| The Johnson Family Book 2 -
Johnsons of St. George, Georgia
By Viva Jean Johnson Outterson
Chapter 4 Pages 93-118 THE JOHNSONS OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO The Johnson and
Caughey families were pioneers and early settlers of Lancaster County Pennsylvania. In the 1700s they fought off the Indians, developed the land and suffered in their country's fight for freedom. These families were truly endowed with the quest for conquering new frontiers. The Reverend Joseph Barr, minister of the Middle Octorara Church, in Bart Township of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, married James McCullough Johnson and Ann Caughey on April 29, 1829. James and Ann,
although removed several generations from the original Pennsylvania settlers, were possessed with the same pioneering spirit. Following their marriage, they made their home on the farm in Colerain Township in Lancaster County that James owned jointly with his brother John. While James and Ann were living on the farm, they became parents to Franklin A., born on February 28, 1830; Eliza R., born May 25, 1832; and Phebe Jane, born on June 3, 1834. Ann's mother, Elizabeth Kerr, died in December
1832, followed by her father, John Caughey, six months later. Her father's will, which was probated in May 1835, bequeathed two hundred and fifty dollars to Ann, at that time a sizable sum of money. With the war for American independence won and the Indian problem solved, the west was opened for settlers. In late 1835, James sold his interest in the Colerain farm to his brother John. James and Ann loaded their three children and belongings in the Conestoga wagon they had
purchased and leaving the security of their ancestral Pennsylvania home, the family headed west to settle in the new frontier of Ohio. Most of Ann's brothers and sisters had already made a trek west. Many of James' cousins, as well as several families from the area, had also traveled to the Ohio frontier. These families included the Whitesides, McConnells, Coulters, Strattons, Deahuffs and Shoemakers. Most family friends and relatives settled in Medina and Wayne Counties,
Ohio. James and Ann settled in Canaan Township in Wayne County. The land of Wayne and Medina Counties was heavily laden with trees and relatively flat with some minor variations in elevation. Once the land was cleared, broken and tilled, it became rich and highly productive for farming. As a new frontier, the land was available to all who would work the soil.  The first land entry made about Canaan Township in 1812 was about the first log cabin to be built. Among the early settlers in the Canaan area was the Joseph Stratton family from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1817. On May 5, 1819, the twenty-one men, only males were allowed to vote, of the area organized the township. By 1825, twenty-five to thirty families had settled in Canaan Township. In the next few years migration was very rapid so that about half of the
quarter sections of tillable land had upward to seventy cabins on them.
The James and Ann Johnson family was among the early settlers to Canaan Township where they acquired eighty acres of land, composed of the east half of the northeast quarter of section 27, in township 17, of range 13, of Wayne County. With the help of friends and relatives James was able to clear some of his land to begin his farming. As
his farm prospered, James much more acreage to his farm. His property was located a few miles north of the city of Wooster and a short distance south of the town of Creston. Today the location of the James' farm property can be best described as on the north side of the east-west road, one mile south of Route 604 and immediately west of Route 3, with a mile frontage on the east-west road and 1/2 mile frontage on Route 3.
Isaac Notestine an old resident of Canaan Township, in 1880 offered the following recollections of those early times. Mr. Notestine, who was born on March 24, 1822, was a professor at the Canaan Academy that closed in 1875. The following are his reminiscences as reported on page 773 in the book, History of Wayne County, Ohio. Almost every family, men and women, wore "home-spun" at home and abroad.
The only difference between the dress to go to "meetin" and that of the field or the clearing was in being fresh washed for the former. The diet, too, was of the plainest kind, quite limited in variety, and frequently also in quantity. Corn, in its various forms, whole or ground, with buckwheat, potatoes, beans, pork, venison, and other wild meats, were the chief articles of food. Game abounded, and many families depended upon getting their meat from the forest. Though
the pioneers could get but little for the wheat they sold, the articles they bought cost much more than at present. As late as 1825, salt sold for eleven dollars per barrel, and before this cost still more. William Ewing used to pack it from Canton on horseback, traveling all the way through the woods. Wooster was the nearest point of trade, but it was a poor place to sell produce of any kind. Wheat and flour were often hauled to Cleveland, and hogs were driven there as
the nearest market. The first church organized in Canaan Township was by the Presbyterians in Jackson, on May 25, 1827 with sixteen members. In 1838 the congregation called its first and last regular pastor, the late Thomas H. Barr, who served it nearly forty years. The membership is presently 155 members (1880).
