FAMILY
Pro Aris Et Focis
Avon Lake, OH
Isaac Johnston (sometimes, "Isaac Johnson") was born between 1770-1775 according to U.S. census records. Isaac appears on the 1800, 1820 and 1830 Tazewell County federal censuses (most of the 1810 census, including Tazewell County, was destroyed by fire). We are thoroughly convinced by all of the available evidence that the Johnsons of William Cline Johnson come from this family (see "Cline Johnson Theories" tab). Isaac Johnston would most likely be William's grandfather due to the ages of Isaac and his children.
CENSUS RECORDS
1820 Tazewell County Census:
Johnston, Cornelius: Shown with 1 male under 10; 1 male between 26 and 45; 3 females under ten and 1 female between 26 and 45. One person in the household is engaged in agriculture.
Johnston, Isaac: Shown with 4 males under 10; 2 males between 10-16; one male between 16-18; two males between 16-26; and one male aged 45 and up (this is Isaac - he was born bef. 1775). He also shows one female under 10; one female between 10-16; one female between 16-26 and one female aged 45 and up. Two in the household are engaged in agriculture. Isaac also lists one slave between 16-26.
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Johnston, John: five males under 10; one male between 26-45; one female under 10; one female between 26-45; one engaged in agriculture.
Johnston, Squire: one male between 16-26; one female under 10; one female 16-26; one engaged in agriculture.
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Johnston, John; 3 males under 10; two males between 10-16; two males 10-16; one male 16-18; one male 16-26; one male 45 and up; one female 10 under; one female 10-16; one female 26-45; one is engaged in agriculture.
1830 Tazewell County Census:
1840 Tazewell County Census:
MARRIAGE/CHILDREN/DEATH
Isaac Johnston married Sarah ________ during the 1790's. They had 13 children together as evidenced by documents from the Tazewell County Court Order Book between 1834-1836. This document (below), page 430, lists the heirs at law of Isaac Johnson, dec'd:
John Elswick & Wife, Complainants
against In Chancery
Johnson's Heirs, Defendants
This cause came on to be heard this 28th day of September, 1836 upon the Bill, Answers, exhibits and was argued by counsel, and the said Bill having been heretofore taken for confessed against the Defendants Cornelius Johnson and Daniel Johnson and the said Defendant Cornelius having failed to come in for partition & to bring into hotchpot the land received by him as an advancement by his father Isaac Johnson, dec'd, it is considered by this Court and accordingly adjudged, ordered and and decreed that William Cox, William Barns & Alexander Ward be and they are hereby appointed Commissionerswith authority, after being first duly sworn, to go on the lands of Isaac Johnson Dec'd & divide the same, laying off and assigning in the first place the dower of the widow Sarah Johnson, regard being had to quality as well as quantity, and then dividing the residue into twelve equal parts or portions of which Daniel Johnson, John Elswick & wife [Elizabeth Johnson], Daniel Young & wife [Mary Johnson], Asa Harper & wife [Eleanor Nelly Johnson], Isaac Johnson, Jackson Johnson, John Johnson, William Johnson, George Johnson, Harrison Johnson, Sally Johnson and the heirs of Squire Johnson, Dec'd, shall separately receive one portion & the said Commissioners are further required to make report of their proceedings to this Court and this cause is continued.
