| The Johnson Family Book 2 -
Johnsons of St. George, Georgia
By Viva Jean Johnson Outterson
Chapter 1 Pages 3-18 THE JOHNSONS' ANCESTRAL HOME LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is the region in which ancestors of the Wilbert Johnson family lived. The individualistic spirit and social responsibility of Wilbert Johnson can be best grasped by understanding the ancestral roots of the family. Wilbert's bloodline stems from two prominent and respected families of Lancaster County, the Johnsons and the Caugheys. Both families are of Scottish bloodlines with the strong Presbyterian concept of spiritual and political freedom
common to the Scots. This belief developed men and women of indomitable courage to espouse a cause that had as its purpose the removal of the shackles from body, mind and spirit. They took extraordinary interest in the development of our country and the formation of its government. The Johnsons were settlers and builders of vast landholdings, while the Caugheys established themselves as farmers and then because of their restless energy felt the need to be pioneers of the frontier and push the
frontier farther and farther westward during the early years of our country. (Click map to enlarge.)
 Lancaster County is located west of the city of Philadelphia and northeast of the Susquehanna River. The topography is soft rolling hills and ridges, located in the heart of the Lebanon Valley
that makes for rich farmlands. Today Lancaster County has a population of about a half a million people. The beauty of the manicured farms and fields of the Amish people, a branch of the Mennonite religion, attracts many tourists to the region each year. The simple life espoused by the Amish and exhibited by the use of horses and buggies attracts the admiration of many. The county seat is the city of Lancaster. The county is rich in natural resources and has played a major role in
American history.  |
THE MANICURED FARMS OF LANCASTER COUNTYWhen Pennsylvania was established by William Penn in 1682, the area had few inhabitants, except for native Americans. Penn was a Quaker and had suffered for his
nonconformist religion. He became a devout advocate of Quaker doctrines and political liberalism. He invited people of different religious faiths to come and enjoy the personal freedom that was to be found in Pennsylvania. The Quakers were the first to come, followed by the Mennonites, Huguenots, Presbyterians and Lutherans. Political freedom attracted many Presbyterians from Scotland and Ireland. Conclaves of various
groups were formed throughout the counties of Pennsylvania. Even within counties, small conclaves of the various religious groups were founded. (Click map to enlarge.)  In 1700, the population of Pennsylvania was about 20,000 with most of the people concentrated in the area in and around Philadelphia. With the promise
of religious and political freedom, people from Europe, including Ireland, Scotland and England came. By 1790 the state had grown to about 434,000 inhabitants.
In Lancaster County, the Huguenots settled in an area known today as Paradise Township. Settlements of the German speaking Mennonites were spread throughout the county. German Lutherans settled in an area that was to be called Martic Township. The Scottish and Northern Irish pilgrims settled in an area
that was later called Drumore Township. Dru-more Township was later divided into Drumore, Little Britain, Bart and Eden Townships. Colerain Township was settled by the Irish who chose to name the area after a place in Ireland of the same name. In the early 1700s, as the settlers moved farther west from Philadelphia into Chester and Lancaster Counties, Indian raids was a constant problem. Settlers were scalped
and their homes and belongings burned. Security came by families congregating in settlements where they could muster a good defense. The men would move out to till the fields but retreat to the settlement at nighttime. Bounties were offered to those who would bring in Indian scalps. Some of the settlers, known in terms of the English class system as yeomen, bought slaves to tend the fields. Others paid for indentured servants who were acquired by the
sponsoring person paying the price of the boat passage of the servant and his family to this county. The period of indentured servitude would last from five to ten years, depending on the total cost. After their period of servitude they became known as freemen. The time of arrival of the Johnsons and Caugheys to Lancaster County is not clear. By 1750 there were many Johnsons in Lancaster. Johnson is a common Scottish name
so it is suspected that many of them were not related. The records indicate that a James Johnson bought forty acres on February 8, 1760, in Little Britain Township. John Johnson, by virtue of two patents dated November 19, 1764, and February 1773, acquired 364 acres and 55 perches of land in Little Britain Township. The Johnson family became a very large landholder in Little Britain Township and Colerain Township. It is thought that James Johnson was the father of John Johnson. Both James and
John were on the tax rolls of Little Britain Township in 1763. The Caugheys are not to be found on any of the township tax rolls prior to 1760, although the families could have been in the area earlier but not as taxpayers. The three Caughey brothers born in the 1720s, who were thought to be sons of Francis Caughey, Francis, Samuel and John, became landholders in Little Britain, Bart and Colerain townships, respectively. On November 20, 1767, Francis Caughey bought 167
acres in Bart Township. Samuel Caughey was on the tax rolls of Little Britain Township as early as 1777. In that year, Little Britain, the largest of the three townships, had 52 indentured families, 166 yeomen families and 36 freemen families. John acquired a large plantation of 230 acres in Colerain Township which he later transferred to his son, James. In 1780, James Caughey appeared on the tax rolls of Colerain Township. (Click on map to enlarge.)
