USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial and revolutionary families of Pennsylvania; genealogical and personal memoirs, Vol. III > Part 41
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his will is recorded in New Haven. William and Sarah Johnson had thirteen children, of whom Jacob was sixth in order of birth.
JACOB JOHNSON, son of William and Sarah (Hall) Johnson, was born in New Haven, Connecticut, September 25, 1674, and died July 17, 1749. He was of Wallingford, Connecticut, where he was sergeant of the Wallingford train band and is mentioned in the records as "Sergeant Jacob". He served as dep- uty in the General Court, 1732, 1733 and 1736. He was a man of substance and influence and the possessor at the time of his death of about four hundred acres of land and several slaves. He married (first), December 14, 1693, Abigail Merriman, daughter of John Hitchcock and Abigail Merriman. Abigail was a granddaughter of Captain Nathaniel Merriman, one of the original proprietors of Wallingford. Abigail (Merriman) Johnson, died, January 9, 1726, and Ja- cob married (second) Dorcas Linsley, of Branford, Connecticut. There was no issue of the second marriage. Jacob and Abigail Johnson were the parents of ten children, all of whom grew to maturity and had families. The young- est of these was Rev. Jacob.
REV. JACOB JOHNSON, youngest son of Jacob and Abigail (Merriman) John- son, was born at Wallingford, Connecticut, April 7, 1713, and died at Wilkes- Barre, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1797. He graduated at Yale College in 1740, prepared for the ministry and was pastor of the Congregational Church at Groton, Connecticut, 1749 to 1772. He first appears in the Wyoming Valley in 1772, when he was invited by the town of Wilkes-Barre to minister to their spiritual wants to "Come and labor with the people as their pastor." Under the custom of the church he preached one year as minister of the Wilkes-Barre Congregational Church (afterward First Presbyterian) and then, August 23, 1773, was permanently settled as pastor. This "was the first actual settlement of any minister of the Gospel, west of the Blue Mountains in the territory com- prising the state of Pennsylvania". He continued his work as minister of the Gospel, for more than half a century, dying as he had lived, an earnest, untiring, God-following and God-serving man. During the period of the Revolution his zeal in behalf of the patriot cause was intense and by his splendid example and Christian sympathy, he softened the hardships of war, to which his people were so frequently and so long subjected. "He was early and outspoken in his advocacy of American liberty and a commanding figure in the early history of the Wyoming Valley. He wrote the articles of capitulation following the destruc- tion of the infant settlement by the British and Indians in 1778, and was a firm defender of the Connecticut title, throughout the prolonged contest with Penn- sylvania." In 1768, while pastor at Groton, Connecticut, he labored as a mis- sionary among the Indians of the province of New York. He learned somewhat of the language of the Six Nations and preached to them in their own tongue. He was present at the treaty of Fort Stanwix (Rome, New York) in 1768. The council at which this treaty was enacted was attended by the governors, the commissioners, and agents of the colonies of Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New York, and by about three thousand Indians. Rev. Jacob Johnson was there as the special representative of Rev. Eleazer Wheelock, who hoped to secure from the Six Nations a concession of lands, for the purpose of estab- lishing and maintaining a school for civilizing, educating and Christianizing the Indians. The council was dominated by the Penns. John Penn, a son of Wil-
.