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Because the document above lists the "heirs at law" of Isaac, Isaac must have died "intestate" (i.e. without a will). It appears that Cornelius and Daniel were the oldest. Both, certainly Cornelius, received an advancement of land by their father. At Isaac's death, Cornelius and Daniel were required to put their land advancements back into the "hotchpot" so that all of the land could be divided evenly among the heirs according to intestate succession. From other records, we know that Cornelius migrated to Vigo County, Indiana in or around 1835-1836. The fourteen children of Isaac and Sarah Johnston are thus:
(1) Cornelius (b. abt 1792) married Katherine Davis abt 1815
(2) Squire (b. bet 1794-1800) married Polly Lester 1819
(3) Daniel (b. abt. 1803)
(4) Elizabeth (b. abt. 1804) (married John Elswick - only 3 pgs from William in the 1850 census)
(5) Mary (b. abt. 1796) married Daniel Young
(6) Eleanor (b. abt 1804) married Asa Harper, possibly 1824)
(7) Isaac Jr. (b. 1807) (married Martha Lester Asbury)
(8) Joseph (b. abt. 1815 - died mid 1830's)
(9) Jackson (b. 1820) (married to Susannah Cordill)
(10) John (b abt 1813??? - living 3 pages from wcj)
(11) William (b. abt. 1810)
(12) George W. (b. abt. 1825)
(13) Harrison (b. abt. 1825)
(14) Sarah (Sally) b. abt. 1812 - Reuben Ratliff (he's 44 in 1850 census)
(WORK IN PROGRESS...)
Estate Sale of Isaac Johnson
"A list of the sales of the personal estate of Isaac Johnson Deceased sold on the 3rd day of October, 1834, by John Cecil, Administrator:
Purchasers who bought as of October 3, 1834 listed in order:
Sarah Johnson, Sen.
Shadrack White
Nelly Harper
Sarah Johnson, Jr
Marjory McLocklin
William Correl
Daniel Johnson
Charles Matney
Tolbert Elswick
John Cecil
John B. George
John Elswick
Chapman A. Spotts
James Lester
William Smith, Esqr.
Isaac Luster
Daniel Young
Samuel Steel
Jeremiah Cordel
James Prator
John ?Wettel?
Wm. Blankenship
Jefferson Deskins
William Elswick
Garlant Hurt
Harvey Steel
William Johnson (bot. "one gun")
Joab Wilson
Joseph Brown
Milton Ward
Thomas Davis
Ennis Ratliff
William Bradshaw
Smith Deskins
George Steel
John McGuire
Purchasers who bought as of November 28, 1834:
Sarah Johnson
Isaac Johnson
Daniel Johnson
Purchasers who bought as of December 28, 1835:
Agnis Elswick
John Blankenship
Purchasers who bought as of July 23, 1836:
Sarah Johnson, Sen.
On August 31, 1836, John Cecil, Administrator, returned an account of the sales of the personal property of Isaac Johnson, Dec'd.
LAND RECORDS
Isaac purchased land in what was then Russell County, Virginia, but would later become Tazewell County. Isaac made subsequent land purchases in the early 1800's in Tazewell County. In fact, Isaac was a signer of the petition to form Tazewell County in 1797-1798 from partes of Wythe and Russell County. From land and tax records, it appears that Isaac amassed approximately 850 acres of land by the time of his death in 1834.
Russell County Virginia Surveyors Book I
September 19, 1795: (shown on map: Clinch River, Indian Creed, Middle Creek and Mud Lick Creek) shows various treasury warrants from various dates "on both sides of the north fork of Clinch River," the "north side of Kents Ridge," and "on the south side of the Town Hollow Ridge." "Included within the boundary the following surveys ... Isaac Johnson 250 ac."
March 15, 1821: Isaac Johnson - 16 ac. - part of Exhcnage Warrant 2091 dated November 1, 1809 - on the waters of Cedar Creek - corner to John Alexander & Benjamin Johnson."
Tazewell County Land Tax Records
1838: Tax List - "Johnson, Isaac heirs" with 400 acres on or about the Clinch River, 200 more acres on the Clinch River, 10 acres on Dismal Creek and 83 acres on the Clinch River for a total of 693 acres in Tazewell County. Also lists "Johnston, Daniel" as a resident of Tazewell County and holding 70 acres in fee on the Dismal Creek fork of the Sandy River.
1839: Tax List - "Johnston, Isaac heirs" with 399 acres on "_____ Spring" and 10 acres on "Dismal" (Creek). There is no mention of the 200 acres or the 83 acres on the Clinch. Presumeably, they either sold these two tracts or the land was shown under other names (the daughters?). Daniel Johnston is shown owning 85 acres in "Richlands."