 Many of the savage atrocities of the French and Indian War of 1754-63 were committed in Lancaster County. In 1754, young George Washington with a small force was sent to capture a French fort, located on the present site of Pittsburgh where he was defeated. The next year a larger force under the command of British General Braddock made another attack. The British force was defeated and
Braddock killed. The men of Lancaster County rallied to the call to arms for general defense. Many of them performed their duty on the border while other served as officers and soldiers in the battalions which marched to the western front on the border of Ohio under the leadership of General Forbes and General Bouquet. It is interesting to note that one of those battalion officers was Captain William Johnston.
The British emissary, Sir William Johnson, concluded a peace treaty with the Indians on May 8, 1765. This ended the horrors of Indian warfare for the people in Lancaster County. After the signing, Lancaster County prospered and large plantations were developed. Both the Johnsons and Caugheys expanded their landholdings during this period. Since women could not own property, all the family property was in the name of the male head of the household.
Lancaster County became a center of industry with the discovery of iron ore and the manufacturing of iron products. It was here that the famed Pennsylvania rifle, a gun of great accuracy, was developed. This rifle became the main weapon of defense and hunting for the settlers and pioneers.
THE CONESTOGA WAGONLancaster County was also the birthplace of the Conestoga wagon made famous during the 18" and 19" centuries as the vehicle used by the pioneers as they moved westward. Some of these wagons had rear wheels over five feet tall to conquer the rough terrain. The canvas covers of these wagons rose to over 10 feet above ground. These tops extended out over both ends of the wagon to protect the driver and
contents from the elements. The wooden ends of the wagon were higher than the sides of the bed of the wagon to prevent the cargo from spilling out. Some of these very rugged and stoutly constructed wagons could support over four tons. MIDDLE OCTORARA UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
As Scots, both the Johnsons and the Caugheys were advocates and supporters of the Church of Scotland. The early family members perhaps helped in the development of the Middle Octorara Church. This church, located in Bart Township, was organized in 1727. Later in 1753, it was established as the Middle Octorara Presbyterian Church. In 1754, a congregation of the Associate Church of Scotland, better known as the
Seceders formed a church across the road from the Middle Octorara Presbyterian Church. Later in the century the Union Presbyterian Church was formed in Colerain Township. Many of the Johnsons who lived in Colerain became members of this church. These churches became congregations of the United Presbyterian Church when it originated in 1858. After several years, the Church of the Seceders and the Middle Octorara Presbyterian Church were joined and became the Middle Octorara
United Presbyterian Church. Today this church is still operating and has a very active membership. The church cemetery is the final resting-place for many of the early settlers of the area. The oldest grave is that of William Barclay who departed this life in 1732. The Reverend John Cuthbertson, the first Reformed Presbyterian minister to preach in America, is 'buried in the church cemetery. John Cuthbertson landed in this country on August 5,
1751, and departed this life on March 10, 1795 in the seventy-fifth year of his life. Over the years both the Johnsons and Caugheys were very active members of this church. The graves of many Johnsons can be found throughout the church cemetery. John Caughey, son of Francis, and his wife, Elizabeth, and their son, John, are buried here.  |
MIDDLE OCTORARA UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CEMETERYThe Scottish people, as a group, have a strong personal commitment to their God and country and belief in freedom. Both the Caugheys and the Johnsons heeded the call to arms in the Revolutionary War and were active participants in the Battle of Brandywine. The early events of the war centered in New England and later in 1776 the war was
shifted to New York and New Jersey. Late in 1776 General George Washington's Continental Army was pushed from Trenton, New Jersey, across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. The Continental Congress head-quartered in Philadelphia fled to Lancaster and later to York to escape the British. In December, with his unit of 2500 regulars reinforced with troops from New York and new recruits from Pennsylvania, Washington was able to re-cross the Delaware in a flanking movement and inflict heavy
losses upon the British forces under Lord Cornwallis and British General Sir William Howe. In the summer of 1777, General Howe loaded an armada of 300 ships with his force of 18,000 troops and made plans to attack the heartland of eastern Pennsylvania in the area of Chester and Lancaster Counties. These eastern counties produced the food and materials of war for the colonies. The great port of Philadelphia was used to ship
these materials. The productive fields of grain fed the army and civilians of the other colonies. From the iron mines and furnaces came over half of the iron produced in the colonies. This iron was forged into the cannons and cannon balls of war. From the busy shops of eastern Pennsylvania, the rifle-makers were producing the famed Pennsylvania rifle that the British feared because of its deadly accuracy in the hands of the patriots.
