• Thomas Johnson
  • Parents:
  • Jeffrey Johnson?
  • Rachel Unk.

Thompson Johnson
of Wilkes Co., NC

Thomas Johnson, possibly a son of Jeffrey & Margaret JOHNSON of Prince William (Fauquier) Co., VA, was born June 28, 1729, and died July 1786 in Wilkes Co., NC. He married Rachel, last name unknown. She was born May 30, 1737, in Virginia, and died aft. 1790 in Wilkes Co., NC.

Children of Thomas Johnson & Rachel:

  1. William Johnson, Sr., b. July 28, 1754, Amelia Co., VA; d. Nov. 21, 1837, Wilkes Co., NC; m. Mary, last name unk.; said to be buried in a family cemetery between Hays and Traphill, NC.  William Johnson was a Rev. War soldier.  In his pension application, he testified that he was born in Amelia Co., VA; moved with his family to Johnston (Wake) Co., NC, when he was very small; then moved to Rowan (Surry) Co., NC, when he was about 17 years old; resided in Wilkes Co., NC, since the Rev. War.  (NARA File No. S7095).
  2. Thomas Johnson, Jr., b. Feb. 13, 1757, Amelia Co., VA; d. Oct. 21, 1837, Wilkes Co., NC; m. Lucy EDWINS, daughter of Abraham EDWINS, Dec. 5, 1780, Wilkes Co., NC (b. Apr. 10, 1760; d. ?).  Thomas & Lucy Johnson's Bible record is published in Fuqua - A Fight For Freedom by Alya Irwin.  He is often identified as the Thomas Johnson of NC who submitted a Rev. War pension application in 1820 (NARA File No. S41698).  However, that Thomas Johnson resided in Granville Co., NC, according to a supplemental declaration in his pension file.  Children: William, Temperance, Katy, Joseph, John, Isaac, Frances, Rhody, Lucy, Benjamin, Thomas, Rachel, Elizabeth, Abraham, Judith Johnson m. Adam CROUSE, Jr.
  3. Temperance Johnson, b. Sept. 21, 1759, Johnston Co., NC; d. Aug. 6, 1788, Wilkes Co., NC.
  4. Phillip Johnson, b. July 12. 1761, Johnston Co., NC; d. abt. 1834, Surry Co., NC; m. Polly GAINES, Aug. 6, 1788, Wilkes Co., NC.
  5. +Rachel Johnson, b. Feb. 06, 1765, Johnston Co., NC. She may be the Rachel JOHNSON who m. James THOMPSON, son of Joseph THOMPSON, Sr., & Isabella HENDERSON (b. June 7, 1769; d. 1847).
  6. Ali (Aly) Johnson, b. July 13, 1766, Johnston Co., NC.
  7. Richard Henry Johnson, b. Oct. 12, 1768, Johnston Co., NC; d. 1846, Wilkes Co., NC; m. Mary THOMPSON, daughter of Joseph THOMPSON & Isabella HENDERSON, abt. 1792 (b. June 6, 1778; d. Apr. 23, 1858); bur. Johnson-Spicer Family Cemetery, Traphill, Wilkes Co., NC.  Records from his family Bible are published in Fuqua - A Fight For Freedom by Alya Irwin.  Children: Isabel Johnson (1794) m. John SUTHERLAND; Samuel Johnson (1795) m. Nancy WINTON; Mary Johnson (1798), m. Gideon BRYAN; Rhoda Johnson (1799); James Johnson (1802) m. Susannah JOHNSON; Sarah Johnson (1804) m. Jesse CORNETT; Thomas Jefferson Johnson (1808) m. Harriett Green JOHNSON; Susannah Johnson (1811) m. Edward JOHNSON; Martha Johnson (1813) m. Hardin SPICER; John Henderson Johnson (1816) m. Nancy C. ALEXANDER; Elizabeth Johnson (1819).
  8. Infant twin, b. July 7, 1771, Surry Co., NC.
  9. Infant twin, b. July 7, 1771, Surry Co., NC.
  10. Theophilus Johnson, b. March 23, 1772, Surry Co., NC; m. Doshe NUMMARY, Jan. 8, 1805, Wilkes Co., NC.
  11. John Oakes Johnson, b. Oct. 29, 1775, Surry Co., NC; d. 1854, Rolla, Missouri.
  12. Benjamin Johnson, b. Sept. 15, 1777, Surry or Wilkes Co., NC.  Son (or grandson?) might be +Aaron Ashley Johnson (1843-1921) of Wilkes and Alleghany Co., NC.
  13. Mary Johnson, b. Aug. 23, 1780, Wilkes Co., NC.

