Person:Nancy Johnson (63)

Watchers
Nancy Johnson
  1. John Johnson
  2. Polly Johnson
  3. Bailey JohnsonBet 1780 & 1790 - 1843
  4. Charles JohnsonAbt 1780 -
  5. Catherine JohnsonAbt 1782 - 1847
  6. Margaret JohnsonAbt 1786 - 1863
  7. George H. JohnsonAbt 1787 - 1856
  8. Elizabeth JohnsonBet 1790 & 1794 - Aft 1839
  9. Nancy Johnson1791 - 1839
  10. William JohnsonAbt 1805 - Bet 1854 & 1857
m. 25 Jul 1807
  1. Granville Reese1808 - Bef 1849
  2. Martha Jane Reese1810 - 1893
  3. Matilda Reese1811 - 1873
  4. Permelia Reese1813 - 1846
  5. Jefferson Reese1815 - 1847
  6. Sarah Ann Reese1817 - 1855
  7. Catherine Jane Reese1819 - 1891
  8. William A. Reece1819 - 1885
Facts and Events
Name Nancy Johnson
Gender Female
Birth[1] 1791 Kentucky, United States
Marriage 25 Jul 1807 probably Clark, Indiana, United States
to Joseph Reese
Religion[2] 19 Sep 1807 Clark, Indiana, United Statesfounding member, New Washington Baptist Church
Baptism[3] 21 May 1814 Clark, Indiana, United StatesNew Washington Baptist Church
Census[4] 1820 Clark, Indiana, United StatesNew Washington Township
Property[5] 8 Jun 1821 Clark, Indiana, United Stateswith husband, signed deed of sale
Census[6] 1830 Shelby, Indiana, United StatesHendricks Township
Property[8] 12 Dec 1834 Shelby, Indiana, United Stateswith husband, signed deed of sale to son-in-law Jonathon Goff
Religion[7][9][11] 1834 Johnson, Indiana, United Statesfounding member, 2nd Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church
Property[10] 4 Nov 1836 Shelby, Indiana, United Stateswith husband, gave gift of land to son Granville
Property[10] 4 Nov 1836 Shelby, Indiana, United Stateswith husband, signed deed of sale of additional land
Property[10] 25 Jan 1838 Boone, Indiana, United Stateswith husband, signed deed of sale for land in Shelby County to brother-in-law James Snow
Religion[9] 12 Oct 1839 Johnson, Indiana, United Statesgranted Letter of Dismission, 2nd Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church
Death[1] 27 Oct 1839 Shelby, Indiana, United States

Because of her church membership, more is known about the life of Nancy Johnson than is often known about women who lived when and where Nancy lived. Nancy was not outspoken about her beliefs, not taking part in discussions at church meetings, but women seldom did. It's likely, however, that she disagreed with her father-in-law, John Reese, on matters of doctrine, as did her husband and her brother Charles, both active members of the New Washington Baptist Church in Clark County, Indiana[12]. Unlike Nancy, her father-in-law was both outspoken and contentious, as when he challenged the appointment of Nancy's brother Charles as a Deacon of the Church.

Whether because of on-going tensions within the Reese family, or simply because of the desire for greater opportunity, Joseph and Nancy moved with other members of the church to Shelby County, Indiana in 1821, taking Nancy away from her birth family. Her brother Charles had moved to Pope County, Illinois around 1819, and most of the other members of the extended Johnson family, including their aging parents, followed him there.

In spite of the separation, Nancy seems somehow to have maintained contact with at least two of her sisters and their families. Her sister Catherine moved from Pope County to Shelby County about 1827, left to live with other members of the Johnson family in Fountain County, Indiana, and then returned to Shelby County around 1835. It may have been Catherine who brought word that another sister, Elizabeth, and her husband James Snow would be moving to Boone County, Indiana to found a new town, the town of Mechanicsburg.

Surprisingly, Joseph and Nancy moved to Boone County around 1837 to join her sister and brother-in-law. Nancy was in her mid-50s when they moved, and she and her husband left behind a well-established life. Joseph had been a Justice of the Peace, and he and Nancy had been active in the founding of a new church near their home, one where Joseph was the Clerk while his brother was the Preacher. The family had prospered, sufficiently that Joseph and Nancy had been able to give their oldest son Granville a farm around the time of his marriage. Their older daughters were married to men who were established and prosperous. So why Joseph and Nancy moved is not clear. That they intended to stay in Boone County is suggested by the sale of their remaining land in Shelby County, and by their receiving Letters of Dismission from the church they attended.

Sadly for whatever plans they had, Nancy died not long after the move to Mechanicsburg. Soon after her death, her youngest daughter named a granddaughter for her, suggesting that she was mourned by her family.


Footnotes
  1. 1.0 1.1 Family Bible of Joseph and Nancy Reese, in Johnson, Bess Sellers; Daughters of the American Revolution. Alexander Hamilton Chapter (Indiana); and Vera Reese Tranter. Family bible records of Johnson County, Indiana: a collection of family records compiled from family bibles and other sources. (Ft. Wayne, Indiana: Allen County Public Library, 1986)
    Vol. I, p. 147.

    Births - Nancy Reese, Aug. 1791
    Deaths - Nancy Reese, Oct. 27, 1839

  2. Church Book, New Washington Baptist Church, 1807 – 1836; MSS 24, Hamilton Library Archives, Franklin College, in Silver Creek Baptist Church (Clark County, Indiana); Indiana) Church of Christ on Owens Creek (Clark County; and Indiana) Fourteen Mile Creek Baptist Church (Clark County. Church records, 1798-1837. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1986).