The book also notes that in 1838 Professor Isaac Notestine and Samuel Coulter are listed as elders of this first church. Samuel Coulter is the husband of Jane Caughey,
Ann Caughey Johnson's sister. The Reverend Thomas H. Barr, as a child, had lost his father to the Indians with only his scalp recovered. It is thought that the Reverend Thomas H. Barr was not related to the Reverend Joseph Barr who married James Johnson and Ann Caughey in Bart Township in Pennsylvania. In Canaan, James and Ann enlarged their family with the addition of Ann M., born in
1837; John James, born in 1839; Martha S., born in 1845; and Harriet P. "Hattie", born in 1849. The following is a letter offered by Mr. Thomas A. Urbine, Jr., 34 Morton Avenue, Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. The letter, dated May 15, 1837, is from James Kerr Caughey, Ann Caughey Johnson's brother, of Guilford, Medina County, Ohio, to his brother, John Caughey, Jr., of Colerain Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. May 15, 1837 Dear Brother,
I now after a long silence sit down to write a few lines to you to inform you of our welfare, which we have no reason to complain of at present, thanks to the giver of all of our mercies. He has spared us through all the changing scenes of life and he is able to save to the uttermost all who put their trust in him. We are far distant from each other now and know not whether we will ever meet
in this world, but if we are prepared to meet in the world to come, to part no more, happy will it be for us. I will give you some account of the kind of weather we have had. We had a hard freeze but the snow was not very deep yet there was grand sleighing and sledding. I think we went for six Sabbaths after other to meetings in the sled. We have about three miles to go but a most excellent road. After the snow went
away we had hard freezing and thawing which was very hard on the wheat and drawed it out of the ground and it has been a very backward spring and the grain looks poor in a great many places. Ours is gathering very fast now as we have had some warm showers and sunshine but there was frost nearly every morning in April and feed and hay was scarce and the cattle could get nothing to gather and they are poor. We have no horses to get poor as they both died. I
had bought a mare and had her for about two weeks and I seen that she had the job evil and I took her back and now we have none. I do all with the oxen. We raised a frame barn last fall but there was no chance of getting sawing done until spring. I have not got it finished yet but I have the lumber all home now except for two ______ and part of the weatherboard on. I finished planting corn last Thursday. I would like to know what kind of weather
you had down there this spring for I think we are too far north here. Spring has been very late these two years and winter came early last fall. The winter long and the summer short which appears to make us more dissatisfied with the country, though the oldest inhabitants here say that it was not so ever since they had been here. James and Violet Smith live about two miles from us. They are the nearest to
us of all our friends except Samuel McConnell. They are in sight, but John Coulter can tell you all about the friends and the country better than I can write. Grain is scarce now in this neighborhood. There is none to be got nearer than Wooster or the canal. It was such a good price in the winter that people that had it for sale took it all away and some sold when wheat got to one dollar and
have had to buy it at 1.50. It is said that the market price at Wooster is 75 cents but if people was going to buy, I expect they would find it higher. We will have to buy yet. Oats are 50 cents, potatoes 50, corn 75. We bought four bushels of potatoes from Uncle Joseph and paid him 50 cents per bushel. I suppose you have got fresh fish by this time and I have no way to go to the fishing this spring. We have got no fish since we came here. They have white
fish in the stores at sixteen dollars per barrel but we have bought none. We did hear that they had herring at Wadsworth, 5 miles east of us and sold them at 8 cents a pound. If you bring us some of your fish, shad and herrings, we will swap you some sugar for them as we have more than we expect to make use of. I had to quit it and go to other work. Jemima and the boys thought they could make as much as would buy a barrel of flour but there was so much
sugar made that it got so low in price that we did not sell any of ours yet. At first it was 12 cents, it got down to 8 cents and some would give but 6. We did not make much. Last year we bought some not any better than some we have now and paid 16 cents per lb. for it. There are great improvements going on in this country. Thomas Whiteside (friend from Lancaster) built a fine house last summer and is building a barn