1846: Tax List -
Harper, Nelly with 50 acres on the Maiden Spring Fork
Johnston, Squire Heirs: 57 acres, Maiden Spring
Johnston, George: 57 acres, Maiden Spring
Johnston, John: 57 acres, Maiden Spring
Johnson, Harrison: 65 acres, Maiden Spring
Johnson, Sarah: 149 acres in a "life" estate (her "dower")
Johnson, Daniel: 85 acres, Clinch River
1840 Land Transaction Between Eleanor Harper & Shadrack White:
(page 1 above)
White, Shadrack
from
E. Harper
This indenture made this xxxxx day of October, 1840 between Ellenor Harper of the one part and Shadrack White of the other part, both of the County of Tazewell & State of Virginia, entereth? that the said Ellenor Harper /w and in consideration of the amount? of two hundred and fifteen dollars, of lawful money to her in hand paid by the said Shadrack White, the receipt where of is hereby acknowledged, has granted, bargained and sold, and by ... ? does grant bargain and sell unto the said Shadrack White, all & singular, the right, title, interest & claim of her, the said Elenor Harper, in as to the real estate of her father Isaac Johnson, dec'd. The same being in two parcels viz: the one undivided twelfth part of the land assigned to the widow of said Isaac Johnson &/or her Dower, which will vest in possession in the said Ellenor Harper on the death of the said widow of Isaac Johnson, & also another certain parcel of land which was assigned & alloted to the said Ellenor Harper in the division of the lands of said Isaac Johnson numbered 6 containing 54 acres more or less & bounded as follows to wit: Beginnning at a white oak & sugar tree on a line between Isaac Johnson (jr) & George Green and turning then with Green ... to a black oak by a ... corner to Green .... to a Spanish Oak a corner of said Isaac Johnson ...
(page 2 above)
to a stake in line with Isaac Johnson's ... to the beginning : to have and to hold the said two parcels of land above assigned with all & singular the appurtunences to them in any wise bleonging unto the said Sahdrack White & his heirs forever. And the said Ellenor Harper, /or herself & her heirs the said two parcels of land as above described ...
Eleanor (x) Harper
(her mark)
Cornelius Johnston
Tazewell County, VA Chancery Records
p. 304 Richard Ferrell Complainant }
against } In Chancery
Cornelius Johnston, Isaac Johnston }
and William H. Remine, Defendants }
On this 2d day of February 1836, this cause came on to be heard upon the Bill of the
complainant, the answer of Cornelius Johnston, the Depositions of Witnesses and exhibits
in the cause and was argued by counsel. And it appearing to the Court, that the Subpoena
in this cause had been served upon the other Defendants more than four months ago, and
also that a Sum facias to revive had been legally executed upon John Cecil the
administrator of the said Isaac Johnston, who, since the institution of this suit has died
intestate, requiring him to appear here and show cause on the 8th Day of December last
part, why the said Suit should not be proceed in to a final decree, and he not yet having
shown any cause to the contrary, it is ordered that the same stand revived against the said
Cecil administrator of the said Isaac Johnston deceased: It is therefore ordered, adjudged
and decreed, that the Complainants’ bill be taken for confesses as to the said Defendants
Wm. H. Remine and John Cecil admr of Isaac Johnston decease. And it further appearing
to the satisfaction of the Court, that since the institution of this suit, the title to the tract of
land mentioned in the Complainant’s Bill has been procured and made according to the
requisition of the bond mentioned in the said Bill, It is therefore adjudged ordered and
decreed that this suit be struck from the Docket; but that the Court being satisfied that the
said Cornelius Johnston was about to leave the Commonwealth when this suit was
brought without making said conveyance, it is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed
that the Defendants the said Cornelius Johnston and William H. Remine do pay to the
Complainant the costs of this suit, and that execution do issue accordingly.
Plaintiff’s Costs
Clerk 8.93 1/2
Shff 1.83
Atto 5.00
pr 8.00
Tax .50
[total] $24.26 1/2
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Avon Lake, OH