Jesse Aaron Johnson (1843 - 1925)

Born 8 Dec 1843 in Faceville, Decatur County, Georgia

Ancestors

Son of Noah W. Johnson and Nancy Jimmie (Lewis) Johnson

Husband of Savannah Georgia Bowen — married 27 Apr 1869 in Gadsden County, Florida

Descendants

Died 6 Jun 1925 at age 81 in Confederate Soldier's Home, Jacksonville, Florida,

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chad Olivent [send private message]

Biography

Jesse Johnson served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Mar 04, 1862
Mustered out: May 11, 1865
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): Co 'D' 17th Regiment Georgia Infantry

Jesse Johnson was born in Decatur County, Georgia. He was named after his grandfather. ^[1]

He came of age at the cusp of the Civil War.^[2]
He and his two brothers enlisted in Company 'D' 17th Regiment, Georgia Infantry in 1862. ^[3]

He served in Benning's Brigade under General Longstreet in the Army of Northern Virginia. They saw action in many of the major battles. He was at Antietam defending Burnside's Bridge; they seized the Devil's Den at Gettysburg; and fought throughout the Wilderness campaign. He was captured at Ft. Harrison along the line at the seige of Petersburg. He was exchanged at James River on 17 March 1865, just in time to join his regiment during the retreat to Appomattox. ^[4]

The regiment was assigned to be the extreme rear guard of the army. They were subject to constant skirmishing from the advancing Union forces. Jesse was cut off at one point during all of this, and had to hide to avoid capture again. He could not get back to the unit, with the whole Federal Army moving past. An opportunity for escape presented itself at some point, as an officer had stopped to attend to nature. He had dismounted and stepped away from his horse. Jesse came out from hiding and stole the officer's horse. He made his way to safety. A few days later, he found out that Lee had surrendered. He set out for home. Several weeks later he arrived, and still had the horse. He made 22 crops with the stolen Yankee horse. He went down to Quincy, Florida and signed his surrender documents, and that ended the war for him. ^[5]

Private Mar. 4, 1862. Captured at Fort Harrison, Va. Sept. 29, 1864. Exchanged at James River, Va. Mar. 17, 1865. Surrendered, Quincy, Fla. May 11, 1865, and paroled there May 23, 1865.^[6]

Upon his return home to Decatur County, he met and married seventeen year old Savannah Bowen, a girl from a previously well heeled Gadsden County family. They made their home in Decatur County, and thrived together. Jesse worked hard farming, Savannah bore many children; and they were able to accumulate several properties. ^[7][8]

Jesse lost his wife early to disease. The loss was hard on him, and he never remarried. He raised his children and orphaned cousins on his own. They all eventually grew up and moved out. Jesse purchased several parcels of land over time, but overextended himself at one point. He was forced to sell them eventually. He moved several miles south to the Blue Spring area in Mt. Pleasant, Florida. He is listed in the Mt. Pleasant, Florida area in 1900. ^[9]

In his later years, Jesse was active member in the United Confederate Veterans organization. As his picture shows, he proudly displayed his membership medal. He enjoyed the camaraderie. After receiving his pension in 1917, he moved into the Confederate Soldier's Home in Jacksonville, Florida. His youngest daughter was living there, so it was an easy move for him.^[10] He was still active and in good health, so he was able to travel back and forth to Decatur County from time to time. Jesse was also pictured in uniform in the 1923 Decatur County Centennial celebration.

Bainbridge Centennial

Jesse died there in 1925, and was returned to Decatur County for his burial in Sylvania Methodist Church cemetery, on land he donated. His obituary misidentifies his company as Company 'C' instead of Company 'D' 17th Georgia Infantry. ^[11][12]

Obituary Jesse Aaron Johnson

DNA

Autosomnal DNA is confirmed between suggested 2nd-3rd cousins.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ Reminiscences of Olga T. Olivent Faceville, Georgia as recorded and transcribed by DCO May, 1984
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6QZ9-85D?cc=1401638&wc=95RX-YWB%3A1031315501%2C1031621601%2C1031621602 : 9 July 2014), Georgia > Decatur > Decatur county > image 17 of 111; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ Georgia Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XFH2-KWG : accessed 10 June 2016), Jesse A Johnson, 1863; from "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Georgia," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); citing military unit 17th Infantry, publication number M266 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 305.
4. ↑ Personal recollections of his son Walter G. Johnson (Josh), in letter dated 1975
5. ↑ Reminiscences of Olga T. Olivent Faceville, Georgia as recorded and transcribed by DCO May, 1984
6. ↑ http://www.thegagenweb.com/gadecatur/Military/CivilWarUnits/17thCoD.htm
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCSY-W8R : 17 October 2014), J A Johnson, Georgia, United States; citing p. 24, family 181, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,645.
8. ↑ United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8LG-64L : accessed 11 June 2016), Jesse Johnson, Militia District 914 Faceville, Decatur, Georgia, United States; citing enumeration district ED 19, sheet 302D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0143; FHL microfilm 1,254,143.
9. ↑ United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M369-K6L : accessed 10 June 2016), Jessee Johnson, Precinct 10-11, Mt. Pleasant, Blue Spring, Gadsden, Florida, United States; citing sheet 6B, family 106, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,169.
10. ↑ Florida, Old Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Home records, 1888-1938," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL3J-JW8Q : 11 February 2018), Jesse A Johnson, 1917; from "Old Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Home," database and images, Florida Memory (https://www.floridamemory.com : n.d.); citing State Library & Archives of Florida, Tallahassee.
11. ↑ "Florida Deaths, 1877-1939," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FP99-HHC : accessed 10 June 2016), Jesse Aaron Johnson, 06 Jun 1925; citing Jacksonville, Duval, Florida, reference 7826; FHL microfilm 2,116,434.
12. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV2D-133Y : accessed 10 June 2016), Jessie Aaron Johnson, 1925; Burial, Faceville, Decatur, Georgia, United States of America, Sylvania United Methodist Church Cemetery; citing record ID 69650614, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
13. ↑ FTDNA James Olivent and a descendant of Nancy A. Sunday ] 3rd cousins, once removed sharing 166 centiMorgans in 18 segments.