this summer and William McConnell (Jemima McConnell Caughey's brother) is raising a house. There was an elegant frame house that burnt about three weeks ago. It belonged to Mr. Owens, in sign of Thomas Whiteside, and there was a house and barn burnt about two miles from us since it took fire from burning logs, but the new house was set on fire by some person as they had no fire in it for three weeks. It had cost him abou tone thousand dollars and they
were to move into it in a day or two. There is a canal granted to go along Chipaway Creek through the village of Seville. It will only be three miles from us. If we could raise grain for sale, we won't have far to take it but the grain must turn out better than it has done before we will sell much. For corn we had hardly as much as fed our hogs last fall. The village of Seville is improving fast. Thomas Whiteside says when he came there was but three houses in it, now I
suppose there are thirty or more and some elegant buildings, one large grist mill. This is my last leaf and I must let you know something about the friends and old neighbors. Mrs. Russell is just sitting on her chair about as helpless as she was when she came here. Betsy (Elizabeth Caughey, James' unmarried sister) has a very heavy charge of her, besides Uncle is very hard to humor and they
have a very strange child (slave) as ever was. They call him Syrus. Mrs. Russell did not know whether she would ever name him or not but he took the notion to call him that and there was no use to try to turn him for he always ________ and is growing worse. Martha (Martha Caughey, James' unmarried sister) has her home at Samuel Coulter's (Samuel and Jane Caughey Coulter, James' sister) and Betsy
(Elizabeth Caughey, James' unmarried sister) is at James Kidd's (James and Mary Caughey Kidd, James' sister). They did not attempt to take up house. Uncle Joseph wanted them to take his house where Kidds left but Betsy would not as she thought you would be out and she would go back with you. This summer we have preaching every Sabbath. We get two long sermons and a long intermission and have a Sabbath school and Bible classes. All are engaged, old and young that will join. Aunt Kerr would like to come to meeting, he won't let her. She was but one day there since we came here. Our preacher Mr. Moyes is gone to Philadelphia to the general assembly and is going from that to see his parents in New England. He will be away for two months. We are to have supplies for six Sabbaths. (Note: This is about the time the record book of the Guilford Presbyterian Church ends.) We would be glad to hear about Mr. Barr (preacher at the Middle
Octorara United Presbyterian Church in Bart Township in Lancaster County and who married Ann Caughey [James' sister] and James Johnson) whether he is still there or whether he intends going to Union (Union Presbyterian Church in Colerain Township in Lancaster County) and we would like to hear from the glad neighbors and friends. Please write soon for we have not had any word so long but I had not given you much chance to write till now. WE have often talked of
you all but not to you. John then says he would go and leave us all and go and live with Uncle John and help him to farm. We had a great storm last Friday and some places great hail. There were several large trees blowed down handy to our house and there was none so near as to touch it. Jemima wants Jane (Jane Baxter Caughey, wife of John Caughey, Jr., James' brother) to write a few lines here when you write about the small affairs round
there among the friends. The friends are all well here as far as I know. Samuel and Rachel McConnell (Rachel Caughey McConnell is James' sister) was amongst them last week. We have never got to see where Johnsons (James Johnson and Ann Caughey, James' sister) live yet. It is about ten miles from here and we are as strange as ever. Tell Francis and Mary (Francis and Mary McConnell Caughey, James' brother) that we send our respects to them and will
write to them soon. No more at present but remain your well wishers till death. -James K. Caughey
-Jemima Caughey
The following was written on one end of the outside of the envelope. Tuesday 16th, yesterday was a very wet cold day and snowed considerably in the evening. It is cloudy now but no fall. You can tell Mary (Mary McConnell Caughey, wife of James' brother Francis) that Tirzah (Tirzah McConnell White,
Mary's sister) is well. We see her frequently at meeting. She lives three miles from us. They have taken the gate (??) away from here this spring which was a great help to her. No more at the present, write soon. Direct your letters to Medina County, Guilford Post Office.