    [Note: New Washington was originally known as the Fourteen Mile Creek Baptist Church]
    p. 1 – Constitution adopted 19 September 1807
    Founding members included William Goodin, Isaac McCoy
    Members of Silver Creek Church, inc.: John Reese, Jean Reese, Gean Coovert, Sarah Huff, Chas. Johnson, Sarah Johnson, Hanna Brenton, Margaret Storm
    Members of New Washington include [NB – nd] as above, plus Joseph Reace
    p. 2 – and John and Nancy Webb, Nancy Reace

  3. Church Book, New Washington Baptist Church, 1807 – 1836; MSS 24, Hamilton Library Archives, Franklin College, in Silver Creek Baptist Church (Clark County, Indiana); Indiana) Church of Christ on Owens Creek (Clark County; and Indiana) Fourteen Mile Creek Baptist Church (Clark County. Church records, 1798-1837. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1986).

    p 15 – 21 May 1814 – Sister Nancy Reese came forward and gave a relation to the church. To be baptized. (Joseph Reese Clerk)

  4. Clark County, Indiana, in United States. 1820 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M33).

    Joseph Reas, 2 males under 10 (William, Jefferson), 1 male 10-16 (Granville), 1 male 16-26, 3 females under 10 (Kitty, Sarah, Permilla), 1 female 16-26 [Nancy]; 2 persons in agriculture

  5. Deed Records, Vol 22-24, in Clark County (Indiana). Recorder. Deed records 1801-1901, with indexes to grantors and grantees, 1801- 1910. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1985)
    Book 22, p. 181, August 1820-Oct 1826.

    Indenture made 8 June 1821
    Between Joseph Reese and Nancy his wife of Clark County, IN
    and Andrew Bower senior of same place . . . .
    Signed: Joseph Reese, Nancy her X mark Reese
    Witness: Joseph Bower, Wm. [H.] Randolph

  6. Shelby County, Indiana, in United States. 1830 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M19).

    Joseph Reece, 1 male 5-10 (William), 1 male 10-15 (Jefferson), 1 15-20 (Granville), 1 male 40-50; 2 females 10-15 (Sarah, Kitty), 3 females 15-20 (Martha, Matilda, Permila), 1 female 40-50 (Nancy)

  7. Bergen, John V. Atlas of Johnson County, Indiana, 1820 to 1900: featuring maps, pictures, text, and statistics from county atlases (1866, 1881, 1900), county histories (1881, 1888, 1913), and many other sources. (Franklin, Indiana: Johnson County Historical Society (Georgia), c1984).

    p. 245 - Mt. Pleasant No. Two was organized 1834 in Needham Township near Shelby County line, members included Joseph Reece and wife, John Webb and wife. Rev. Benjamin Reece was an early pastor. William Reece [his son] is currently [1888] a deacon.

  8. Deed Records, Vol C-E; LDS #1403459, in Shelby County (Indiana). Recorder. Deed records, 1822-1886, and partitions, 1876-1891. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1984)
    Vol E, p. 408, Jan 1833-16 Dec 1835.

    12 December 1834
    Between Joseph Reese and Nancy Reese his wife of Shelby Co., IN
    and Jonathan H. Goff of same place . . . .
    Signed Joseph Reese, Nancy X her mark Reese
    Witness John R. Kerr, Benjamin T. Green
    Recorded 10 July 1835

  9. 9.0 9.1 Genealogical Abstracts from Records of Second Mount Pleasant Baptist Church; LDS #0924926, in Hayward, Elizabeth (Mary Elizabeth McCoy), and Johnson County, Indiana) Second Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church (Needham Township. Genealogical abstracts from records of Second Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, constituted in 1835, Johnson County Indiana. (Rochester, New York: American Baptist Historical Society, 1972)
    pp. 15-16.

    Reece, Reese, Joseph, received by Letter Jul. 11, 1835; apptd. clerk Ag 8, 1835 (Hist.); dismissed in good standing Oc. 12, 1839
    , Nancy, received by Letter Sep. 12, 1835; dismissed in good standing. Oc 12, 1839

  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Deed Records, Vols F-H; LDS #1403620, in Shelby County (Indiana). Recorder. Deed records, 1822-1886, and partitions, 1876-1891. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1984)
    Vol G, pp. 53, 222; Vol H, p. 208, 11 June 1836-April 1839.

    G53
    Between Joseph Reese and Nancy Reese his wife of Shelby Co., IN and Granville Reese of same place
    for and in consideration of the natural love and affection which the said Joseph Reese Bare to the said Granville Reese his son as for the better support and maintanance and support [sic] of the said Granville Reese has given and granted land in Shelby County . . . .
    Signed Joseph Reese, Nancy X her mark Reese
    Witness W. F. Morgan, JP, [[Person: Cornelius McDERMED (4)|Cornelius McDermid
    G222
    4 November 1836
    Between Joseph Reese and Nancy Reese his wife of Shelby Co., IN and Jesse Beard of same . . .
    Signed Joseph Reese, Nancy X her mark Reese
    Witnesses W. F. Morgan JP, William Beard
    H208
    25 January 1838
    Between Joseph Reese and Nancy Reese his wife of Boone County, IN and James Snow of same . . . .
    Signed Joseph Reese, Nancy X her mark Reese
    Witness Hiram J. Roberts JP, Joseph Wood

  11. In Shelby County, Joseph and Nancy lived near the county line for Johnson County. The 2nd Mount Pleasant Baptist Church was in Johnson County, near the county line for Shelby County. Many of the early members of the church lived in Shelby County.
  12. History of the Ohio Falls Cities and their Counties. Vol II. L. A. Williams & Co, Cleveland, OH, 1882