*parent links not verified.
Jacob Johnson was the father of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States.
His date of birth is believed to be around 1778. Some sources indicate that he was born in Newcastle, England and sailed to America around 1795; but other sources indicate that he was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, and that it was his grandfather (and possible namesake) who sailed to North America from England.
Historian Rev. Nash A. Odom writes that "In the year 1760, Peter Johnson, migrated from Kintyre Scotland to North Carolina with his large family and settled in Cumberland County. The preaching instinct broke out again and a number of the Johnsons became ministers. One was the father of Jacob Johnson, who moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and was the father of President Andrew Johnson." Author Billy Kennedy writes that Jacob's father, named Andrew, a Presbyterian, came to North Carolina about 1750 from Mounthill, Ireland.
Whatever his beginnings, it is known Jacob was in Raleigh, NC in the early 1800's. On September 9, 1801, 23-year old Jacob married Mary "Polly" McDonough and together would have 3 children: William Patterson Johnson (1804–1865), Elizabeth Johnson (1806–unknown), and Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808–July 31, 1875). Andrew is said to have been named after his uncle or grandfather, Andrew McDonough.
The Johnson family lived humbly in a log home located on the property owned by Casso's Inn, a popular antebellum inn located northeast of the present-day North Carolina State Capital building. Casso's Inn was run by Peter Casso, a Revolutionary War soldier. Mary worked as a weaver and clothes washer, and Jacob worked as a hostler. Jacob also served as a militia Captain of Muster Division 20, as a sexton for the Presbyterian Church, and as a porter for the State Bank of North Carolina (chartered in 1811). Jacob is also reported to have been the sole bell toller in Raleigh.
Jacob died a hero's death at age 34, when he valiantly saved two fisherman whose boat had capsized. It was December, 1811, and Colonel Thomas Henderson, the young editor of the Raleigh Star, and his friend Mr. Callum, were fishing on Walnut Creek, near Hunter's Mill, when the enthusiastic group of fishermen capsized their fishing skiff. (A third occupant of the skiff, Mr. Pearce, had no trouble getting to shore.) Jacob Johnson jumped in the water and saved Henderson and Callum, to the detriment of his own health. Jacob died several weeks later, ironically, while ringing the funeral bell at church.
His obituary from the Raleigh Star newspaper (dated January 10, 1812) read as follows:
"Died, in this city, on Saturday last, Jacob Johnson, who had for years occupied a humble but useful station in Society. He was a city constable, sexton, and porter of the State Bank. In his last illness he was visited by the principal inhabitants of the city, by all whom he was esteemed for his honesty, industry, and humane and friendly disposition. Among all whom he was known and esteemed none lament him more (except, perhaps, his relatives) than the publisher of this paper; for he owes his life, on a particular occasion, to the boldness and humanity of Johnson."
Jacob's grave remained unmarked until 1867, when the current marker was erected. The writing on the marker has been obliterated from weather and vandalism, but an early account indicates that it was inscribed as follows:
"In memory of Jacob Johnson. An honest man, loved and respected by all who knew him."
Then-president Andrew Johnson was invited by Raleigh Mayor William D. Haywood to attend the public erection of Jacob's monument. He agreed to attend the dedication; this marked Johnson's only trip to the south during his term as President. He departed Washington, DC on June 1, 1867, stayed at Richmond, Virginia on the 2nd, and arrived in Raleigh on the 3rd. Johnson stayed at the Yarborough House Hotel on Fayetteville Street during his stay, and delivered a lengthy speech about various topics shortly after arriving.
The childhood home of President Johnson home (shown here), where his parents raised him, is now preserved at Mordecai Historic Park in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The following from Findagrave contributor mv66nc member # 46944406:
"The late genealogist and local historian Hugh Buckner Johnston, Jr. (1913-1990) of Wilson, NC published a series of articles in ''The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal'' between 1978 and 1985 identifying the probable siblings of Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) and proposing a theoretical ancestry for President Andrew Johnson (1808-1875).