Hard work took its toll and on February 18, 1854, James Johnson died, leaving his wife Ann Caughey Johnson with a large family and farm to manage. James is buried not far
from the family farm in the Jackson Presbyterian Church Cemetery, located near Creston, Ohio. In 1861, James' will was probated and provided for his property to be divided among mother Ann and their children. Mother Ann and each child became the owner of a part of the family farm with Mother Ann the guardian of the underage children's property. James and Ann's eldest son, Franklin A., took over the operation of the family farm,
with the assistance of his brother John James, and made a home for their mother Ann and sisters. James and Ann's son, Franklin married Susannah "Susan" Deahuff on March 1, 1855. Susan was born in Canaan in 1836 to John Deahuff, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1791, and Catherine Rough, who was born in Ohio in 1805. Susan's brothers and sisters, who were all born in Ohio, included Abraham, born in 1828; Elizabeth, born in
1831; Rebecca, born in 1833; Catherine, born in 1835; and Mary Ann, born in 1844. Franklin and Susan constructed a house on the farm next to the home of Frank-lin's mother, Ann. They became parents to Monroe Marion, born on April 1, 1856; Clarissa "Clara" L., born in August 1857; Mary Ann, born in 1858; and John Elvin, born on August 26, 1873. THE GRAVES OF JAMES AND ANN JOHNSON James and Ann's daughter, Ann M., married Joshua H. Morgan on March 14, 1865. Joshua was born in New York State in 1836 to Joshua Morgan and Betsie Hull, who had a family of nine children. Joshua served in Company K, 16" Regiment of the Ohio
Volunteers between 1861 and 1865. He was captured at the Battle of Vicksburg. Later, as a prisoner of war, he was traded for a captured Confederate soldier. He returned to battle until discharged in 1865 when he returned to Canaan and married. Joshua and Ann had no children. In 1870, Joshua and Ann moved to Kansas and later to Illinois. In 1903, they returned to the area, settling in Creston, a town not far from Canaan. Much
has been written about Joshua and his devotedness to Republicanism and Presbyterianism. James and Ann's daughter, Martha S., married George W. Kindig on October 14, 1869. The Kindig family members were family friends from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. George was born in 1836, to Daniel Kindig, born in 1804, and Catherine Hyde, born in 1808, both in Pennsylvania. Daniel and Catherine had a family of seven children,
including Lucy Ann, born in 1834; Catherine, born in 1839; Daniel, born in 1841; Flora M., born in 1845; William, born in 1846; and Cuitha E., born in 1850. While in Ohio, George and Martha became parents to Orin B., born in March 1871; Clara C., born in 1872; Milly P., born in 1874; Etta C., born in 1876; Rudolph, born in 1878; and Wilson S., born in October 1880. The family made their home in Chatham Township in Wayne
County, Ohio. The family moved to Kansas for a short time where their last child, Jesse G., was born in May 1883. George died in 1886 leaving Martha with a very large family to rear. In 1900 the family was living in Wayne Township in Wayne County, Ohio. With the children grown, Martha returned to Canaan and was living there alone in 1910. In 1920, shortly before her death, Martha was living with her son, Orin and his family in Chatham Township.
