jonathan Johnson: Birth: ABT 1791 in Lancaster County, South Carolina, USA. Death: 1830 in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA

  5. Constant Johnson: Birth: ABT 1793 in Lancaster County, South Carolina, USA. Death: ABT 1837 in Jackson County, Arkansas, USA

  6. Noble Johnson: Birth: 07 SEP 1796 in Lancaster County, South Carolina, USA. Death: 16 JUL 1873 in Madison County, Missouri, USA

  7. Ransom Johnson: Birth: ABT 1800 in Lancaster County, South Carolina, USA. Death: APR 1845 in Madison County, Missouri, USA

  8. Sarah Johnson: Birth: ABT 1805 in Christian County, Kentucky, USA. Death: AFT 1880


Notes
a. Note:   H52
Note:   DNA Verified
  The progenitor of our Johnson family of southeast Missouri was born about 1755 and died in March of 1823 in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. It is not certain where David Johnson was born but it is believed that his nativity is Anson County, North Carolina. He is listed on a roster for Marions Brigade of the South Carolina Militia and thus served as a soldier during the Revolutionary War. Also serving in military units under the command of Brigadier General Francis Marion are Lieut. Joseph Davis, 1st Lieut. Henry Davis, 1st Lieut. David Davis, Benjamin Davis, John Davis, Thomas Davis, and Capt. William Ransom Davis, brothers of Margaret Davis.
  Margaret Davis is a daughter born to Benjamin Davis and Rachel Port who married on February 21,1748/49 in Prince Frederick Parish, South Carolina. They lived in the area of Welsh Neck and farmed near the Little Pee Dee Landing. This area was part of the Welsh Tract which was created in 1736 and settled by a colony of Welsh Baptists from New Castle County in Pennsylvania. Benjamin Davis was a staunch supporter of the Baptist faith and David Johnson was also a devoted Baptist. David Johnson was raised and lived in the vicinity of Thompsons Creek, Lynches Creek, and Browns Creek which were tributaries of the Pee Dee River near the border of North and South Carolina. There was also a Spivey Meeting House in the Little Pee Dee area that was organized by John Spivey who was also a messenger and delegate of Ebenezer Baptist Church near Welsh Neck. Second Lieut. George Spivey and William Spivey, relatives of John Spivey, also served with troops under the command of the Swamp Fox during the same time as David Johnson and the siblings of Margaret Davis. During the years of the Revolutionary War it would be natural for David Johnson to become acquainted with the Davis family and after courting Margaret and following the victory at Yorktown they married about 1783 based on the birth of their first child and settled near Flat Creek in Lancaster County, South Carolina.
  Margaret Davis was born (1765 or earlier according to the 1810 census) about 1765 and died after 1840 in Wayne County, Missouri, as she is the grandmother living with her daughter Sarah Johnson Spivey [various spellings including Spiva] and son-in-law James Spivey. The grandmother living in the James Spivey household cannot be James Spiveys mother Bethany Spivey, the widow of Jonas Spivey, as she died in 1838 according to Spivey researchers.
  We know from census records enumerating the children born to David and Margaret [Davis] Johnson that they lived in the Carolinas after their wedding, but they definitely lived on Flat Creek, a tributary of Lynches River in Lancaster County, South Carolina near the border with North Carolina. It is on the waters of Flat Creek in South Carolina where David Johnson owned property. There is a Lancaster Co. deed of 50 acres on Flat Creek granted to David Johns[t]on by Colden Williams with Gale Frizzel as one of the witnesses and an additional 350 acres on the waters of Flat Creek was also acquired for a total of 400 acres. As a side bar we should note that Clarissa Frizzell, the wife of Uriah Johnson who is a grandson of David Johnson,, is the great grand daughter of Gale Frizzell, and thus another illustration of the many ties between these families that migrated from the Carolinas to Kentucky and then on to southeast Missouri.
  In the first decennial census of 1790 there is a David Johns[t]on enumerated in Lancaster County, South Carolina, consisting of one male over sixteen years of age (David Johnson), two males age sixteen years or younger (sons William and Davis), and two females (wife Margaret and daughter Willie Elmey or Wilhelmina). Obviously their second son was named in honor of his mothers family and their daughter may have been named for Wilhelmina, an aunt who was the wife of Hugh Johnson.
  By 1808 the family of David Johnson has migrated from the Carolinas to Christian County, Kentucky, as their son William married Jane McGeehee on April 1, 1808, in Christian County. Although we cannot be precise the date of their arrival in the area of Christian County could be as early as 1804 as David Johnson and his son-in-law John Baker were bringing in wolf scalps for bounty during 1805. Many of the surnames that are found as neighbors and intermarrying with their children and grandchildren in Missouri are to be found in the locality where they settled in Christian County. These families include Baker, Cato, Ladd, McGee, and Moss, plus Deason, Kennedy, and Rushing to name a few who were neighbors in the Carolinas, and some of them did not move on to Missouri with David and Margaret [Davis] Johnson.
  According to the 1810 census in Christian County, Kentucky, the household of David Johnson included a son age ten years or younger which would be Ransom Johnson, two sons age ten to sixteen which would be Noble Johnson and Constant Johnson, one son age sixteen to twenty-six which would be Jonathan Johnson, and David Johnson age forty-five or older. There is also one female age ten years or younger and one female age twenty-six to forty-five which would be daughter Sarah Johnson and David's wife Margaret. Their sons William Johnson and Davis Johnson, as well as daughter Wilhelmina, or Willie Elmey as she was referred to by family, are not enumerated in the household as they have previously married.
