John Washington Johnson (1841 - 1922)

Born 9 Dec 1841 in Bibb, Alabama, United States

Husband of Catherine (Berry) Johnson — married 16 Aug 1863 in Bibb County, Alabama

Descendants

Died 4 Sep 1922 at age 80 in Center Point, Kerr Co., TX

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Robert Seale [send private message]

Biography

John Washington Johnson was born in Bibb County,^[1] Alabama, 9 Dec 1841 (1842?)^[2] to Steven Johnson and Martha Brown.^[1] The informant on his death certificate knew little of John's history and provided the 1841 date, repeated on his headstone, In 1900 John says he was born in "Dec 1842". "Age 8" in 1850 and "age 18" in 1860 would be more consistent with December 1841 birthdate.

John m. Catherine Berry 16 Aug 1863^[3]

An image of John Washington Johnson on-line (contributed by Trudy Barnum, accurate link as of Jan 2019, RHSeale) is at Subscription database, Ancestry.com

Military

John enlisted in the Confederate military, co. F, 11th Alabama Reg't, 22 Apr 1861, serving the company as Corporal, and was discharged 5 Apr 1865^[4]

"age 20, rank 3rd corporal, residence Centreville, Alabama"

John has an extensive record during the Civil War, summarized here.^[5]

Sick: Sep and Oct 1861, "absent at Richmond in Hospital sick. has since returned" ^[6]
Present: Seven Pines, 1862/05/30 & 31. (also known as Fair Oaks)
Wounded: Gains [sic] Mill, 1862/06/27. (Battle of Gaine's Mill)
Absent Wounded: Frasiers Farm, 1862/06/30. (part of Seven Days' Battles)
Absent Sick: Manassas No. 2, 1862/08/30 (or Second Battle of Bull Run)
Absent Sick: Sharpsburg, 1862/09/16.
Captured: Salem Church, 1863/05/03. (from CSA rolls, "missing, while falling back from Stansbury Hill to the brick Church" (part of the Battle of Chancellorsville)
Absent Furlough: Gettysburg, 1863/07/02 & 03.

Present: Wilderness, 1864/05/06&07
Absent: Spottsylvania, 1864/05/12
Present: Hanover Junction, 1864/05/24 (part of the Battle of North Anna)
Present: Atlees Station, 1864/06/01 (part of the Battle of Cold Harbor)
Present: Siege of Turkey Ridge, 1864/06/03-12 (part of the Battle of Cold Harbor)
Present: Wilcox Farm, 1864/06/22 (Part of the Siege of Petersburg)
Present: Reams Station, 1864/06/23 (Part of the Siege of Petersburg)
Present: Skirmish of Kautz and Wilsons Raids, 1864/06/29 (part of the Siege of Petersburg)
Present: Crater, 1864/07/30 (part of the Siege of Petersburg)
Present: Whites Tavern, 1864/08/16 (part of the Siege of Petersburg)
Present: Davis Farm, 1864/08/21 (part of the Siege of Petersburg)
Present: Reams Station, 1864/08/25 (part of the Siege of Petersburg)
Absent: Burgess Mill, 1864/10/27

Separately, "Captured Farmville, Apr 6, 1865, Residence Bibb Co., Alabama, complexion fair, hair lb [light brown], eyes blue, height 5' 10", oath of allegiance 24 Jun 1865^[7]

A family anecdote regarding his capture was "he became separated from his outfit. He was near a brook and bent down to wash his face. Some fellow behind him said "raise your hands" - it was a Union officer who captured him. He was in prison camp for awhile. He was tall and muscular - the officer in charge complimented him for carrying more lumber than the other prisoners. He gave him a plug of tobacco and "treated him all right"^[8]

Note that it was during the time after he was captured [and furloughed] following the battle of Salem Church, he returned home and married Catherine Berry, then returned to service by May of 1864 to be present at the Battle of the Wilderness.

Death

John W Johnson died 4 Sep 1922 in Center Point, Kerr, Texas and is buried in the Center Point Cemetery with his wife Catherine.^[1]

Timeline

In 1850, John age 8,^[9] and 1860, John age 18^[10] was present with his parents in Bibb Co., Alabama

There are deed records of John Washington Johnson in Bibb county:
1868 crop sale recorded in Bibb County, Alabama^[11]
1869, 15 May, crop sale recorded in Bibb County, Alabama^[12]
1870, 5 Apr 1870, crop sale recorded in Bibb County, Alabama^[13]

1870 6 Mile, Brierfield, Bibb, Al, census.^[14]
• "Jno" Johnson, 27, farmer, born Alabama,
• Catherine, 26, born Alabama
• Fanny, 4; born Alabama
• James, 1; born Alabama