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liam, being present. He sought to acquire title to the lands of north eastern Pennsylvania, which were claimed by Connecticut, and which had been pur- chased from the Indians by Connecticut. This latter colony was not invited to the council that sought to wrest from her a part of her possessions and this missionary, Rev. Jacob Johnson, entirely without authority, undertook to de- fend the Connecticut title by dissuading the Indians from selling to the Penns the lands claimed by Connecticut. The New York representative was the great Sir William Johnson, the King's own agent and superintendent of Indian affairs in that royal province. While the treaty was in progress, Sir William gave a banquet to which Rev. Jacob Johnson was invited. The banquet was made the occasion of bursts of eloquence as to the greatness of England, and toasts were drunk to the health of King George III. When the adulations to the King were over and the preacher from Connecticut was called upon, he addressed the as- sembled revelers in these thrilling words: "I drink to the health of King George III of Great Britain, Comprehending New England and all the British Colonies in North America, and I mean to drink such a health so long as his royal majesty, shall govern the British and American subjects according to the great charter of English liberty, and so long as he hears the prayers of his American subjects. But in case his British Majesty (which God in great mercy prevent ) should proceed contrary to charter rights and privileges, and governi us with a rod of iron and the mouth of cannons, and utterly refuse to consider our humble prayers, then I should consider it my indispensable duty to join my countrymen in forming a new Empire in America". These were prophetic words and show the quality and noble character of this Connecticut missionary who was the pioneer of the Johnson family in the Wyoming Valley. In later years when pastor of the church at Westmoreland, he denounced the Pennamite out- rages with such vehemence that he was (1784) dragged to court and compelled to give bonds for his peaceable behavior. While pastor at Groton, Connecticut, Rev. Jacob Johnson married Mary Giddings, of Preston, born November 28, 1730, and died in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, January 18, 1805. She was a daughter of Captain Nathaniel and Mary (Williams) Giddings. The children of this marriage, all born in Connecticut were: Jehoiada Pitt, see forward; Jacob, born in 1765, died, May, 1807, married and had two daughters, Mary B. and Lydia; Lydia, married Colonel Zebulon Butler ; Christina Olive, married, March 25, 1801, William Russell. There were two daughters of Rev. Jacob who died in infancy. Rev. Jacob Johnson is buried in the cemetery at Wilkes-Barre, where a monument marks the spot, inscribed with an epitaph by Dr. Johnson that reflects something of his life and services in behalf of his fellow man, of his country, and his Maker whom he served so long and so faithfully. There was that in the life of Rev. Jacob Johnson that has survived him. His noble character, as shown in his daily walk, his unswerving loyalty to kindred and to country during the dark days of the Revolution and the equally hazardous peri- od of contention between the Connecticut settlers in the Wyoming Valley and the claimants under Pennsylvania.
JEHOIADA PITT JOHNSON, son of Rev. Jacob and Mary (Giddings) John- son, was born in Connecticut in 1767, and died, January 8, 1830. He was born at the time "the animated discussions preceding the Revolution were going on, and the elder Pitt was thundering his anathemas in parliament." His father named
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him Jehoiada-Knowledge of God-and Pitt in honor of the great orator. He was five years old when the Rev. Jacob assumed the Wilkes-Barre pastor- ate. He took a deep interest in the controversy going on between Connecticut and Pennsylvania over Wyoming, and in 1784, when but seventeen, he took sides with the Connecticut settlers in the Pennamite war. Miner says he was arrested at Wilkes-Barre on the charge of treason, with about one hundred others, some of whom were sent to jail in Northumberland and Sunbury. Jehoi- ada P. was an active business man. He removed to Laurel Run (now Parsons), from Wilkes-Barre, about 1810, and erected there in that year a grist mill which he owned and operated successfully for many years. He was interested in the business and educational life of the township and one of the best of citizens. He was poormaster in 1799, the only public office he ever held. He married Han- nah Frazer, daughter of the Colonial and Revolutionary soldier, Robert Frazer, of previous mention. It is through this marriage that Dr. Frederick C. Johnson derives membership in the patriotic order of the Sons of the Revolution. The children of Jehoiada P. and Hannah (Frazer) Johnson were: Ovid Frazer, born March 25, 1807, and died February 12, 1853; Mary Giddings, born November 3, 1809, died November 12, 1880; Jehoiada, born January 20, 1812, died December 31, 1871 ; William P., born March 14, 1814, died January 26, 1893; Miles, born March 16, 1816, died October 6, 1889; Priestley R., born December 20, 1819, died July 5, 1878; Wesley, see forward; Sarah Ann, born March 18, 1824, died April 20, 1903; Diantha, born September 22, 1826, died November 4, 1874. Two children, Zipporah and Christiana, died in infancy.
Ovid Frazer, eldest son of Jehoiada and Hannah (Frazer) Johnson, prepared for the practice of law and was admitted to the bar of Luzerne county, Penn- sylvania, April 6, 1831. He associated himself with Hendrick B. Wright in practice, but this partnership was dissolved two years later by the removal of Mr. Johnson to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. There he soon took a leading position both as a lawyer and political writer. His series of newspaper articles called "Governor's Papers" disrupted the old Whig party and brought about the elec- tion of Governor Porter. In recognition of his services he was appointed attor- ney-general of Pennsylvania, when but thirty-two years of age. He served six years and became a conspicuous figure in state and nation. He married Jane Alricks, of Juniata county, Pennsylvania.
Mary Giddings, married Charles Reel. Their two sons, Miles and Benjamin F., served in the War of the Rebellion.
Jehoiada, died at the old Johnson homestead near Wilkes-Barre. In 1834 he entered the United States army, Company I, First Regular Dragoons, and served five years in the Seminole and Texas wars. He married Priscilla Scovel.
William P., was a farmer, school director and Justice of the Peace. He mar- ried Eliza Roderick.
Miles, was a cabinet maker, later a sailor on a whaling vessel and finally set- tled in the far west, dying in California. His wife was Philomela Burlingame of Wisconsin.
Priestly R., was a farmer, a manufacturer and a merchant. In a copartnership he built the first factory in the Wyoming Valley for the manufacture of powder kegs, and for several years he was engaged in mercantile life in Wilkes-Barre. He was at one time street commissioner. It was written of him that he was "a
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man of large heart, of sound and mature judgment". "Being thoroughly imbued with correct principles of right and wrong, he was never known to swerve from the path of duty as a citizen in private or public capacity". He married Sarah, a daughter of Simon Monega, a soldier under the great Napoleon.
Sarah Ann married Henry Colt Wilson, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. They had four children, the eldest of whom was Edwin Frazer Wilson, A. B., A. M., M. D., a graduate of the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. He was professor of therapeutics, electro therapeutics and clinical medicine in the Ohio Medical University; physician to the Protestant and Hawkes Hospitals, Fellow of American Academy of Medicine, member of the American Medical Association; Ohio State Medical Society and Columbus Academy of Medicine. He died in 1902.
WESLEY JOHNSON, twin brother of Priestly R., and son of Jehoiada and Han- nah (Frazer) Johnson, was born on the ancestral farm, December 20, 1819, and died October 27, 1892. He was educated in Wilkes-Barre academy and studied law under his eldest brother Ovid. He was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in 1846, and soon afterward to the bar of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. He removed to Texas and began legal practice, and during the war with Mexico crossed over the border and witnessed many stirring events. About 1850 he was caught in the tide of western emigration and soon found himself in Wiscon- sin. He was elected clerk of the court of Marquette county, in that state. In 1853 he returned to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in mercan- tile life, the practice of law and the turmoil of legal contention being distasteful to him. He was thoroughly versed in the law and had a well-equipped legal mind, but he was essentially a man of peace. After his retirement from active commercial life in 1874, he was for several years alderman of the Fourth ward, Wilkes-Barre, and held other offices of trust-city auditor, judge of elections, etc. He was one of the projectors and guiding spirits in the Wyoming Centen- nial in 1878 and was secretary of the commemorative association from its incep- tion until his death, and his compilation, the memorial volume, is one of the stand- ard works of local history in Wyoming annals. Wesley Johnson married, (first) Cynthia Henrietta Green, who was born in Vermont, May 13, 1827, and died in Wilkes-Barre, August 30, 1855. She was the daughter of David Sands and Mary (Tuttle) Green. Two sons were born of this marriage: Dr. Freder- ick Charles Johnson, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (see forward), and Zebulon Butler, who died in infancy. Wesley Johnson married (second) Frances Wil- son, who died April 21, 1888. By this marriage a daughter, Margaret Colt, was born July 7, 1857, dying in childhood.
DR. FREDERICK CHARLES JOHNSON, first born of the children of Wesley and Cyn- thia Henrietta (Green) Johnson, was born in Marquette, Green Lake county, Wisconsin, March 2, 1853. He is the only living child of Wesley Johnson. Dr. Johnson received his primary and academic education in the Wilkes-Barre schools, after which he went to Wisconsin and took a partial course in Ripon Col- lege with the class of 1873. Beginning in 1871 he had a business training of ten years in Wilkes-Barre, meanwhile contributing to local newspapers and doing special correspondence from the coal regions for the Chicago Tribune. He also spent a year in Chicago as a reporter on the Tribune staff and is still on the list of Tribune correspondents. In 1880, he began a three years' course in
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the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with the degree of M. D. in 1883. Instead of engaging in the practice of medicine he took up journalism and purchased a half interest in the Wilkes-Barre Record with which he is still connected. He is a member of the Wilkes-Barre Board of Trade; the New England Society; The Westmoreland Club; The Wyoming Historical and Genealogical Society ; the Young Men's Christian Association ; the Luzerne county Medical Society; the Pennsylvania State Medical Associa- tion; The Society for Prevention of Tuberculosis; the Wyoming Commemora- tive Association; the State and National Editorial Association; the Masonic Fraternity and the Sons of the Revolution. Dr. Johnson married, June 25, 1885, at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Georgia P., daughter of Joseph H. and Harriet (Green) Post. They have: Ruth, Frederick, and Margaret Johnson.
EMMA BARLOW (CHAMBERS) HUMBIRD
EMMA BARLOW (CHAMBERS) HUMBIRD (Mrs. James S. Humbird), is a great- granddaughter of the Revolutionary soldier, Aaron Barlow, who served from Con- necticut. He was a son of Samuel Barlow, who married Esther Hull. Another of their sons was the lawyer, diplomat, poet, Joel Barlow, who served from 1779 to 1783 as brigade chaplain with General Poor's brigade of the Massachusetts line. Joel Barlow was one of the earliest American poets and was the author of the epic "Columbiad" that attracted much attention. Mrs. Humbird also obtains descent from General Jedediah Preble, of Falmouth (Portland), Maine, through the marriage of her grandfather, Thomas P. Barlow, to Frances Anica Preble.
(The Barlow Line)
The Barlow family of Redding, Connecticut, descends from John Barlow, who appeared in Fairfield, Connecticut, as early as 1668, and died in 1674. He was one of the earliest settlers of that town. He was of English parentage and probably birth. He was possessed of a large estate in Fairfield, part of which is yet called Barlow's Plain. His will, dated March 28, 1674, mentions his wife Ann, and children John, see forward; Isabella, wife of Peter Chap- man; Ruth, wife of Francis Bradley; Elizabeth, wife of Daniel Frost; Martha, wife of James Beers; Deborah, wife of John Sturgis.
John (2) Barlow, son of John (1) and Ann Barlow, was born in Fairfield, Connecticut. He inherited land from his father, which he cultivated and in- creased. He married Abigail, daughter of Robert Lockwood. Children: John, see forward; Joseph, Samuel, Abigail, Deborah, Elizabeth and Ruth. His estate was inventoried March 6, 1690.
John (3) Barlow, son of John (2) and Abigail (Lockwood) Barlow, was born in Fairfield, Connecticut. According to the parish records of Christ's Church of that town he "renewed the Covenant", February 24, 1694, at which time his son John (4) was baptized. He married Children : John (4), Samuel, see forward, Abigail, Ann, Joseph, Francis, Sarah and Deborah, all baptized in Christ's Church, Fairfield. The record of the last baptism is March, 1705, and she is named daughter of Lieutenant John Barlow. This ti- tle was due to his service in the war against the Indians.
Samuel Barlow, son of John (3) Barlow, was baptized in Fairfield, April 26, 1696, died in Redding, Connecticut, December 20, 1773. He removed to Red- ding about 1740 and settled in what is known as the Boston district. He was a man of wealth. When he removed to Redding he purchased a farm of one hundred and seventy acres with "dwelling and buildings thereon" from James Bradley for which he paid 2500 pounds. It was here his last four children were born and where he died. He married (first) Eunice, daughter of Daniel Wadley, of Fairfield, August 2, 1731 ; married (second), August 7, 1744, Es- ther, born 1721, died August 22, 1775, daughter of Nathaniel Hull, of Read-
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ing. Children of first marriage: Daniel, Ruhamah, James and Jabez. Chil- dren by second marriage: Nathaniel, Aaron, see forward, Samuel, Joe and Huldah. Of these children Samuel, Daniel and Ruhamah died early. James settled in Ridgefield; Jabez settled in Ohio; Nathaniel settled in Connecticut.
Joel, born March 24, 1754, first entered Dartmouth College, but was gradu- ated with honors from Yale, class of 1778, a classmate of Noah Webster. He early showed talent of a superior quality. He was an intimate friend of Thomas Paine, who probably at that time had not become imbued with infidelity. He studied law and divinity, and after being licensed as minister of the Con- gregational church became a chaplain in the Revolutionary army, serving un- til the close of the war. In 1773 he opened a law office in Hartford and be- came partner with Elisha Babcock in editing The American Mercury. In 1785 he was chosen by the general association of the Congregational church to revise the Psalms of Dr. Watts. In 1787 he published his "Vision of Columbus". His most popular poem was "Hasty Pudding", a work in three cantos showing decided poetic genius, written in France in 1793, where he was representing the "Scota Land Company". In 1795 he was appointed by President Washington consul to Algiers, where he effected a very important treaty, also one with Tri- poli. In 1805 he returned to the United States and settled near Washington, D. C., where he purchased beautiful "Kalorama" afterwards the home of his favorite nephew, Thomas Barlow, and his wife, Frances Anica (Preble) Bar- low (see Preble). In 1808 he published his greatest poem "The Columbiad" which was republished in London in 1811. He was engaged in writing a His- tory of the United States in 1812, when he was appointed United States minis- ter to France. While on his way to confer with Emperor Napoleon at Wilna, he was seized with a fatal illness and died at Zarwanica, Poland, October 2, 1812. He married Ruth Baldwin, of New Haven, Connecticut, a sister of Hon. Henry Baldwin, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Aaron Barlow, second son of Samuel Barlow and his second wife, Esther (Hull) Barlow, was born in Redding, Connecticut, February II, 1750, died in Norfolk, Virginia. He lived on a farm purchased by his father on Umpawaug Hill, Redding, which he owned and cultivated. He served in the Revolution, as did three of his brothers. He was ensign of Colonel Samuel Whiting's regi- ment of Connecticut militia, and a member of the Committee of Safety to raise the provision troops of the Connecticut line. He was a man of ability, tall and of imposing bearing. He removed after the war to Norfolk, Virginia, where he succumbed to an attack of yellow fever. He married Rebecca San- ford, of Redding, Connecticut, a member of the early and prominent Connecti- cut family of that name. Children : Elnathan, a soldier and victim of the War of 1812; Samuel, removed to Ohio; Stephen, a lawyer of Ohio; Daniel, lived and died in Redding; Aaron, died at sea; Esther, died of yellow fever at Nor- folk; Joel, died in Redding ; Rebecca, lived and died in Redding; Thomas Paine, see forward, named by his uncle Joel, after his friend, Thomas Paine.
Thomas Paine Barlow, youngest child of Aaron and Rebecca (Sanford) Barlow, was born in Redding, Connecticut, 1794, died September, 1859. He was educated and adopted by his uncle, Joel Barlow, the poet, and accompanied him to France as his private secretary. He was with him on the fatal journey to Wilna. After the death of his uncle, he returned to the United States and
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established himself in the practice of law at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While in France he met and married, July 28, 1817, at "Draviel", near Versailles, Frances Anica Preble, daughter of Henry and Frances (Wright) Preble, and granddaughter of Brigadier General Jedejiah Preble, of Falmouth ( Portland), Maine. "Draviel" was the beautiful country seat of Daniel Parker, an Ameri- can gentleman and Henry Preble's intimate friend. Children of Thomas Paine and Frances Anica (Preble) Barlow : I. Frances Emma, born at "Kalorama" near Washington, D. C., June 29, 1818, died at Washington, Pennsylvania, Feb- ruary 12, 1845; she married, April, 1837, Hugh Wilson and had children. 2. Anica, see forward. 3. Harriet, born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, Novem- ber 19, 1824, died at Versailles, France, in March, 1827. 4. Dr. Francis Joel, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, February 2, 1828, died unmarried at Ballerat, Australia, June 17, 1854; he was a graduate of Washington College, Pennsyl- vania; he studied medicine with Dr. Le Moyne and received his degree from the Philadelphia Medical School; he practiced for a time at West Manchester, Pennsylvania ; he intended practicing in Australia but his early death prevented. 5. Frederick Stephen, born at Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, August 4, 1830, died unmarried, August 5, 1864 ; he was a graduate of Washington College; he entered the United States navy as third assistant engineer, June 22, 1860; he served first in the "Anacesta" in the Chesapeake and next on board the United States steamer "Sumpter" on the west coast of Africa until her return to the United States; then on the steamer "Kanawha" under Farragut; he was pro- moted second assistant engineer, July 30, 1862, and ordered to the steam gun- boat "Owasco" the following year as senior engineer; when it was decided to attempt the capture of Mobile and its defences, an officer of experience being required as senior engineer, he volunteered to go on board the monitor "Tecum- seh", the leading vessel of the fleet in the "Bay Fight", August 5, 1864. His services, after being twice declined, were accepted on account of the illness of the senior engineer of the "Tecumseh", and he went down with that vessel, at his post, when she was sunk by a torpedo during the fight and all on board were lost, excepting the pilots and eight or ten men.
Anica Barlow, second daughter of Thomas Paine and Frances Anica (Preble) Barlow, was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, May 29, 1821, living in April, 19II. Of her it was written: "You can hardly meet with a more perfect char- acter". She married, in April, 1855, John D. Chambers, of Washington, Penn- sylvania. They lived in Washington in a home given Anica by her mother which Mr. Chambers enlarged and beautified. It was said to have been the "prettiest residence in Washington". John D. Chambers was a son of James Chambers, major of Militia, Washington county, and Mary Dodds. Children of John D. and Anica (Barlow) Chambers: Emma Barlow, see forward; Anica, born June 2, 1857; Mary, July 29, 1858; Henry Preble, September 1I, 1860; Har- riet Barlow, November 29, 1863, died January, 1868.
EMMA BARLOW CHAMBERS, daughter of John D. and Anica (Barlow) Cham- bers, was born February 11, 1856. She married James S. Humbird, born in Cum- berland, Maryland, September 1, 1853. Mrs. Humbird is a member of Pittsburgh Chapter, Pennsylvania Society, Daughters of the American Revolution.
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