In an article published in February, 1978, Mr. Johnston identified Aaron Johnson as the brother of Jacob Johnson, based upon claims made by Johnson's detractors concerning Aaron's son Madison Johnson, who was executed for murder in Wake County, NC in 1841 [Hugh B. Johnston, "Was a first cousin of President Andrew Johnson hanged in Raleigh?," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal', Volume 4, No. 1, February, 1978, pp. 30-34]. Hugh B. Johnston also published an article in May, 1979 concerning the criminal trial of Matthew Johnson of Wake County, NC, who was also identified by contemporaries as a cousin of Andrew Johnson. Matthew Johnson was the son of Jesse Johnson of Raleigh, NC. [Hugh B. Johnston, "President Andrew Johnson's Kinsmen were tough!," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 5, No. 2, May, 1979, pp. 96-99]. In an article published in May, 1982, Hugh B. Johnston identified a number of letters found in the papers of President Johnson written by individuals claiming kinship. Henderson W. Johnson of Jasper County, IA, son of Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN, wrote Andrew Johnson a letter dated February 8, 1861 identifying himself as a cousin. Jesse Wheeler of Johnston County, NC, while imprisoned at Point Lookout, MD during the Civil War, also wrote two letters dated June 29, 1864 and December 23, 1864 seeking Johnson's assistance. Wheeler identified his mother, Rulaney (Johnson) Wheeler, as a cousin of President Johnson. On August 2, 1865, Jane (Utley) Johnson of Raleigh, NC, widow of Jesse Johnson, wrote President Johnson seeking his aid. She identified her late husband Jesse Johnson of Raleigh as the President's uncle. [Hugh B. Johnston, "A Renewed Search for the Ancestry of President Andrew Johnson," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 8, No. 2, May, 1982, pp. 90-94]. In a subsequent article published in May, 1985, Hugh Buckner Johnston further identified John Johnson as a sibling of Jacob Johnson, citing a May 4, 1875 letter written by John's grandson Henry H. Depo of Fayetteville, NC describing his family's relationship. [Hugh B. Johnston, "President Andrew Johnson's Uncle John Johnson," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 11, No. 2, May, 1985, pp. 111-112].
Johnston's 1985 article also set forth a theoretical ancestry for Jacob Johnson (1778-1812), suggesting that he and his probable siblings Jesse, John, Moses, and Aaron Johnson were the sons of William Johnson of the Mark's Creek area of eastern Wake County, NC. Johnston further proposed that Jacob Johnson's putative father William Johnson was a grandson of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Essex, Amelia, and Prince Edward Counties, VA and Johnston County, NC. [Hugh B. Johnston, "Who was President Andrew Johnson's Grandfather," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 11, No. 2, May, 1985, pp. 111-112]. This theoretical ancestry put forth by Hugh B. Johnston was repeated in Hans L. Trefousse's book, ''Andrew Johnson: A Biography'' (1989). [Hans L. Trefousse, ''Andrew Johnson: A Biography'', New York: W. W. Norton Co., 1989, pp. 18-19].
Y-DNA genetic testing conducted by the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone DNA Surname Project sponsored by FamilyTreeDNA has discredited the theoretical ancestry of President Andrew Johnson suggested by the late genealogist Hugh Buckner Johnston, as well as various theories published by other earlier biographers of President Johnson. Two direct male descendants of Moses Johnson (ca. 1788 – ca. 1873) of Carter County, TN have been Y-DNA tested. In 2010, a direct male descendant of William Johnson (1804-1865) of Brazoria County, Texas, brother of President Andrew Johnson, was also Y-DNA tested. The results of those Y-DNA tests reveal a close genetic match between the descendants of Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN and William Johnson of Brazoria County, TX, thus substantiating the relationship of Moses Johnson's family line to President Andrew Johnson's family.
Y-DNA genetic testing was also performed by a direct male descendant of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Johnston County, NC. The test results confirmed that the families of Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) of Raleigh, NC and Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN are not descended from Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Johnston County, NC, thus disproving the theoretical ancestry proposed by Hugh B. Johnston. The male line of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson belongs to Haplogroup I-P37 (Burr Oak Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA).
President Andrew Johnson's paternal Johnson ancestors belong to Haplogroup I-M223 (Scarlet Oak Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA). Y-DNA results of that tree group suggest the possibility that President Andrew Johnson might be descended from or genetically related to William Johnson of Surry County, VA, who devised his will on November 4, 1709 (Probated July 4, 1710). This possible ancestral connection remains to be substantiated, however.
Contrary to a popular genealogical belief, President Andrew Johnson's father Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) was not a son of Andrew Johnson (ca. 1748-ca. 1795) and his wife Hannah Henkle (1750-1783) of Augusta County, VA and West Virginia. This has been disproved by genetic testing. Y-DNA genetic testing of male descendants of Arthur Johnson (d. 1759, md. Margaret Phares) of Augusta County, VA, the father of Andrew Johnson (md. Hannah Henkle), indicate that this Johnson male line belongs to Haplogroup R-M269 (Locust Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA)."
Jacob Johnson was the father of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States.