1880 Leon Co., Texas Federal Census^[15]
• "J W Johnson", 37, born Alabama, farmer, living on farm of T P Barton,
• Catherine, 36, born Alabama, father born Virginia, mother born in Alabama
• "Bulah" 14, born Alabama
• James M, 11, born Alabama
• Albert, 8; born Alabama
• Maud, 5; born Alabama
• "Ednar", 2, born Alabama

1893 12 Oct (filed 17 Dec 1910) John W Johnson, grantee from Hattie B West, 20 acres, part of original survey #48^[16]

1896 26 Mar (recorded 11 Nov 1920) John was a grantor, selling to G C Vaughan & Co 12 acres in survey 48. ^[17]

By 1900Federal Census.^[18]
John was living in Kerr co., Texas. "John W." age 57, b. "Dec 1842", widowed, both parents b. Tennessee.
• Albert Sidney Johnson (son) and his family were living with him. Albert, 26, born May 1874 in Alabama
• Ida, Abert's wife, b. Oct 1877 in Texas, married 4 years, 1 child 1 living
• Gracie, b. Sep 1899 in Texas
• Kate (John's daughter) b. Aug 1881, b. Texas

1905 pension application, J W Johnson, age 63, living Center Point, Kerr Co., 15 years. Disabilities include “old age, wound, rheumatism” Enl co. F 11th Alabama Infantry Regt. 22 Apr 1861, disch 5 Apr 1865. House and lot in Center Point, valued at $300.00^[19]

1919 10 Nov John sells to J L McElroy, "J W Johnson, widower for $600 sells his ½ interest of land in Center Point, 8 acres more or less" in Survey #48^[20]

1920 Widower John W "Johnston" was living with his granddaughter Mamie and her first husband A P Hagens, in Kerr County, Texas^[21]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch : 13 March 2018), John W Johnson, 04 Sep 1922; citing certificate number 26599, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,074,635. "widowed". Birthplace Bibb co. Alabama, father Steven Johnson, mother Martha Brown, informant Mrs. Linnie M Burney, Center Point, Texas
2. ↑ Center Point Cemetery gravestone
3. ↑ Bibb County, Alabama marriage license, 15 Aug, and marriage certificate 16 Aug 1863
4. ↑ Civil War Compiled Service Records
5. ↑ Alabama, Civil War Soldiers, 1860-1865 [Ancestry.com subscription database on-line]
6. ↑ Company Muster Roll, Co., F, 11 Reg't Alabama Infantry
7. ↑ "Roll of prisoners of War released at Newport News, June 24, 1865"
8. ↑ Personal communication from Byron Irwin in Marquez, Texas, June 1974. Byron was a grandson of John Washington Washington. Personal interview by RHSeale|1974
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch: 12 April 2016), John W Johnson in household of Stephen Johnson, Bibb county, Bibb, Alabama, United States; citing family 1022, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch : 13 December 2017), John W Johnson in entry for Stephen Johnson, 1860.
11. ↑ Deed Book J:418. 29 May 1868, Bibb AL, John W Johnson sells one white horse and a growing cotton and corn crop for $119.
12. ↑ Deed Book J:625, John W Johnson sells a growing crop of cotton, corn and wheat and one bay horse for $200.
13. ↑ Deed Book K:323, J W Johnson sells crop and bale of cotton for $60
14. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch : 22 May 2014), Alabama > Bibb > Six Mile > image 17 of 18; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.)., p285a
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch : 24 December 2015), Texas > Leon > Jewett > ED 89 > image 23 of 38; citing NARA microfilm publication T9, (National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C., n.d.)
16. ↑ Kerr county, Texas Deeds 31:73. Johnson may have signed a note on this purchase. On 11 Sep 1920 is recorded that $200 was paid off in full (Kerr county deed 38:613
17. ↑ Kerr county deeds T:344
18. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch : accessed 7 March 2019), John W Johnson, Justice Precinct 2, Kerr, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 42, sheet 8B, family 146, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,651.
19. ↑ Texas, Confederate Pension Application, 1884-1958, #11506
20. ↑ Kerr county, Texas deeds, 38:37
21. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch : accessed 7 March 2019), John W Johnston in household of A P Hagens, Justice Precinct 2, Kerr, Texas, United States; citing ED 127, sheet 9B, line 72, family 205, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1824; FHL microfilm 1,821,824.

See also:

• Griffin, Ronald G, "The 11th Alabama Volunteer Regiment in the Civil War", McFarland and Co., Jefferson, NC. 2008. This is a very detailed history of the 11th Regiment through the whole of the Civil War.