Notes

Thomas Johnson was born June 28, 1729, in Virginia, and lived for a time in Amelia County, VA, Johnston County, NC, and Surry County, NC, before finally settling on the Roaring River in Wilkes County, NC.  Thomas Johnson's children and their birthdates are listed in a family Bible that belonged to his son Richard Henry JOHNSON.  The Bible record is published in the book Fuqua - A Fight For Freedom by Alya Dean Smith Irwin (1974).  See also Hayes, Johnson, and Allied Families by Charles Clifton Hayes (1994).

Thomas Johnson is believed to be a brother of Jeffrey JOHNSON (b. abt. 1720, d. 1788-89) who arrived in Surry County, NC, by 1771 and (like Thomas) eventually settled on the Roaring River in Wilkes County.  On Feb. 26, 1776, Jeffrey Johnson "of the County of Surry in the province of North Carolina" executed a deed to his brother Moses JOHNSON of Fauquier Co., VA, which refers to land that he and Moses had inherited from their father Jeffrey JOHNSON who died testate in Prince William (Fauquier) Co., VA, in 1758.  This proves conclusively that Jeffrey Johnson was the son of Jeffrey Johnson of Fauquier County.  Unfortunately, the elder Jeffrey Johnson's will doesn't mention a son named Thomas, but it is possible that he didn't identify all of his children in the will.  More research is needed.

Thomas Johnson's son William Johnson served in the Revolutionary War and received a pension for his service.  His pension application (NARA File No. S7095) contains some important information about the family.  He testified that "he was born on the 28th day of July 1754 in the County of Amelia & State of Virginia, (the record of which is entered in his family Bible) where he lived until his father removed to Johnston County (now Wake) North Carolina, at which time he was very small.  He lived in said County until he was about 17 years of age, when he removed with his father to the County of Rowan (now Surry) in the same State, where he lived until he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer in the month of February 1776 … This deponent has resided in the County of Wilkes ever since the revolutionary war, and resides there at this time".

Surry County was formed from Rowan County in 1771.  From land records, it appears that Thomas Johnson and his family had arrived in Surry County by 1771 and initially lived on Panther Creek in what is now Forsyth County.  Panther Creek is a little west of the present-day city of Winston-Salem.  Sometime between 1779 and 1783, they moved to the Roaring River and Mulberry Creek area in Wilkes County, near the present-day town of Traphill.  On Apr. 29, 1783, Thomas Johnson purchased 241 acres on Mulberry Creek from Jesse TOLIVER.  (Wilkes DB A-1, p.382.)  On Nov. 5, 1783, Thomas Johnson "of Wilkes County" sold 458 acres of land on Panther Creek in Surry County to John ALLEN.  (Surry DB B, p.271.)  On Dec. 14, 1784, Thomas Johnson purchased 500 acres on the middle fork of the Roaring River from Benjamin MORGAN.  (Wilkes DB A-1, p.382.)

Some sources claim that Thomas Johnson acquired more than 2,000 acres of land in Surry and Wilkes County.  However, he might not have been the only Thomas Johnson in the area.  On Mar. 4, 1778, we find a Thomas JOHNSTON (with a "t") who entered land in Wilkes County on the south side of the Yadkin River at the mouth of Lewis Fork (Wilkes Land Entry No. 15).  It is not clear whether this is "our" Thomas Johnson, or perhaps his son, Thomas Jr. (who turned 21 years old in Feb. 1778).  Then, in 1782-1784, another(?) Thomas Johnson and his wife Patience bought and sold some parcels of land in Surry County on the Yadkin River at the mouth of Fall Creek (present-day Yadkin County).  (Surry DB B, p.242; Surry DB C, p.48).  This cannot be "our" Thomas Johnson, whose wife's name was Rachel.

In "our" Thomas Johnson's will, dated Jan. 8, 1786, he describes land on both sides of Roaring River in Wilkes County.  (Wilkes Co, NC WB 1, p.190.)  There is also a 1792 deed from Thomas Johnson's son Phillip Johnson that refers to the land on Mulberry Creek that Thomas Johnson purchased from Jesse Toliver.  (Wilkes DB B-1, p.378.)  Therefore, we are confident that "our" Thomas Johnson lived on Roaring River and Mulberry Creek.  Other references to "Thomas Johnson" in the records need more careful consideration.