His date of birth is believed to be around 1778. Some sources indicate that he was born in Newcastle, England and sailed to America around 1795; but other sources indicate that he was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, and that it was his grandfather (and possible namesake) who sailed to North America from England.
Historian Rev. Nash A. Odom writes that "In the year 1760, Peter Johnson, migrated from Kintyre Scotland to North Carolina with his large family and settled in Cumberland County. The preaching instinct broke out again and a number of the Johnsons became ministers. One was the father of Jacob Johnson, who moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and was the father of President Andrew Johnson." Author Billy Kennedy writes that Jacob's father, named Andrew, a Presbyterian, came to North Carolina about 1750 from Mounthill, Ireland.
Whatever his beginnings, it is known Jacob was in Raleigh, NC in the early 1800's. On September 9, 1801, 23-year old Jacob married Mary "Polly" McDonough and together would have 3 children: William Patterson Johnson (1804–1865), Elizabeth Johnson (1806–unknown), and Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808–July 31, 1875). Andrew is said to have been named after his uncle or grandfather, Andrew McDonough.
The Johnson family lived humbly in a log home located on the property owned by Casso's Inn, a popular antebellum inn located northeast of the present-day North Carolina State Capital building. Casso's Inn was run by Peter Casso, a Revolutionary War soldier. Mary worked as a weaver and clothes washer, and Jacob worked as a hostler. Jacob also served as a militia Captain of Muster Division 20, as a sexton for the Presbyterian Church, and as a porter for the State Bank of North Carolina (chartered in 1811). Jacob is also reported to have been the sole bell toller in Raleigh.
Jacob died a hero's death at age 34, when he valiantly saved two fisherman whose boat had capsized. It was December, 1811, and Colonel Thomas Henderson, the young editor of the Raleigh Star, and his friend Mr. Callum, were fishing on Walnut Creek, near Hunter's Mill, when the enthusiastic group of fishermen capsized their fishing skiff. (A third occupant of the skiff, Mr. Pearce, had no trouble getting to shore.) Jacob Johnson jumped in the water and saved Henderson and Callum, to the detriment of his own health. Jacob died several weeks later, ironically, while ringing the funeral bell at church.
His obituary from the Raleigh Star newspaper (dated January 10, 1812) read as follows:
"Died, in this city, on Saturday last, Jacob Johnson, who had for years occupied a humble but useful station in Society. He was a city constable, sexton, and porter of the State Bank. In his last illness he was visited by the principal inhabitants of the city, by all whom he was esteemed for his honesty, industry, and humane and friendly disposition. Among all whom he was known and esteemed none lament him more (except, perhaps, his relatives) than the publisher of this paper; for he owes his life, on a particular occasion, to the boldness and humanity of Johnson."
Jacob's grave remained unmarked until 1867, when the current marker was erected. The writing on the marker has been obliterated from weather and vandalism, but an early account indicates that it was inscribed as follows:
"In memory of Jacob Johnson. An honest man, loved and respected by all who knew him."
Then-president Andrew Johnson was invited by Raleigh Mayor William D. Haywood to attend the public erection of Jacob's monument. He agreed to attend the dedication; this marked Johnson's only trip to the south during his term as President. He departed Washington, DC on June 1, 1867, stayed at Richmond, Virginia on the 2nd, and arrived in Raleigh on the 3rd. Johnson stayed at the Yarborough House Hotel on Fayetteville Street during his stay, and delivered a lengthy speech about various topics shortly after arriving.
The childhood home of President Johnson home (shown here), where his parents raised him, is now preserved at Mordecai Historic Park in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The following from Findagrave contributor mv66nc member # 46944406:
"The late genealogist and local historian Hugh Buckner Johnston, Jr. (1913-1990) of Wilson, NC published a series of articles in ''The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal'' between 1978 and 1985 identifying the probable siblings of Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) and proposing a theoretical ancestry for President Andrew Johnson (1808-1875).
