Ward's Fork Johnstons

Some families are prominent or leave behind impeccable records in the form of letters and bibles. Most are not and do not. Some surnames are unique. Whenever or wherever you encounter them, you know they're "yours". Fortunately for those of us who love a challenge, family history is usually fragmentary and contradictory, and most names are rather common. And if the surname is really common, the result can be "extreme genealogy", fit only for the obsessed among us.

With any common surname - and Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone is very common indeed - the genealogist must often investigate, at least superficially, all those with the same surname residing in the same location at the same time. If your family lived in the county for more than two generations, this can involve literally hundreds of people. Many are eliminated as being unrelated; others are obviously kin. The deciding factor is often location - usually a particular stream - and associated families. The latter are neighbors, fellow church members, witnesses to an ancestor's deeds and wills. They appraised the ancestor's estate and attended the estate sale. They frequently served in the same military unit during wartime. Most importantly, they married. Easy enough, you say; now we have a network of associated families that can be used to identify our ancestor. Except that this "cousinhood" didn't stay put. Smiths from Frederick County with their associated families and cousins and in-laws would mix with Smiths from Southampton County with their associated families and cousins and in-laws. The result was a tangle, "Six Degrees of Separation" on a large scale.

In sorting through the Charlotte County tangle, one family constantly appears because of the sheer number of progeny. Michael Johnson of Tuckahoe Creek, who died in 1719 in Goochland County, had descendants who moved, doubtless with their familial associations, into areas also occupied by other Johnstons[1]. Deciding whether a particular William Johns[t]on was William Johnson, grandson of Michael Johnson, or William Johnston, father, brother, uncle, or cousin of Samuel Johnston of Ward's Fork, can be exceedingly difficult.

I believe one or more of the following men [but not "Young James"] were closely related to Samuel Johnston of Ward's Fork, but how? If you have evidence of the identities and/or origins of any of the following families, please contact me. There is a wonderful Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone DNA Project hosted by Rootsweb and FamilyTree DNA. Any male carrying the surname, who is descended from one of the families below is encouraged to participate.

This man may not actually have been very aged, but, since one of the sons of Michael Johnson is already referred to as "James the Elder", another name must suffice to distinguish between the two.

I, James Johnston of L [Lunenburg], being weak in body - I want to be buried without pomp. Firstly, I want my just debts paid, and then my executor to take a list of all the money due to me in this Colony and in Pennsylvania, either my bonds, bills, or open account, and I order such money to be equally divided among my wife and my 7 children, or as many of them as shall be alive at the time of my death. To my 2 sons, John and James - my wagon and 3 horses and 2 mares. And I order John and James to give my wife sufficient maintenance and clothing and other necessaries during his [her] life, and I order them to keep my children, to wit, Samuel, Ann, and Esther, and to school them as far as necessary, without diminishing any part of their legacy, and then I order that all the rest of my household furniture and other movables remain in my wife's hands, together with her 8^th part of money, during her life, to be at her disposal at her death or any time before, that is, to any of my children as she shall see cause. Executor - my son John Johnston. I order him to carefully and punctually pay each of my children their part as soon as they shall arrive at age, or when any of my children decide to remove from said John and choose their guardian.

It was witnessed by David Caldwell, William Caldwell, and David Logan Junior. When proved in court on 3 Mar 1761, Robert Caldwell was security for John Johnston.

Our Samuel of Leatherwood Creek was approximately age seven in 1760; his younger brother James approximately three. The James mentioned in the above will, however, was apparently obviously adult, or almost. Since two children are unnamed, it leaves room for a son named William. David, William, and Robert Caldwell were founders of the Cub Creek Settlement.

2 Sep 1760: A James Johnson petitioned for an attachment against the Zakariah Baker estate; Johnson to recover debt.[3] But was this the same man who had signed his will only two weeks before? It might have been since the will was not proved until 3 Mar 1761.

*He may've been the Johns Johnston who received a grant on a branch of Ward's Creek on 17 Nov 1773.

This man, who died in 1775, is closely associated with Samuel Johnston on Ward's Fork from 1748. The "paper trail" would lead us to believe that they were brothers - or cousins at the very least. The name Brumfield was associated with the Johnsons of Tuckahoe Creek, but that doesn't mean that this William didn't marry the daughter of a Brumfield who had moved to the Southside.

