Subj: Re: "Strangers in Our Midst"
Date: 98-05-17 12:06:25 EDT
From: ksalisbury@ccsinc.com (Karen L. Salisbury)
Reply-to: ksalisbury@ccsinc.com
To: RJohns24@aol.com (RJohns24), Aor7capt@aol.com, HJohns3@aol.com, mpollock@mindspring.com, gmjohns@wwd.net (George Johns) CC: JPayne5744@aol.com (Joe Payne)

I included Joe in this one as TN shows up. I found additional on Johns Shephard Johns. AMHERST COUNTY: Power of Attorney, 22 Jan 1844. John S. Johns appointed William R. Tinsley his Power of Attorney to recieve for him $160 from the estate of his mother Naomah Garner of Amherst County. Tinsley was also to demand John's share of the estate of David Tinsley. (He married Caroline Tinsley, d/o Anson. I don't know who Wm is but perhaps a brother in law) Johns was then living in Lincoln Co., TN. 20 March 1844 he recovered $69.41. Karen L. Salisbury wrote:

RJohns24 wrote:
Dear Karen,
Subj: Re: Amherst and John and Oney Dillard John
Date: 02/11/98
To: ksalisbury@ccsinc.com
File: C:\DOCUMENT\TRENTWIL.DOC (11264 bytes)
DL Time (14400 bps): < 1 minute
Dear Karen,
I'm dark too and I turn almost black in the sun, or at least I used to when I was younger and let the sun have its way. During that time some people thought I looked Italian although no one ever said Indian.
I have had quite an interchge of email with John Thomas Gurney III, who is a direct descendant of William Johns. He is responsible for the extensive WFT pedigree Vol. 7, Ped # 1703 descendants of William Johns. As I said in my earlier msg, it was he who told me of the story about Kate Johns> (M), and James Grant (W) with two different families, Grant with a white wife and set of white children and Kate with a set of Grant mulatto children, with the surname same as hers. This is somewhat substanciated by her tombstone. I have a photo of it. It says, Kate Johns, daughter of Preston Johns, he being the son of Talton Johns (Tarleton), January 1, 1868, July 20, 1964, Gone but not forgotton. What proves they never married to me is that she went to her death with her maiden name. Now what we do not know, was she a > servant, perhaps, or was he estranged from his wife and they lived together but could not marry because of the laws of interracial marriages. Time will tell. Research is early.
John said that Kate was a servant in the Grant home, in more ways than one. This is just about what I believe happened in > the > > case of > > Robert Johns Sr., although one of Robert's white sons may have been the father and we don't know who the Indian servant was. > > I don't know this either. I tend not to make theories and wait and > see > what facts develop. Why do they always need to be servants if they > are > Indians?
I am going to send you by smail, copies of some of the interchange I had with John Gurney. I am also going to include a partial descendancy Gen > > Report on John's pedigree. John's immediate ancestors are among those members > > > of the > > William Johns Settlement that fled the persecution in VA and went to Anne > > Arundle , MD . I will also include the two copies of 1640 > Northampton > > court > > items pertaining to Richard Johns which I have not had time to send > > before.
In the matter of John Alexander Johns and Oney Dillard Johns, I paste below your last msg.
From Stranger, appendix. Several are listed in the 1830 and 1840 census as mulatto. A third was also ordered by the court to Register in > 1860 but never did. (Many did not) It is all there in what I sent,> under the sources for each individual. I'm not sure what you meant when you said it is all there in what > you > > sent. > > The names of the children are there but there is nothing about their being listed as mulatto. As a matter of fact the 1830, 1840 US census > used > > the same > > forms and there was no separate listing of children by names as > there > > was in > > the 1850 census. The only person who could be listed by name was > the > > head of > > house. Slaves could be listed by number and free persons of color by number. John Alexander never made it into either the 1790 or 1800 census as > > far as I > > can tell by my copy of the census index, and d. 1801. Oney Johns could not have appeared listed separately in any census before 1850, when the > > wife and > > children were first listed separately by name, age, sex, and color. > > By that > > time Oney had died (1837) and the children had moved from VA. At > > least the > > ones with which I'm familiar.
James D. Johns, Rockingham Co NC, James D. is on the 1830 and 1840 Amherst Census listed as free colored. When did he move to Rockingham Co NC?1830: 1 free colored male, 10-20, > 1 > f.c.m. 36-55, 4 f.c.f. under 10, 1 f.c.f. 10-24, 1 f.c.f. 24-36 > 1840: 3 f.c.m. under 10, 1 f.c.f. 55-100, 1 f.c.f. under 10, 3 f.c.f. > 10-24, 1 f.c.f. 36-55, 1 f.c.f. 55-100, 4 in agriculture, 1 insane.  John S. > > Johns, Rockingham Co. NC, > > When did he move? In July Court 1860 he was ordered to Register, no > record found, so he didn't register as many didn't. Lewis H. Johns, Franklin Co. TN, No info found. William C. Johns, > > location unk. but not in Amherst Co. VA, > > No info found > > > Nancy Tyler, unk. > > No info found. > > > Unless you can > > explain how the McElroys documented their statement, I think we'll > > have to disallow this completely. They never made statements. Just recorded Census, Registries, Taxes, > Marriages. The above brothers are clearly mulatto/Indian, so as all > children have same parents, I don't think it is much of a leap to > assume > the siblings are also. > > > John Alexander, and Oney Dillard in the clear as having any > documented > > mulatto > > connection. > > It is proven that two of their children are mulatto/Indian. John A. > died before the registry and does not show to me on a census that I > have > found as yet. Doesn't mean he isn't there, just personally haven't > run > across it yet.

I am searching for the where abouts of Benjamin JOHNS after 1818.

I list three men named JOHNS in Smith County, TN in the early 1800s. Benjamin JOHNS, Isaac JOHNS [selling land in 1806 in Smith Co. TN] and Elias JOHNS 1803. Were these three men brothers?

On Caney Fork River, Smith County, TN, Benjamin JOHNS of Washington Co, VA bought land in June 1789. The witness was Israel JOHNS. Were these men brothers? Was Benjamin just moving to TN from VA at this point? Did he have any family with him?

I know that in 1806 Benjamin JOHNS married Sarah GALE widow of Josiah GALE of Chesterfield Co., VA. Sarah and her children had moved to TN about 10 years after her husband died. Most of the children were grown but several were still under age at the time of the marriage.

Benjamin JOHNS bought land in Carthage, TN, a town lot, in 1810 and sold it in 1818. What happened to Benjamin and Sarah JOHNS?

Any help in locating this family, Benjamin before he moved from VA to TN or especially afterwards.

Thanks!

I show a Benjamin Johns In Smith Co., TN on the 1820 census. Page 66 - 1 male over 45 and 1 female over 45. Also in Smith Co., 1820 - Elias Johns - page 67 1 male under 10 2 males 10 to 16 1 male 16 to 18 1 male 16 to 26 1 male 26 to 45 4 females under 10 1 female 16 to 26 1 female 26 to 45 Enoch Johns page 66 1 male 16 to 26 1 female under 10 1 female 16 to 26

Jesse Johns page 66 3 males under 10 1 male 10 to 16 1 male over 45 1 female 10 to 16 1 female 26 to 45

1830 Middle TN Census index: Elias Johns Smith County page 58

1840 TN Census index Bennet L. Johns Smith County page 259 No Twp. L. Elias Johns Smith County page 259 " " "

The only Benj. I have on the 1850 census was in Bradley County. He was born ca1819 in TN and his wife is listed as Mary. The listing following his may be his father Samuel Johns born ca 1776, N.C. wife is Nancy born ca 1790, PA

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