In an article published in February, 1978, Mr. Johnston identified Aaron Johnson as the brother of Jacob Johnson, based upon claims made by Johnson's detractors concerning Aaron's son Madison Johnson, who was executed for murder in Wake County, NC in 1841 [Hugh B. Johnston, "Was a first cousin of President Andrew Johnson hanged in Raleigh?," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal', Volume 4, No. 1, February, 1978, pp. 30-34]. Hugh B. Johnston also published an article in May, 1979 concerning the criminal trial of Matthew Johnson of Wake County, NC, who was also identified by contemporaries as a cousin of Andrew Johnson. Matthew Johnson was the son of Jesse Johnson of Raleigh, NC. [Hugh B. Johnston, "President Andrew Johnson's Kinsmen were tough!," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 5, No. 2, May, 1979, pp. 96-99]. In an article published in May, 1982, Hugh B. Johnston identified a number of letters found in the papers of President Johnson written by individuals claiming kinship. Henderson W. Johnson of Jasper County, IA, son of Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN, wrote Andrew Johnson a letter dated February 8, 1861 identifying himself as a cousin. Jesse Wheeler of Johnston County, NC, while imprisoned at Point Lookout, MD during the Civil War, also wrote two letters dated June 29, 1864 and December 23, 1864 seeking Johnson's assistance. Wheeler identified his mother, Rulaney (Johnson) Wheeler, as a cousin of President Johnson. On August 2, 1865, Jane (Utley) Johnson of Raleigh, NC, widow of Jesse Johnson, wrote President Johnson seeking his aid. She identified her late husband Jesse Johnson of Raleigh as the President's uncle. [Hugh B. Johnston, "A Renewed Search for the Ancestry of President Andrew Johnson," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 8, No. 2, May, 1982, pp. 90-94]. In a subsequent article published in May, 1985, Hugh Buckner Johnston further identified John Johnson as a sibling of Jacob Johnson, citing a May 4, 1875 letter written by John's grandson Henry H. Depo of Fayetteville, NC describing his family's relationship. [Hugh B. Johnston, "President Andrew Johnson's Uncle John Johnson," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 11, No. 2, May, 1985, pp. 111-112].
Johnston's 1985 article also set forth a theoretical ancestry for Jacob Johnson (1778-1812), suggesting that he and his probable siblings Jesse, John, Moses, and Aaron Johnson were the sons of William Johnson of the Mark's Creek area of eastern Wake County, NC. Johnston further proposed that Jacob Johnson's putative father William Johnson was a grandson of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Essex, Amelia, and Prince Edward Counties, VA and Johnston County, NC. [Hugh B. Johnston, "Who was President Andrew Johnson's Grandfather," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 11, No. 2, May, 1985, pp. 111-112]. This theoretical ancestry put forth by Hugh B. Johnston was repeated in Hans L. Trefousse's book, ''Andrew Johnson: A Biography'' (1989). [Hans L. Trefousse, ''Andrew Johnson: A Biography'', New York: W. W. Norton Co., 1989, pp. 18-19].
Y-DNA genetic testing conducted by the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone DNA Surname Project sponsored by FamilyTreeDNA has discredited the theoretical ancestry of President Andrew Johnson suggested by the late genealogist Hugh Buckner Johnston, as well as various theories published by other earlier biographers of President Johnson. Two direct male descendants of Moses Johnson (ca. 1788 – ca. 1873) of Carter County, TN have been Y-DNA tested. In 2010, a direct male descendant of William Johnson (1804-1865) of Brazoria County, Texas, brother of President Andrew Johnson, was also Y-DNA tested. The results of those Y-DNA tests reveal a close genetic match between the descendants of Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN and William Johnson of Brazoria County, TX, thus substantiating the relationship of Moses Johnson's family line to President Andrew Johnson's family.
Y-DNA genetic testing was also performed by a direct male descendant of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Johnston County, NC. The test results confirmed that the families of Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) of Raleigh, NC and Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN are not descended from Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Johnston County, NC, thus disproving the theoretical ancestry proposed by Hugh B. Johnston. The male line of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson belongs to Haplogroup I-P37 (Burr Oak Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA).
President Andrew Johnson's paternal Johnson ancestors belong to Haplogroup I-M223 (Scarlet Oak Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA). Y-DNA results of that tree group suggest the possibility that President Andrew Johnson might be descended from or genetically related to William Johnson of Surry County, VA, who devised his will on November 4, 1709 (Probated July 4, 1710). This possible ancestral connection remains to be substantiated, however.
Contrary to a popular genealogical belief, President Andrew Johnson's father Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) was not a son of Andrew Johnson (ca. 1748-ca. 1795) and his wife Hannah Henkle (1750-1783) of Augusta County, VA and West Virginia. This has been disproved by genetic testing. Y-DNA genetic testing of male descendants of Arthur Johnson (d. 1759, md. Margaret Phares) of Augusta County, VA, the father of Andrew Johnson (md. Hannah Henkle), indicate that this Johnson male line belongs to Haplogroup R-M269 (Locust Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA)."
*parent links not verified.
Jacob Johnson was the father of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States.