1748 Tax List, Lunenburg County, VA: William and Samuel Johnson are listed next to each other.[4]

29 Oct 1748: William Johnson was among the purchasers at the estate sale of Andrew Kennedy, deceased.[5] Another buyer was Robert Baker. Andrew Kennedy was a landowner on Ward's Fork from at least 1747. He sold land there in 1754 which named the adjoining landowners as Maddox, Mount, Lunderman, Stith, Cannon, And Adams. These deeds were witnessed by, among others, James Brumfield, David Caldwell, and George Hannah.

5 Jun 1749: William and Samuel Johnson were among the male laboring tithables appointed to work the road from Young's Mill Path to Little Roanoke Bridge at Coles Road. On that same day, Amey, Godfrey, and David Jones, Executors of the will of Thomas Jones, sued William Johnson for debt; case dismissed. They sued again on 6 Jul 1749, and once again the case was dismissed.[6]

3 Aug 1750: The accounts of Thomas Colwell, deceased, listed: “To William Johnson, 1 beef”.[7]

1752: The tithe list compiled by Cornelius Cargill included William Johnston with one tithable.[8] Samuel Johnston wasn't listed.

1752 Tithable List, Lunenburg County, VA: William Johnston was shown with1 tithable.

6 Feb 1753: Samuel and William Johnson were appointed to the road crew working from from Cole’s Road to the Little Roanoke Bridge near Clement Read’s.[9]

8 May 1754: Samuel Johnson was appointed surveyor of the road “whereof” Robert Woods was [had heretofore been] surveyor from the Little Roanoke Bridge to the low ground on the north side of Ward’s Fork Creek. The crew included William Johnson.[10]

1 Oct 1755: Isaac Johnston and wife Mary Justice were named executors of the will of Justinian Justice. Witnesses: William Scott, Samuel Davies, and William Johnston. On 3 Jun 1756 William was paid for one day’s attendance to prove the will. (He also served on a jury that day.)[11] The name Isaac is associated with the Michael Johnson line, but a Samuel Johnson was appointed as one of the appraisers on 3 Aug 1756. The questions are: 1) Where did Justinian Justice live; 2) Did the Michael Johnson lineage include a Samuel of the appropriate age to have been an appraiser?

1756: William and Samuel Johnson were appointed to the road crew on a road originally cleared by Clement Read.[12]

12 May 1759: William Johnson received a patent for 285 acres on the lower branches of Ward's Fork adjoining Samuel Johnson and John David.[13]

2 Sep 1760: Moses and Anne Cornelius versus William and Anne Johnson.[14] This could have been William and Anne Brumfield Johnston or William and Ann Williams Johnson, but was most likely the former. Ann Cornelius was born Ann Dodson.

6 Oct 1761: To appraise the personal estate of Elizabeth Dugeon, deceased, the court appointed any three of William and/or Samuel Johnson, James and/or Charles Sullivant.[15] Mary Johnson (or Mary Johnson Charlton), a widow, had married Charles Sullivant on 8 May 1761.

2 Feb 1762: To appraise the estate of Richard Ward, the court appointed any three of Samuel Johnson, William Johnson, Robert Woods, and/or Samuel Davis.[16] These Johnsons were obviously the men on Ward's Fork.

1764 Tithe List, Cornwall Parish, Lunenburg County, VA ("lower end of county"): William Johnson was shown with 1 tithable and 250 acres. There was another William Johnson, not at the lower end of the county, shown with 700 acres. This man was from Goochland County, having bought the property in 1761 and sold in 1764. He was married to an Elizabeth and associated with the Wimpees.

6 Jul 1772: William Johnson was a party to damages charged against [son-in-law] James White by Buchanan, Hastie & Company.[17]

2 Nov 1772: In the case of Caleb Johnson versus Landrum Butler, William Johnson and James White both served as witnesses for Caleb.[18] Caleb was the son of Samuel Johnston of Ward's Fork.

12 Feb 1773: William Johnston signed a trust deed to Buchanan, Hastie & Company for 100 acres on Ward's Fork adjoining Samuel Johnston, land patented to William on 12 May 1759. This agreement was to cover William's debt of £37.13.7, with the mortgage due on 12 Feb 1775. Witnesses: John Lindsey, Oliver (x) Sallee, Sarah ("w") Sallee.[19] Sarah Sallee was Old William's daughter, Oliver.