Records

Johnston County, NC

Apr. 1, 1763. Johnston Co., NC. Land grant to Thomas JOHNSON, 294 acres in Johnston Co., NC, on the Neuse River & east side of Powells Creek incl. his improvement.

Rowan County, NC

Sept. 22, 1759. Rowan Co., NC. Land grant to Thomas JOHNSON, 480 acres in Rowan Co., NC, on both sides of Beaver Dam Branch. (Rowan Land Grant No. 134.)

Oct. 8, 1763. Rowan Co., NC. John WEATHERSPOON, weaver, & wife Elizabeth, to Thomas JOHNSON, 320 acres on Gillespies Creek, for £65, part of Henry WHITE's place granted on May 26, 1761. Wits: William LUCKIE, Thomas BRALY. (Rowan DB 5, p.352.)

Surry County, NC

1771 Tax List, Surry Co., NC: THOMAS JOHNSON

Sept. 20, 1776. Surry Co., NC. Thomas JOHNSON served on the Surry County Committee of Safety, chaired by Benjamin CLEVELAND  ("Minutes of the Surry County Committee of Safety" dated Sept. 20, 1775, published in Colonial Records of North Carolina, Vol. X, pp.251, 255).

Note: The Committees of Safety were responsible for calling up the militia during the Revolutionary War.  They also acted as a provisional local government overseeing matters of public safety and welfare.  On Sept. 20, 1776, the Surry Committee resolved to "suppress all Immorality and Vice, all kinds of sporting Gaming, Betting or Wagering whatsoever."  On Sept. 21, 1776, they agreed to impose a fine on "any Member Behaving Disorderly either by Getting Drunk, Swearing or any other Vice".

Feb. 12, 1778. Surry Co., NC. Thomas JOHNSTON, Robert LANIER & Samuel MOSBY post a bond for £1,000; Thomas JOHNSTON is appointed Register of Surry County. Recorded Feb. court, 1778. (Surry WB 1, p.98.)

Feb. 12, 1778. Surry Co., NC. Thomas JOHNSON entered 600 acres on the north side of the Yadkin on Panter (Panther) Creek beg. at the agent's line, including his own plantation. (Agnes Wells, Surry County, NC, Land Entries 1778-1781, (Joseph Winston's Entry Book), Land Entry No. 10.)

Feb. 12, 1778. Surry Co., NC. Thomas JOHNSON's land mentioned in a land entry by Robert LANIER for 500 acres on head branches of Panter Creek, Reed Creek & Allens Branch, also adj. John SATERS, David HUDSPETH & KIMBROUGH's estate. (Agnes Wells, Surry County, NC, Land Entries 1778-1781, (Joseph Winston's Entry Book), Land Entry No. 8.)

Aug. 14, 1778. Surry Co., NC. Thomas JOHNSON's land mentioned in a land entry by Joseph WILLIAMS for 1,000 acres on Panter Creek, also adj. Samuel MOSBY, Philip HOWARD, Daniel SWEENEY, Marmaduke KIMBROUGH's orphans, Robert LANIER, & John HARVEY. (Agnes Wells, Surry County, NC, Land Entries 1778-1781, (Joseph Winston's Entry Book), Land Entry No. 583.)

Sept. 10, 1778. Surry Co., NC. Land grant to Thomas JOHNSON, 640 acres adj. LANIER and crossing a creek [not named]. (Surry DB A, p.245.)

Feb. 11, 1779. Surry Co., NC. Thos. JOHNSON & others ordered to view and mark a road from Phillip COLDEASURES to Richmond Town.  May 13, 1779, Thomas JOHNSON & others ordered to view a road from Philip CULDEASURES or Dutch Meeting House to Surry Court House. (Mrs. W.O. Absher, Surry County, NC, Court Minutes Abstracts, Vol. I (1768-1785), pp. 10, 13.)

Note: Phillip COLDEASURE was a neighbor of Robert LANIER, who was also a neighbor of Thomas JOHNSON.  See above land entries.  See also Surry Land Entry No. 873 (Mark PHILLIPS enters 500 acres on both sides of Shallow Ford Road adj. Robert LANIER, Phillip COLCLEASURE, and others, Oct. 19, 1778).