James and Ann's daughter, Harriet P., often called Hattie, married John McCoy on March 11, 1875. John was four years Hattie's senior, being born in 1845. They lived in Wayne Township and Madisonburg, towns not far from Canaan. John and Harriet had no children. James and Ann's son, John James, on January 19, 1871, married George Kindig's sister, Catherine, born on February 22, 1839. After his marriage John left the family
farm and hired out as a farmhand. Some years later he established his own farm in Chatham Township in neighboring Medina County. John and Catherine became parents to William F., born in 1873; Mary Alice, born in 1875; James C., born in 1878; Dora Ellen, born in 1879; Hyacinth, born in June 1880; and one other child. Only three of the children were living in 1900, James C., Dora Ellen and Hyacinth. John died in November 1928, about fourteen years after Catherine died. Their daughter Dora Ellen
married a Mr. Christy and in the 1950s was living in San Jose, California. James and Ann's daughters Phebe J. and Eliza R. never married and continued to live on the family farm with their mother. James and Ann's remaining son, Franklin, continued to operate the farm. The original farm was about one mile wide (east and west) by a half mile deep (on the north side of the frontage road). As the children
Harriet, Ann, Martha, and John James married and moved away, they sold their land parcels located on the western part of the farm. The old family farm was reduced in size to about three-eighths of a mile (east and west) by a half mile deep. In the late 1870s, Franklin and Susan's son, Monroe Marion moved next door to the original farmhouse to live and assist his aging grandmother Ann and Aunts Eliza and Phebe. His father Franklin, mother Susan, young brother John Elvin, and sisters Mary
Ann and Clara continued to live in the house that Franklin and Susan had built. Franklin with the aid of his son Monroe operated the farm. Franklin and Susan's daughters, Mary Ann and Clara had a joint wedding on January 1, 1879. Mary Ann married Albert Stratton. Albert was born in 1849 in Ohio to Daniel and Cristina Stratton, born in 1816 and 1820 respectively in Pennsylvania. Albert's siblings included Cyrus, Samuel, Jefferson, Joseph, Benjamin and William. Shortly
after marrying, Mary Ann and Albert moved to Michigan. It is not known whether they had any children. Mary Ann's sister, Clara married Franklin Sell, a carpenter. Franklin was born in 1850 in Ohio. Clara and Franklin made their home with her parents, Franklin and Susan but later made their home in another area of Wayne County where Franklin took up farming. Clara and Franklin Sell became parents to Ernest, born in
May 1881; Ef-fie, born on March 13, 1883; and Raymond, born on November 10, 1892. Franklin died about 1898 leaving Clara the task of rearing their young children. Clara lived for many more years and died on March 11, 1949. Clara and Franklin's daughter Effie died on July 19, 1967. Mother Ann Caughey Johnson died on February 12, 1884. She is interred with her husband James in the Jackson Presbyterian Church Cemetery. She directed in her will
that the remaining farm property be divided among her children, Franklin, Phebe and Eliza. Her will provided minor bequeaths to her son John James, who had developed a farm in Medina County, and her married daughters, Hattie, Ann, and Martha. Her division of the property allowed for the continued operation of the farm by Franklin and his sons, Monroe and John. On July 20, 1887, Franklin died, leaving his wife Susan with their young son, John
Elvin, who was thirteen years of age. Franklin was buried with his father and mother in the Jackson Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Franklin's portion of land from the original farm was equally divided between his sons Monroe and John Elvin with Monroe getting that eastern part of the land containing his home, his aunts home and the original homestead. Since women had no legal standing at the time, the court appointed a guardian for John Elvin, who was a minor.
Mr. Shoemaker, who owned and operated a very large farm across the road from the Johnson farm, was the guardian chosen by the court. John and his mother Susan continued to live in the farmhouse that Franklin and Susan built. THE GRAVES OF PAUL AND AUGUSTA PFEIFFER
Franklin and Susan's son, Monroe, married Bertha Augusta Pfeiffer on August 11, 1881, in Madisonburg, a town located not far from Canaan. Bertha was born in Wooster, Ohio, on January 16, 1859, to Augusta Berbert and Paul Pfeiffer. Paul was born in 1831 and Augusta was born in 1836, both in Saxony, Germany. After Paul and Augusta married they moved to the United States and made their home in Canaan. Paul and Augusta were parents to ten children, only three lived past childhood, Bertha,