I, William Johnston of Charlotte County, being weak of body but of sound mind . . . to my daughter Mary White, 85 acres, part of the land I now live on taken off the south end and next to Samuel Johnston's . . . to my son James Johnston . . . the rest of the land I now live on . . . to my wife . . . the rest of my estate consisting of negroes and other movables, during her life and after her death to be equally divided among my three children, to wit: James Johnston, Mary White, and Sarah Sally. [Sallee is the surname] May wife may sell my negro fellow, York, a bay horse and the still in order to pay off my just debts . . . Executors: my wife, Ann Brunfill Johnston, and my son James Johnston.[20]

This was witnessed by William Cook, Samuel and Ruth Johnston. Ruth Johnston was the wife of Samuel Johnston of Ward's Fork. When proved on 2 Oct 1775, the securities were Mathews Flournoy and William Cook.[21] Matthews Flournoy resided on Ward's Fork. The inventory and appraisal were recorded on 1 Jan 1776.[22]

7 Jul 1783: Anne Brumfield Johnston married John Tankersley in Charlotte County. The event made the newspapers, even in Richmond. Bondsman: James White. On 4 Dec 1787, Samuel Johnston of Leatherwood Creek sold property with Rowland Tankserley.

30 May 1787 Charlotte County Tax List: Ann B. Tankersley was enumerated the same day as Oliver Sallee, Thomas White, and James Johnston Senior. She is listed between Saller and White, close to James Johnston Senior.

24 Aug 1805: Anne Tankersley, age 90, is believed to have married Perrin Allday. Perrin Allday had been the Overseer for both Richard Ward in 1746 and Clement Read.

Children of William and Anne Brumfield Johnston: As named in William's will dated 24 Nov 1775.

James Johnston James was still alive in 1779, but his fate is unknown. Was he the James Johnston who died in 1816?

The Sallees moved to Mercer County, KY in 1779. Sarah supposedly claimed that her first cousin was a Col. Richard M. Johnson "of Revolutionary War fame". But Richard Johnson actually fought in the War of 1812. His father, Col. Robert Johnson was born 17 Jul 1745 in Orange County, VA, married Jemima Suggett in that county in 1770, and moved to Kentucky during the Revolutionary War. If this information is correct, how can Sarah Johnston Sallee be connected to the Johnstons of Ward's Fork?

Ann Brumfield is another problem with the theory that William was related to r Samuel Johnston of Ward's Fork. She was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Watson Brumfield. In Goochland County, the land belonging to Michael Johnson of Tuckahoe Creek bordered Moses Brumfield, a relative. (Some versions claim that he was her brother.) The families were closely associated. Of course, that does not preclude Ann marrying an unrelated Johnston. Nor do we have absolute proof that Ann Brumfield, as opposed to another Ann, was William's wife.

30 Mar 1787: Charlotte County Tax List A: James Johnston Senior was shown with 0 white males 16-21, 1 black over 16, 1 black under 16, 3 horses or mules, and 19 cattle. This man could be the son of Old James or Old William. Old James's son wasn't a minor in 1760, so he must have been born before 1751. Old William's son also wasn't a minor in 1774, resulting in a birth year before 1753. That's too close to call.

1 Dec 1794: Daughter Sally Johnson m. Robert Robeson. Bondsman: James Johnson.[24]

In the name of God, Amen. I James Johnston of Charlotte County, VA, being weak in body, but of sound mind and memory, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament in a manner and form following, to wit. Item – I declare my executor, hereafter named, in the first place to pay all my just debts and funeral expenses. Item – It is my will and desire that all of my estate both real and personal be equally divided amongst my children. Item – It is my will and desire that my estate be kept together until Christmas next. Lastly I do appoint my son-in-law Matthew Davenport and my son William Johnston, Executors of this my last will and testament hereby to rescind all former wills by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the nineteenth day of April 1816.

6 May 1816: The will was proved by the oaths of William Dabbs and John Roach. Executors William Johnston and Matthew Davenport had John and Robert Johnston and John Roach as securities.

