A response to Gayle Gunter's questions regarding the Johnstons

[Clayton Mann]

A few years ago Ruth Hary of Texas, who is a member of the Holt and Mann Google groups, and a descendant of the Mann family through Patience Mann Johnston as well as her sister Winifred Mann, sent me a copy of a letter written in the 1930s by an old man named James Henry Blake.  Mr. Blake was a great-grandson of Patience Mann Johnston and a grandson of Martha Johns[t]on Blake, the Martha you mentioned below.  His letter is one of the most valuable pieces of evidence we have on the early Mann and Johns[t]on families.  A large part of the letter deals with the Blakes, but their are several key sections that deal with the Manns and Johns[t]ons.  I will reproduce those sections here with my comments following and some interspersed in curly {} brackets —

 

    Richard Johnson, born in Virginia, married Patience Mann.  My great-grandma was a Martin and married a Mann {He's off a generation here...you'll see a little bit later}. He and wife had 7 girls: Rebecca, Martha, Jane or Jiny, Milly or Mily, Penny, ?, ? and one son James who married a Miss Rollins.  My mother thinks her name was Jane. {Her name was Jane...Mom was right}

Charlie and John Johnson were brothers of Richard Johnson, John a ½ brother.

Grandpa also had two sisters named Penny and Polly.  Penny married a man who was killed under a tree {either Stephen Mann or George A. Holt, I believe}, and Polly married Joshua Demby {Denby}.  She had sisters named ----minia {probably Jeminia}, Veny {Winny}, Peneken {Penny}, Manny {Milly-?} , Lucy.  Brothers, Martin, Stephen, Daniel, and Silas {Bingo on all 4 sons}.

    My Grandmother Blake was a Johnson, Martha Johnson, cousin to Andrew Johnson {I doubt this is so...can not find proof}.  Martha Johnson and Phillip Blake were married in or near Raleigh, NC about the year 1824 or 1826 {marriage bond date was 11/27/1827 -- Wake County, NC}.  Came to Maury County, Tennessee in 1828.  They stayed in N.C. until my father Henry Johnson Blake was born.

    My Great-Great-Grandmother was a Martin and my great-grandmother was a Mann {This is the right relationship...he was mistaken in the first sentence}.

    Grandpa Johnson {Great-grandpa, actually} had two brothers, John and Charles.  John married ? {Sarah} Stephens.  Their children were Dempsey, Daniel, Jack, Silas; girls, Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Sally, Penny, Nancy.  Charles married Prudence Mann, my great-grandmother's sister.  They had 12 children: John, James, Jo, Charles, Daniel, one dead, Nancy, Elizabeth, Prudence, Lucy, one dead, and I forgot the name of one.

    Elizabeth married George Holt, Prudence married ? {Alsey} Holt, John was in Mississippi when last heard from.  Dempsey married Martha _?_entor, Daniel married Ally Oliff {Olive}, Polly married Burrell Oliff {Olive}, Betsy or Elizabeth married Willis Wilson, Lucy {no, actually Sarah "Sally"} married Edwin Holleman and lived in Wake County.

    I think Jim Woodard pr____hs {perhaps-?} married my grandmother's aunt named Lee or Milly Mann.  Children: Wiley, Ben, Peter, James and Joe.

 

Comments:

• The Johnstons were in Northampton County, NC, just as the Manns were, before moving to the Buckhorn District of Wake County, NC.  They lived very near the Chatham County line.  John Johnston moved just over the line to Chatham only a few years after arriving.  Charles followed a few years later and Richard moved there sometime after 1830.  That Richard Johnston was born in Virginia is quite possible; however, his 1850 census record states he was born in North Carolina.  So does Charles Johnston's.  Both lived in Chatham County in 1850.  John died in early 1848 in Chatham County.
• Census records for Richard Johnston are missing in 1810 and 1820 because he lived in Wake County, but from what I can tell he did have few sons, perhaps only one as stated, and several daughters. The girls that are supposedly his daughters have all been located in the Buckhorn/Cape Fear area.  Rebecca Johnston married Squire Holt.   Jane Johnston married Nial Gunter.  Milly lived with Jane and Nial and later married Nial after Jane died.  Patience married John Holt, Squire's younger brother. Milbury married David Mims.  I'm not certain about Penny.  James married Jane Rollins.  It appears, however, from looking at the 1850 census that Richard Johnston had a 2nd family.  Either Winney Johnston in his household is his 2nd wife and the younger individuals are her children (and Richard's), or Winney is a daughter or daughter-in-law of Richard and the children are hers, father unknown.  I can not find Richard in 1840.  In 1830 he is still in Wake County.
• Polly Johns[t]on married Joshua Demby in August 1812 in Wake County.  I am aware of two different men in that area that married women named Penny or Penelope Johns[t]on (Pennys who were born by 1790) and both these men died suddenly, such as what would happen if a tree fell on you.  Stephen Mann married a Penny Johnson in 1807 in Wake County (Buckhorn District).  Stephen was only 32 or 33 years old when he died in January 1815, but he left a will...one that seems hurried...none of his children are mentioned.  George A. Holt, father of Anderson Holt, Alsey Holt, Jeptha Holt, Grace Holt and others died suddenly, it appears, in 1826.  He left a pregnant wife and several young children.  He left no will, but he had property.  And his widow, Penelope, AKA, Siddy, lived very near Charles Johnston.  Were they siblings??  I would guess so, but then who was the Penny Johnson that married Stephen Mann.  I can find no other Johns[t]on families in the Buckhorn District in the early 1800s that she could fit into.
• According to other records I have handed down from Cousin Irene Johnson Holt, several of the Charles & Prudence Johnston children moved to Mississippi.  And she said Charles & Prudence had 12 or 13 children also.  More study needs to be done on this group.  Need some Johnston descendants to help with this.
• The Lee or Milly Mann that supposedly married Jim Woodard (could be Woodward) is a real puzzler.  I can not find a Jim or James Woodard or Woodward anywhere who had sons Wiley, Ben, Peter, James and Joe.  I feel like the Richard Mann daughter named Manny Mann must be this Milly, it's just been mis-transcribed.  The copy of the letter I have is actually a transcription of the original letter by a granddaughter of James H. Blake.  I would love to see the original letter and plan to pursue that end.  Does anyone out there know anything about the Woodard/Woodward family of southwestern Wake County?

Clayton

 

 

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From: rgunt...@bellsouth.net [mailto:rgunt...@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 5:18 PM
To: Clayton Mann
Subject: Re: johns(t)ons

Sorry, I'm getting confused here.  Richard & Patience Johnson had the following children:  Martha, James, Jane, Milly and possibly another daughter.  Richard & Charles were brothers.  Was there another brother named John?

All Steve emailed was that Richard was incapacitated before his death and a guardian was appointed.  Was Daniel Johnson that married Alley Olive 1/2 brother to Richard & Charles?  Trying to figure out where to look on the 1850 census for Richard & Charles - did they live in Wake Co all their life.  Any info would help thanks, gayle

----- Original Message -----

From: Clayton Mann

To: rgunt...@bellsouth.net

Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 11:53 AM

Subject: RE: johns(t)ons

Samuel Pearson Norris, younger brother of Needham Norris, was born in 1787.  Richard Johnston who married  Patience Mann was born before 1780, so Steve must be talking about a different Richard Johns[t]on, but I don't know which one.  Don't think Richard had a son named Richard, only one named James, and pretty certain Charles did not either, nor did John. Besides, Charles did not die until after 1850, John died in 1848, and Richard Johnston lived beyond 1850, as well.  Thus no guardians needed.  Wonder who he is talking about??

 

Clayton

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From: rgunt...@bellsouth.net [mailto:rgunt...@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 11:29 AM
To: Clayton Mann
Subject: Re: johns(t)ons

Did you know that Martha Johnson married Phillip Blake on nov 17 1827 Wake Co and moved to Lawrence Co TN.  Steve is looking for guardianship papers on Richard Johnson - thinks guardian was Samuel P Norris, brother of Needham Norris who fits in his line.  When he sends papers will forward if you need.  Will check with archives today about Minnie - do not have good luck with archives finding death cert.  Back to Martha, Born 1808 died april 16 1882 in TN.  Phillip died aug 14 1875 in TN.  Gayle

----- Original Message -----

From: Clayton Mann

To: rgunt...@bellsouth.net

Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 10:19 AM

Subject: RE: johns(t)ons

Regarding Steven Weaver, that's great to hear.  We need some good contacts for the Johnston/Johnson family.

I think Mimi is right about Minnie.  If you can find out about Minnie and her death, burial, etc., that will help.

 

Thanks,

Clayton

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From: rgunt...@bellsouth.net [mailto:rgunt...@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 9:15 AM
To: Clayton Mann
Subject: johns(t)ons

Steven Weaver contacted me thru a queiry had posted on the Gunters.  He is a decendent of Henry Thomas Johnson, son of James & Jane Rollins Johnson. Told him about you researching johnson and the Mann googles group.  He may have additional information for all of us on the Johnston. Sent him Daniel's bible records. He is to send me his info.  Thanks again for YA Holt's death cert & Mimi may be onto something about Minnie.  YA could have married between 1910 & 1917 but may have had a live in and he considered as wife. May try a death certificate on Minnie and may have burial place - I'll see what I can do on that.  Thanks Gayle