  In 1804 a survey of 400 acres on the waters of the Muddy Fork of Little River in Christian County was completed and filed for John Baker. The land was described by mets and bounds and in a rough rectangular shape. The land possessed by David Johnson was also in this vicinity. Hugh Johnson, who may be the older brother of David Johnson, held several tracts of land including 200 acres on the waters of Sinking Fork of Little River. He married Winea or Wilhelmina Flanegan, nicknamed Winnie, and they had moved to Christian County, Kentucky by 1795 according to the tax lists. Hugh Johnson, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, was born about 1754 and acquired land in Christian County in several locations, including substantial acreage located on the waters of Little River in addition to the tract on Sinking Fork. Hugh Johnson could be described as the pioneer who initially carved his way to the edge of the frontier and then other members of our Johnson family and their relatives and friends followed westward in his path to Christian County, Kentucky.
  Included in the inventory of assets in the estates of David Johnson and his sons William and Jonathan are volumes in their libraries, including a history of The Life of General Francis Marion, musical instruments including a flute, and in the case of Jonathan Johnson, his library included music and song books. This is a frontier family that was educated and could read and write, recognized the value of a formal education, and enjoyed music and singling.
  It should be noted that in Christian County there was a Baptist church or meeting house located at the Muddy Fork of Little River and also near Sinking Fork of Little River. Unfortunately the records of these bodies which were associated as the Little River have not survived. A fragment from the records of Muddy Fork includes the name Jane Johnson which could be a reference to the wife of William Johnson. Eventually these churches agreed to correspond with Bethel Association in Missouri Territory, the church that David and Margaret joined by letter in 1812. It is believed that a letter verifying their membership which was presented to Bethel Church in Jackson, Cape Girardeau District, Territory of Missouri, was probably issued by the Baptist Church at Muddy Fork shortly before they departed Christian County, Kentucky.
  After 1810 David and Margaret moved west of the Mississippi River to the area of New Madrid, and Hugh and Winnie Johnson also investigated the area of New Madrid, Missouri, but ultimately moved to Illinois. On April 3, 1811, David Johnson was issued Certificate No. 634 for an order of survey of 200 arpents of land located in the District of New Madrid, Territory of Louisiana (one arpent equals .8507 of an acre). This tract of land was located on the water course of Lake St. Mary or at least it was in April of 1811 before the New Madrid earthquake. Hugh Johnson also had a claim for land consisting of 640 acres in the County of Concordia, Western Louisiana. Evidently David and Hugh had gone to the area of New Madrid to stake new land claims. After the massive and catastrophic earthquake that occurred during December of 1811, coupled with the aftershocks that followed, Hugh decided to move on and settle in central Illinois in Clinton County where land was available and David decided to settle south of Jackson in Cape Girardeau District. Territory of Missouri.
  After moving to the Territory of Missouri, the Johnson Settlement was located on the bank of Dry Creek in Cape Girardeau District which would be in present day Bollinger County. Improvements were also made to a tract of land located nearby on Cane Creek for a convenient and necessary source of water. David Johnson raised livestock and was a farmer as evidenced by the harvested crops, tools, and implements in his estate. Cotton was one of his cash crops and he owned a cotton gin and processed cotton for himself and others. In addition, the family owned the necessary tools and equipment to manufacture cotton goods as well as wool.
  The Johnson Settlement must have also processed dried apples and other orchard produce as evidenced by the harvested foodstuffs included as assets in the estates of David Johnson and his son Jonathan. For the processing of dried fruit it was common for a progressive family to have a dry house as well as a smoke house for preserving meat and fish and making jerky and the settlement possessed both. David Johnson acquired a fishing boat and gear for harvesting fish to smoke. The storied self-sufficiency of frontier families is clearly illustrated by our Johnson ancestors.
  According to the records of the General Land Office located in Jackson, on August 30, 1821, David Johnson obtained 80 acres by cash entry based on a right by pre-emption. The tract of land was located in Township 30 North, Range 9 East, the west 1/2 South East quarter of Section 36 in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. Because of long delays in the survey of public domain land in the District of Cape Girardeau, the date for the completion of the land transaction with the General Land Office is not an indication of when he actually exercised possession of the land and commenced to make improvements.
  David Johnson died intestate in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, and the administration of his estate was commenced on Friday, March 21, 1823 with the filing of a petition by his son Jonathan Johnson to request the granting of Letters of Administration. Included in the petition is a sworn allegation stating all the heirs of David Johnson pursuant to the laws of intestate succession (Box 34, bundle 700, Estate of David Johnson, Deceased). All the surviving children or their representatives are named in the estate proceedings.
  Notes from a manuscript
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