15 Aug 1816: The heirs of James Johnston were named in court: William Johnston and wife Patsy, Alvin Johnston, Robert Johnston, James Johnston and wife Patsy, John Johnston and wife Judith, Robert Robson and wife Sally, Matthew Davenport and wife Polly, Francis M. Thompson and wife Elizabeth, John Thompson and wife Crocia, Hickerson Johnston and wife Mary Ann, Nancy Johnston and Samuel Johnston. Nancy and Samuel were minors.

At some point after his death, but before 1825, 297 acres on Ward's Fork formerly belonging to James Johnston were sold to Claiborne Barksdale.

Children of James and Elizabeth Joyce Johnston: As named in will dated 19 Apr 1816.

Elizabeth Johnston (m. 1st Joshua Roach, m. 2nd Francis M. Thompson 27 May 1812)

In addition, the following man shares many associated families with the Johnstons of Ward's Fork, but I've not been able to discover where he lived. Since we know him only through his wife Mary, he could conceivably be the brother of Samuel Johnston.

William married Mary Cunningham, the daughter of James and Ann Thompson Cunningham of Cub Creek. This couple had children Ann (m. Remick), Samuel, Peyton, and John.

Mary's father James Cunningham spent a brief time in the Cub Creek Settlement, then moved to the Buffalo Creek Settlement in Amelia County, where Ruth Baker Johnston's family had settled. When James signed his will on 30 Dec 1775 in Charlotte County he was back on Cub Creek. One of his executors was Rev. Caleb Wallace, Ruth Baker Johnston's nephew. One of the witnesses was Samuel Wallace, Ruth's brother-in-law, along with William Dudgeon, Caleb Wallace, and Robert Caldwell. Securities for the estate included Andrew Hannah and Matthews Flournoy.

If you have material about any individuals included in Nancy's Dead Relatives, can add well-documented family lines, have corrections and/or comments, or wish to establish a link to or from this site, please contact me at nancy@nancysdeadrelatives.com. However, the decision whether or not to include any submitted material is the webmaster's (mine) alone.

Any information is only as reliable as its source. Evaluate the following sources accordingly.

[1] See Some Descendants of Michael Johnson & Sarah Watson

[2] Bell, Lunenburg County, Virginia Wills, 1746-1825; Elliot, Early Wills 17746-1765, Lunenburg County, Virginia, p. 78, Evans, Lunenburg County, Virginia Will Book, p. 51-52; transcription appearing in VAGenWeb/Lunenburg County

[3] Evans, Lunenburg County, Virginia Order Book 6, 1759-1761, p. 175

[4] Tony Johnson

[5] Tony Johnson, from Will Book 1, p. 14

[6] Evans, Lunenburg County, Virginia Order Book 2, 1748 -1752, p. 31, 35, 41, from original p. 156, 177

[7] Evans, Lunenburg County, Virginia Will Book 1, 1746 - 1762, p. 9, from Book 1, p. 26

[8] Page 190

[9] Evans, Lunenburg County, Virginia Order Book 2 ½ A, 1752-1753, p. 48

[10] Evans, Lunenburg County, Virginia Order Book 3, 1754-1755, p. 9

[11] Elliot, Early Wills 1746 -1765, Lunenburg County, Virginia, p. 52, from Will Book 1, p. 163; Evans, Lunenburg County, Virginia Order Book 4, 1755 -1757, p. 29

[12] Evans, Lunenburg County, Virginia Order Book 4, 1755 -1757, p. 64

[13] Land Office Patents No. 34, p. 317

[14] Evans, Lunenburg County, Virginia Order Book 6, 1759-1761, p. 53, from original p. 173,

[15] Evans, Lunenburg County, Virginia Order Book 7, 1761-1762, p. 32, from p. 142

[16] Evans, Lunenburg County, Virginia Order Book 7, 1761-1762, p. 45, from p. 204

[17] Edna Williams, from Charlotte County Order Book3, p. 109

[18] Edna Williams, from Charlotte County Order Book 3, p. 192

[19] Unknown source, from Deed Book 3, p. 198

[20] Tony Johnston, from Will Book I, p. 127-128

[21] Dent Gitchel, from Book 1, p. 127; Tony Johnston, from Book 1, p. 38-39, 127

[22] Tony Johnson, from Will Book 1, p. 139-141

[24] Genealogical Society of Utah, p. 107

[25] Transcription by Joyce Johnson and Carol Renner

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