Frederick Albert, born in 1870, and Amelia, born in 1867. Frederick married Viola, born in Ohio, and they became parents to at least two children, including Isa, born in May 1896, and Oscar, born in January 1899. Bertha's father, Paul, died in 1876, and is buried in the Canaan Lutheran Church Cemetery in Canaan. Bertha's mother, Augusta, died in 1901, and is buried with her husband, Paul. THE GRAVES OF FRANKLIN AND SUSAN JOHNSON On September 7, 1893, Monroe and John's mother, Susan Deahuff Johnson died. She is buried with her husband, Franklin, in the Jackson Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Monroe and Bertha made their home with his aunts Phebe and Eliza in the old family homestead. Monroe and Bertha became parents to Charles Albert, born October 3,
1882; Wilbert Franklin, born January 14, 1887; Cora Augusta, born November 25, 1891; Laura Amelia, born May 25, 1895; and Earl Monroe, born June 11, 1898. Monroe and Bertha's son Charles died as an infant on December 22, 1885, and is buried in the Pfeiffer plot in the Canaan Lutheran Church Cemetery in Canaan Township, Ohio. With the passing of his father in 1887, Monroe, with assistance of his brother John
Elvin, took over the operation of the family farm. As Monroe's family matured, Monroe constructed a house for his aunts next to the family homestead. On July 30, 1897, Phebe, aunt to Monroe and John, died leaving her sister Eliza alone to occupy the house that Monroe had built for them. Phebe is interred in the family plot in the Jackson Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Eliza continued to live in her home but
after a few years went to live with her sister Ann and her husband Joshua Morgan in Creston. Eliza died February 15, 1911, and is buried with her sister Phebe in the family plot in the Jackson Presbyterian Church Cemetery. THE GRAVES OF PHEBE J. AND ELIZA R. JOHNSON
Franklin and Susan's son John Elvin in 1895, married Nettie Caskey, born on April 24, 1876, in Orrville, Ohio, to Finley and Elizabeth Caskey. Nettie had two brothers James and David who both made their homes in Orrville. John and Nettie made their home in the house that his father Franklin built for his family. John continued to work with his brother Monroe in the operation of the farm. Nettie and John had no children and continued to live on the farm.
Joshua Morgan died in 1915 followed by his wife Ann in 1919. They are buried together in the Creston Presbyterian Church Cemetery. THE GRAVES OF JOSHUA H. AND ANN M. MORGAN Monroe Marion and his brother, John Elvin, had difficulty making an adequate living for
their families from the family farm. Monroe decided to withdraw from the farm leaving John Elvin to continued farming. In 1908, Monroe moved his family from Canaan, Ohio, to St. George, Georgia which was being promoted in the newspapers as a growing and dynamic area. The story of Monroe and his family is the subject of Chapter Five. John Elvin's wife Nettie died on June 18, 1950, and is buried in the Crown Hill
Cemetery in Orrville, Ohio. The following is her obituary that appeared in the Monday, June 19, 1950, edition of the Daily Record, the newspaper of Wooster, Ohio. Mrs. John Johnson Dies at Creston CRESTON -- Mrs. Nettie Johnson, 74, wife of John Johnson died about 1 a.m., Sunday at her home here. Born at Orrville, she was the daughter of Finley and Elizabeth Caskey. The Johnsons were married in 1895. Mrs. Johnson is
survived by her husband and two brothers, James and David Caskey, both of Orrville. The body is at the Murray Funeral Home here where friends may call tonight. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., DST, Tuesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Howard Fox of the Chippewa United Brethern Church officiating. Burial will be in the Crown Hill Cemetery at Orrville.
After Nettie's death, John continued to live on his farm in Canaan. From time to time
during his retirement he would travel to St. Petersburg, Florida. THE GRAVES OF JOHN E. AND NETTIE JOHNSON John Elvin died on August 16, 1956, and was buried with Nettie in the Crown Hill Cemetery in Orrville. The following is his obituary that appeared in the Saturday,
August 17, 1956, edition of the Daily Record, the newspaper of Wooster, Ohio. John Johnson, 82, of Canaan Twp. CRESTON -- John Johnson, 82, died Thursday noon at Orrville Osteopathic Hospital where he was a patient for six weeks. He was born in Canaan Twp., a son of Franklin and Susan Johnson, and lived in that community all his life. He is survived by nieces and nephews. His wife Nettie died in 1950.
Friends may call at the J. C. Murray Funeral Home in Creston Friday afternoon and evening. Services will be at the funeral home Saturday at 4 p.m. DST with the Rev. Howard Fox of Sugarcreek officiating. Burial will be in the Crown Hill Cemetery, Orrville. As indicated earlier, Monroe moved his family to St. George, Georgia. The story of Monroe Marion Johnson family is the subject of Chapter Five. Chapter 5 - The Johnsons of Charlton County, Georgia |