British General Howe sailed his armada up Chesapeake Bay, landed his forces and marched them northward toward Wilmington, Delaware Howe's forces consisted of British regulars and a large contingent of Hessians soldiers hired by the British. Lord Cornwallis moved his forces westward to Philadelphia and beyond to confront the patriots. Moving northward, Howe's forces encountered only light resistance from Genera Washington's forces. Deciding not to engage the British, Washington has his
forces fall back. It was not clear to Washington the intent of Genera Howe so he continued to withdraw his forces. Washington decided that he would make his stand at Brandywine Creek, a few miles west of Philadelphia, where the Baltimore-Philadelphia road forded the stream. General Washington called for troops from the state militia of the area to come to the aid of the continental regulars. The state militia, composed of the settlers from the
counties of Chester and Lancaster, took up their trusty Pennsylvania rifles and answered the call. About 6,500 men of the state militia joined Washington's 2,500 regulars to form a fighting force of about 9,000 men to face the British forces of 18,000. British Lord Cornwallis' forces, outflanked by Washington a year earlier, was joined by General Howe and his British regulars. Howe had divided his forces, leaving his main
force of Hessians under the command of General Knyphausen. Cornwallis and Howe's combined forces moved northward, east of Washington's army, in a flanking maneuver. General Knyphausen's army engaged the Brandywine defenders on the southern flank. The main body of Lord Cornwallis' forces on the east, moved northward and westward, some seventeen miles around the patriots. The defenders were outflanked to the north, east and south. The patriots were caught in the middle of two great armies. On the morning of September 11, 1777, Cornwallis issued the signal to attack. The Americans offered a gallant resistance to a force twice their size but the bloody battle took a heavy toll on the patriots. The badly outnumbered continental soldiers, supported by the Pennsylvania Militia of Chester and Lancaster Counties, fought bravely and suffered many killed and wounded. With heavy casualties, the patriots,
under the cover of darkness, made a hasty and disorderly withdrawal to the west. Although the patriots under General Washington suffered a tragic defeat, the strong defense they mounted dissuaded the British forces from trying to capture the heartland of Pennsylvania. Lord Cornwallis and General Howe withdrew their forces to the safety of Philadelphia. The heartland of eastern Pennsylvania, the supplier of the food and materials of war for the colonies, was saved.
The names of Caughey and Johnson are listed among the combatants of the Battle of Brandywine. Some of the Caugheys who served in the Pennsylvania Militia were Private John Caughey, son of Samuel and Esther Caughey, Private Andrew Caughey and Ensign John Caughey, Sr., sons of Francis and Jean Caughey. Samuel Caughey, son of Samuel and Esther Caughey was a regular in the Continental Army. John Johnson, born in 1732, earned the rank of captain and was the commanding officer of
the 3" Company, 2"' Battalion, commanded by Colonel James Watson of the Lancaster County Militia, which was under the command of Colonel Alexander Lowry. Captain Johnson recruited and organized his company of troops from Little Britain Township. The Lancaster County Militia numbered about four thousand men and represented a large segment of Washington's forces at the Battle of Brandy-wine. Robert Johnson, oldest son of John Johnson, was an ensign in the 6" Company of the
2"' Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia. William Johnson, thought to be a relative of John, was the commanding officer of the 8" Company of the 5" Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia. The offspring of these courageous men followed in their ancestors' footsteps during the War of 1812. John Caughey, Jr. and Francis Caughey, the sons of John Caughey, Sr., answered the call when their country beckoned and served in Captain Neals' Company
of the Pennsylvania Militia. Robert Johnson, son of Ensign Robert Johnson, was a private in Captain Thomas Huston's Company of the Second Regiment, Second Brigade of the Pennsylvania Militia. Lancaster County has a rich heritage of brave men and women who sought religious and political freedom and who were willing to defend their belief in these principles. The Caugheys and Johnsons came to this country in search of a better life than they
enjoyed in Scotland. They were among the brave pioneers and settlers who opened up the frontiers of the New World. The Caugheys and Johnsons answered their new country's call to arms to overthrow the tyrannical yoke of the British. With blood, sweat and tears, the early settlers built Lancaster County into the strong and prosperous county it is today. The people of this county can be proud of the contributions made by these two great families, the Caugheys and Johnsons.
[End Chapter 1.] Chapter 2 - The Johnsons of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania |
