Family Family
(These "Johnson Playlets" were based on documented facts found in court houses, libraries, and cemeteries, and were presented annually at meetings of the Johnson Roots Conference held in Fort Wayne, Indiana. From the facts, the authors wove the following stories which collectively tell an informal history of the James Johnson family. Scripts, audio tapes, and some video tapes of the performances are in the possession of the authors, Marjorie Johnson Kientz and Joan Piatt Lauer. They can be contacted at makientz@aol.com or balauer@aol.com.)The marriage of James Johnson and Rebecca Baxter in Washington County, Pennsylvania, was the focus of the first act of the play, performed in 1990. The four parents, Solomon and Fannie (Warne) Johnson and James and Altha (Legg) Baxter discussed the bride, the groom, and some of their ancestors.
At the 1991 reunion, we looked in on James and Rebecca in their log cabin in Washington County as they were preparing for the birth of their first child, whom they would name Noah. James cut down a walnut tree and used the wood to build a cradle. Meanwhile, Rebecca's mother, Altha Legg Baxter, and Rebecca's sister, Letitia Baxter, organized a sewing bee. Neighbor women came from all around and made baby garments and a quilt for the cradle.
In 1992, the play showed James and Rebecca moving their little family, now including Noah and one or two girls. Frances, the second child was born in Washington County; but Isabella may have been born in the new location, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where the family appeared in the 1830 Census. This act depicted the journey by flatboat down the Monongahela with a stopover in Pittsburgh, and it closed with them shopping in the land office of Beaver County. The fourth baby, Harriet, was born next.
...At the 1991 reunion, we looked in on James and Rebecca in their log cabin in Washington County as they were preparing for the birth of their first child, whom they would name Noah. James cut down a walnut tree and used the wood to build a cradle... In the 1993 act, we found the Johnsons saying good-bye to their neighbors, and traveling by wagon to Columbiana County, Ohio; and their fifth and sixth children, Isaac and Jacob, were born.
In 1994, James and Rebecca purchased land from William Chaney on the north fork of Little Beaver Creek. Abraham, the seventh child, was born in 1836 but did not survive. Rebecca's mother, Altha Legg Baxter, provided a grave in the Mount Zion Church Cemetery in Middletown Township.
In the next year's act (1995), the story dealt with Altha Baxter's second marriage, this time to Robert Grant. Having bought a buggy, harness, and buffalo robe from James and Rebecca, Altha and Robert moved to Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, Altha became seriously ill, returned to Columbiana County, and soon died.
Legal documents in the Columbiana County Courthouse provided the documentation for the 1996 act. As happens in many families, trouble arose regarding the settlement of Altha's estate. We learned the date and place of Altha's marriage to Robert Grant; that Rebecca was a weaver; that Altha had two houses on her land, one of which she rented to her son-in-law, William Blythe; that Altha bought two clocks from a peddler; and that various items comprised her estate.
The last act of the play was held in 1997. A short time after Altha's death, our Johnsons moved to Allen County, Indiana. Rebecca visited Abraham's grave one last time. In Ohio, the family had grown by six more children: Harvey, Elizabeth, Lewis, Josiah, Martha, Altha Ann, and John Jackman.
The Johnson land in Columbiana County, Ohio was sold in 1853. A Wells County, Indiana history states that the Jphnsons settled in Allen County in 1853. Family tradition is that they came by covered wagon.
James was 51 years old; Rebecca was 48. The ages of the children were: Frances, 26; Isabella, 25; Harriet, ?; Isaac, 21; Jacob, 19; Harvey, 16; Elizabeth, 14: Lewis, 13; Josiah, 11; Martha, 8; Altha Ann, 6; John Jackman, 4. Noah, 27, and his wife, Sarah, already had three children, ages 6, 3, and 1.
In 1859, James became sick and made his will. He died eleven days later. From his death, we "fast-forwarded" 32 years to the funeral of Rebecca and saw son Jacob making the arrangements. Granddaughter Sophia Johnson Baker and her husband, Seymour, were asked to sing at the funeral; and, to end the play, the audience sang, "Blest Be the Tie that Binds."
Census records help us track Rebecca through her long years of widowhood. In 1860, she appears as head of household. Elizabeth, Lewis, Josiah, Martha, Altha Ann, and John, her children, and Vanderill, her grandchild, were living with her on the farm. During this period, several of the children sold their share of the James Johnson land to Josiah. The 1869-70 Fort Wayne City and Allen County Directory shows that Rebecca Johnson, widow, boarded with Josiah Johnson on the farm. In 1870, Josiah married. In the 1870 Census, living with Rebecca were her daughter, Altha Ann, and two grandchildren, Vanderill and Frances. By the time of the 1880 Census, Rebecca's life had taken quite a turn. Instead of some of her own family living with her, she had the Walkers -- father, mother, and seven children. That census clearly states that the Walkers were no relation. We can only assume that Rebecca remained on the farm until her death just days after Christmas in 1891 and that her children did as James had expected -- they took care of their mother.
...Census records help us track Rebecca through her long years of widowhood. In 1860, she appears as head of household. Elizabeth, Lewis, Josiah, Martha, Altha Ann, and John, her children, and Vanderill, her grandchild, were living with her on the farm... There is a question as to whether Rebecca died on the 27th or the 28th of December. Someone wrote in the James Johnson Bible that Rebecca died on December 28, 1891. The tombstone at Uniontown Cemetery gives the same date of death, but the Brindle Funeral Records give the date of death as December 27th and the date of burial as December 29th.
Rebecca Baxter Johnson was buried next to her husband in the new Uniontown Cemetery right behind the church. A very nice marker was already there for James. Rebecca's name and dates were then placed on the same stone. At the bottom of the stone, is the following inscription:
God in His wisdom has recalled
The boon His love had given
And though the body mold in here
The soul is safe in heaven.
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