June 19, 1779. Surry Co., NC. Thomas JOHNSON to William JOHNSON, 182 acres on Panther Creek adj. LANIER, for 5 shillings. Signed: Thomas JOHNSON. Wit: Phillip JOHNSON. (Surry DB A, p.271.)

Aug. 12, 1779. Surry Co., NC. Thomas JOHNSON appointed overseer of the road from the river to RIGG's old road. (Mrs. W.O. Absher, Surry County, NC, Court Minutes Abstracts, Vol. I (1768-1785), p.17.)

Nov. 5, 1783. Surry Co., NC. Thomas JOHNSON of Wilkes Co., NC, to John ALLEN, 458 acres on Panther Creek adj. LANIER & Adam SPOON, near a pond, for £175. Signed: Thomas JOHNSON. Wits: Henry PATTILLO, Jr., Robert LANIER, George KIMBROUGH. (Surry DB B, p.271.)

Wilkes County, NC

Apr. 29, 1783. Wilkes Co., NC. Jesse TOLIVER to Thomas JOHNSON, 241 acres on Mulberry Creek near Round Top Mountain, adj. a conditional line between TOLIVER & George BARKER. Signed: Jesse (X) TOLIVER. Wits: Wm. JOHNSON, John THAXTEN & Alexander JOHNSON. (Wilkes DB A-1, p.382.)

Dec. 14, 1784. Wilkes Co., NC. Benj. MORGAN to Thomas JOHNSON, 500 acres on middle fork of Roaring River adj. Larkin CLEVELAND and line between Benj. MORGAN and WILLIAM, for £50, being just the line that MORGAN alloted to run between himself & his son Charles MORGAN, incl. Benj. MORGAN's plantation. (Wilkes DB A-1, p.496.)

Jan. 8, 1786. Wilkes Co., NC. Will of Thomas JOHNSON, dated Jan. 8, 1786, recorded July term, 1786.  Son Richard Henry to receive land below James ELEXANDER's (ALEXANDER's) spring branch on south side of Roaring River.  Sons Theophilus & John to receive land on north side of Roaring River.  Son Benjamin to receive land above James ALEXANDER' on south side Roaring River.  Rest of estate to wife Rachel for life, then to be divided equally between the following children: daughters Rachel & Aley, sons Richard Henry, John, Theophilus, and Benjamin, and daughter Mary JOHNSON. Exec'r: son Phillip (not named within the will). Signed: Tho. JOHNSON. Wits: William (x) HAMMON, William JOHNSON, Thomas JOHNSON, Jr.  Inventory filed Oct. term 1785. (Wilkes Co, NC WB 1, pp. 190, 205.)

1790 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, 6th Co.: RACHAL JOHNSON
2 white males over 16
2 white males under 16
3 white females
No slaves

Note: There are two Rachel Johnsons listed in the 1790 Wilkes County Census. The Rachel Johnson in the 6th Company was probably the widow of Thomas Johnson. The 6th Company included the northeastern part of the county around the present-day town of Traphill.  She is listed on the same page of the census as her sons Thom. Johnson, Wm. Johnson, & Phillip Johnson. The other Rachel JOHNSON (1-0-2-2) was in the 7th Company. She was the widow of Jeffrey JOHNSON and is listed next to her sons Jeffrey Johnson, Ben Johnson, John Johnson, George Johnson, and Wm. Johnson.

Dec. 15, 1792. Wilkes Co., NC. Philip JOHNSON to Benjamin SEBASTIAN, 241 acres on Mulberry Creek being land Thomas JOHNSON purchased of Jesse TOLIVER. Signed: Philip JOHNSON. Wits: William SEBASTIAN, George BARKER. (Wilkes DB B-1, p.378.)

1800 Census, Wilkes Co., NC.  There are two Rachel JOHNSONS listed on the same page of the 1800 Wilkes County census, in Morgan District. One was the widow of Thomas Johnson, the other was the widow of Jeffrey Johnson.

1800 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, Morgan Dist., p.48: RACHAEL JOHNSON
2 w/m 10-151 w/f 10-15
No slaves1 w/f over 45

1800 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, Morgan Dist., p.48: RACHAEL JOHNSON
No white males1 w/f over 45
4 slaves 

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