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Col. Richard Johnson, of Hanover Co., VA
b.1715
Facts and Events
Records om Virginia
- 21 Aug 1772 Dorothy Johnson of St. Paul's Parish, Hanover county, Relict and executrix of Col. Richard Johnson, Dec'd., to John Fretwell of St. Martin's Parish, Louisa Co.; 55 Lbs. current money; parcel of land and plantation of Col. Richard Johnson in St. Martins Parish, Louisa Co. bounded by David Johnson, William Priddy, William Henderson, Thomas Henderson, Dec'd., Col. Dudley Diggs and William Johnson; containing by estimation 200 acres, all houses, orchards, buildings, etc. Wit. John Sanders, John Thomsson, Alex. Henderson. Signed: Dorothy Johnson. Rec. 8 Mar 1773 (Louisa DB: D1/2, 454,)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 .
Children of Richard Johnson-iii, 1715-1771, and his wife, Dorthea
1. Jane Johnson-iiii, was born about 1740, died after 1771, but before 1803, when the Backhouse depositions were taken. She married Dr. William Marshall first, and then Nicholas Syme. Her children were John M. Syme, Nicholas Syme, Elisa Syme, and Clarissa Syme. [Virginia Migrations, Deposition of Chapman Johnson, pg. 4.] She could not have been the woman who married Richard Chapman, Sr., whose son, Richard Chapman, Jr., was born in 1741.[“Records from the Family Bible of Richard Chapman, Jr.,” pg. 723.]
2. Thomas Johnson, Minor-iiii, died 1795. “Thomas Johnson, Minor, the father of this respondent was also one of the sons of Richard Johnson “[Glazebrook, Virginia Migrations Deposition of Chapman Johnson, pg. 4.] His children were: John Boswell Johnson-v, born 1778; Richard Chapman Johnson-v, born before 1774, died December 1802, [Ibid.], Thomas M. Johnson-v, born circa 1778; Chapman Johnson-v, born 1779; and William Johnson-v, born 1784; and Dorothy Johnson, who married Patrick Mitchie. [Glazebrook, Virginia Migrations, pg. 3]
If the memoranda of the Chapman Bible were correct, “my sister’s [sister of Richard Chapman, Jr., Jane, who married ‘Mr. Johnson.’] son was John Boswell Johnson, who moved to Tennessee, and had three children,” then the wife of Thomas Johnson, Minor, would have been his cousin, Jane Chapman, daughter of Richard Chapman-ii and Jane Johnson-iii, the daughter of Thomas Johnson-ii .
3. Dorothy Johnson-iiii, married Anthony Thornton of Caroline County, and her son was Boswell Thornton, the heir of John Boswell. Boswell Thornton’s wife was named Lucy, but they had no children. [Glazebrook, Virginia Migrations, pg. 4-5.] “January 12, 1789, Anthony Thornton, guardian for Boswell Thornton received of Capt. Thomas Johnson [Minor] the slaves and stock devised by Colo. John Boswell.” [Ibid. pg. 3]
4. Richard Johnson-iiii, died before 1803.
5. Nancy/Anne Johnson-iiii, married John Cunningham about 1774, by whom she had four children, Dorethea Fairley Cunningham, who married Isaac Butler, and had an only child named Lucy Ann Butler; William Cunningham; John Cunningham, died before 1803; Nancy Anne Johnson Cunningham, who married John Syme. Nancy Anne died May 7, 1788. [Glazebrook, Virginia Migrations, Backhouse Lawsuits.]
6. William Johnson-iiii “of Hanover County” died after 1810. [Glazebrook, Virginia Migrations, pg. 11.] “He is the only survivor among them.” [Ibid. pg. 6]
7. John Boswell Johnson-iiii, “of Hanover,” gave a deposition filed November 30, 1803, and stated “that he is one of the sons and legatees of Richard Johnson, late of the town of New Castle.” His first deposition was taken in the Backhouse lawsuit for the defendant at the house of Francis Taylor in the town of New Castle, now occupied by John Tinsley, February 8, 1796. [Ibid. pg. 6.] Though he had a nephew of the same name, who died in 1815 in Sumner County, Tennessee, and the two may be easily confused, we find that this man was listed in the Hanover County Taxpayers, from St. Paul’s Parish as “Capt” John Boswell Johnson, between 1782 and 1815.[Ibid.]
8. Nicholas Meriwether Johnson-iiii, died after 1803. He had a daughter named Mary Ann Johnson, [Ibid. pg. 6] Nicholas was listed in the taxpayer list from Hanover for the years 1782 to 1815.
9. Elizabeth Johnson-iiii married Nicholas Syme. [Ibid., pg. 6.]
https://oliverdreams.tripod.com/JohnsonHistory.html
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Richard (Thomas 2, Richard 1)
This Richard Johnson was born in1715 according to his tombstone. Statements have been made that the month and day were July 7, but I have not verified this. He resided in Hanover County for most of his life & was buried there. He died on Sept. 29, 1771. Fortunately, the records of Louisa County and a surviving Chancery court case provide a wealth of information about him despite the loss of so many Hanover documents.
It should be noted that at this time period and in this area, there were two couples by the name of Richard and Dorothy Johnson! The Richard discussed here probably married about 1740, but the surname of his wife is not known. Documents clearly show that he married a Dorothy at least by 1760. She was not a Boswell. This is sometimes reported, but seems to be based on a misreading of Boswell documents.
The other Richard Johnson was married to Dorothy Powers and had some children recorded by the Rev. Douglas. He eventually moved to Buckingham County where his will survived in the contested election papers. His relationship, if any, to the son of Thomas Johnson and grandson of the original Col. Richard Johnson is not known.
Richard first appears in the records in 1752 in Louisa County:
22-Sep-1752 Edward Arnold of St. Martin's Par. Louisa Co., Planter, and Benjamin Arnold of same, Planter, and Anne his wife to Richard Johnson of same, Gent. # 84 curt. money. 200 acres in St. Martin's Par ... beginning at Clark's (now Sarah Johnson and Robert Tenham's ) corner ...Richard Johnson's line... David Johnson line; granted by letters patent at Williamsburg 16 June 1727 to Lancelot Crost, late of Hanover Co.; conveyed to sd. Arnold by Indenture recorded in Hanover Co. Sig. Edward Arnold (EA) and Benjamin Arnold (B). Wit. Thomas Perkins, Michael Wright, David Harris, Pouncey Anderson , Nicholas. Johnson, Christopher Hudson, William Johnson. (Louisa DB: A, Page: 523,)
Although he was purchasing land in Louisa, he does not seem to have lived there for long. With his brother-in-law, John Boswell, he operated a mercantile warehouse in New Castle, Hanover County. John Boswell had married Ann Johnson, Richard’s sister. The firm traded in tobacco and family goods, but according to Abraham Kent, one of the employees, there was no store. (Glazebrook, Va. Migrations…..)
In 1758, he received several slaves from his widowed mother. His brother William seems to have witnessed the instrument:
26-Apr-1758 Ann Cosby (late Anne Johnson) of Fredericksville Parish, Louisa Co. for natural love and affection to son Richard Johnson of St. Paul Parish Hanover Co. 14 Negroes Stephen, Dick, Toby, Arthur, Moses, Janney, Polley, Bettey, Janey, Margaret, Polley, Sarah, Judy and Milley. Sig. Ann Cosby. Wit. William Johnson, John Freeman, Thomas Perkins (Lo DB-B, 284)
One of the following deeds shows that Richard did live for a while on land that was in both Louisa and Hanover Counties. His neighbors on this land included David, Richard, James and William Johnson. At first glance, it might appear that these Johnsons were brothers of this Richard, but the David Johnson mentioned was most likely the son of William Johnson and Sarah Tenham Johnson of Hanover. This William Johnson was from Scotland. He and Sarah figure in surviving Louisa Court cases in which their children are identified and Richard is not included.
24-Jan-1760 Richard Johnson and Dorothy his wife of Hanover to David Johnson of Louisa ?155 currt. money for 720 acres by patent on Maidlins Folly and branches thereof adj. William Johnson, upper fork of Maidlins folly, Robert Dupriests. Sig. Richard Johnson. wit. John Boswell, Richard Anderson, Robert Wilson, Nicholas Johnson, Thomas Johnson, Jr. (Louisa DB: C, 12)
This deed was made out to Richard’s son Thomas who was probably of age in 1760.
25-Jan-1760 Richard Johnson and Dorothy his wife of Hanover co. to Thomas Johnson Junr. of Louisa co.; #410 curr. money; 400 acres on north side of the Southanna River, part in Louisa and part in Hanover Co., where sd. Richard Johnson formerly lived; bounded by the river and by the lands of David Johnson, Richard Johnson, James Johnson, William Johnson and John Glen. Wit. Nicholas Johnson, David Johnson, Richard Anderson. Sig. Richard Johnson. (Lo DB: C, 11)
In 1765, Richard & Dorothy sold some of their land to Sarah Johnson, daughter of Robert Tenham and widow of William Johnson:
12-Jan-1765 Richard Johnson of Hanover Co. and Doretha his wife to Sarah Johnson of Louisa ?128 for land and plantation of Richard Johnson in St. Martins parish, Louisa County adj. Sarah Johnson and Robert Tenhams corner in Richard Johnson now Thomas Johnson line, along David Johnson's line containing 200 acres granted by patent 16 June 1737 to Lanslott Crost late of Hanover and by Crost sold to Edward Arnold, by Arnold sold to Benjamin Arnold and by sd. Benjamin Arnold to sd. Richard Johnson. Wit. William Johnson, Richard Johnson, Isham Johnson. Sig. Richard Johnson. (Louisa DB: C, 256)
Colonel Richard Johnson’s Louisa County 400 acre property was listed in the tithable lists of Louisa County from 1767 through 1771. He also employed an overseer there named John Fretwell who figured in later documents. Judging by his title in the tithable lists, Richard was apparently following in his family’s tradition of serving as Militia Officers.
Richard wrote his will on Sept. 25, 1771 and it was probated on March 25, 1772. The will did not survive the destruction of Hanover County records, but Richard’s tombstone has:
Hanover County, Virginia
Solitude Cemetery
Here lyeth the remains of
Col. Richard Johnson
who was born in the year of our Lord One Thousand
Seven Hundred and Fifteen and departed this life
the 29th of September One Thousand Seven Hundred and
Seventy-one. He was the son of Mr. Thomas Johnson
of King William County and the grandson to Richard Johnson,
Esq. of King William who was a member of his Majesty's
Honourable Council in Virginia
Richard’s wife Dorothy survived him and the year after her husband’s death sold the Louisa plantation to the overseer:
21 Aug 1772 Dorothy Johnson of St. Paul's Parish, Hanover county, Relict and executrix of Col. Richard Johnson, Dec'd., to John Fretwell of St. Martin's Parish, Louisa Co.; 55 Lbs. current money; parcel of land and plantation of Col. Richard Johnson in St. Martins Parish, Louisa Co. bounded by David Johnson, William Priddy, William Henderson, Thomas Henderson, Dec'd., Col. Dudley Diggs and William Johnson; containing by estimation 200 acres, all houses, orchards, buildings, etc. Wit. John Sanders, John Thomsson, Alex. Henderson. Signed: Dorothy Johnson. Rec. 8 Mar 1773 (Louisa DB: D1/2, 454,)
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