His date of birth is believed to be around 1778. Some sources indicate that he was born in Newcastle, England and sailed to America around 1795; but other sources indicate that he was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, and that it was his grandfather (and possible namesake) who sailed to North America from England.
Historian Rev. Nash A. Odom writes that "In the year 1760, Peter Johnson, migrated from Kintyre Scotland to North Carolina with his large family and settled in Cumberland County. The preaching instinct broke out again and a number of the Johnsons became ministers. One was the father of Jacob Johnson, who moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and was the father of President Andrew Johnson." Author Billy Kennedy writes that Jacob's father, named Andrew, a Presbyterian, came to North Carolina about 1750 from Mounthill, Ireland.
Whatever his beginnings, it is known Jacob was in Raleigh, NC in the early 1800's. On September 9, 1801, 23-year old Jacob married Mary "Polly" McDonough and together would have 3 children: William Patterson Johnson (1804–1865), Elizabeth Johnson (1806–unknown), and Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808–July 31, 1875). Andrew is said to have been named after his uncle or grandfather, Andrew McDonough.
The Johnson family lived humbly in a log home located on the property owned by Casso's Inn, a popular antebellum inn located northeast of the present-day North Carolina State Capital building. Casso's Inn was run by Peter Casso, a Revolutionary War soldier. Mary worked as a weaver and clothes washer, and Jacob worked as a hostler. Jacob also served as a militia Captain of Muster Division 20, as a sexton for the Presbyterian Church, and as a porter for the State Bank of North Carolina (chartered in 1811). Jacob is also reported to have been the sole bell toller in Raleigh.
Jacob died a hero's death at age 34, when he valiantly saved two fisherman whose boat had capsized. It was December, 1811, and Colonel Thomas Henderson, the young editor of the Raleigh Star, and his friend Mr. Callum, were fishing on Walnut Creek, near Hunter's Mill, when the enthusiastic group of fishermen capsized their fishing skiff. (A third occupant of the skiff, Mr. Pearce, had no trouble getting to shore.) Jacob Johnson jumped in the water and saved Henderson and Callum, to the detriment of his own health. Jacob died several weeks later, ironically, while ringing the funeral bell at church.
His obituary from the Raleigh Star newspaper (dated January 10, 1812) read as follows:
"Died, in this city, on Saturday last, Jacob Johnson, who had for years occupied a humble but useful station in Society. He was a city constable, sexton, and porter of the State Bank. In his last illness he was visited by the principal inhabitants of the city, by all whom he was esteemed for his honesty, industry, and humane and friendly disposition. Among all whom he was known and esteemed none lament him more (except, perhaps, his relatives) than the publisher of this paper; for he owes his life, on a particular occasion, to the boldness and humanity of Johnson."
Jacob's grave remained unmarked until 1867, when the current marker was erected. The writing on the marker has been obliterated from weather and vandalism, but an early account indicates that it was inscribed as follows:
"In memory of Jacob Johnson. An honest man, loved and respected by all who knew him."
Then-president Andrew Johnson was invited by Raleigh Mayor William D. Haywood to attend the public erection of Jacob's monument. He agreed to attend the dedication; this marked Johnson's only trip to the south during his term as President. He departed Washington, DC on June 1, 1867, stayed at Richmond, Virginia on the 2nd, and arrived in Raleigh on the 3rd. Johnson stayed at the Yarborough House Hotel on Fayetteville Street during his stay, and delivered a lengthy speech about various topics shortly after arriving.
The childhood home of President Johnson home (shown here), where his parents raised him, is now preserved at Mordecai Historic Park in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The following from Findagrave contributor mv66nc member # 46944406:
"The late genealogist and local historian Hugh Buckner Johnston, Jr. (1913-1990) of Wilson, NC published a series of articles in ''The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal'' between 1978 and 1985 identifying the probable siblings of Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) and proposing a theoretical ancestry for President Andrew Johnson (1808-1875).
In an article published in February, 1978, Mr. Johnston identified Aaron Johnson as the brother of Jacob Johnson, based upon claims made by Johnson's detractors concerning Aaron's son Madison Johnson, who was executed for murder in Wake County, NC in 1841 [Hugh B. Johnston, "Was a first cousin of President Andrew Johnson hanged in Raleigh?," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal', Volume 4, No. 1, February, 1978, pp. 30-34]. Hugh B. Johnston also published an article in May, 1979 concerning the criminal trial of Matthew Johnson of Wake County, NC, who was also identified by contemporaries as a cousin of Andrew Johnson. Matthew Johnson was the son of Jesse Johnson of Raleigh, NC. [Hugh B. Johnston, "President Andrew Johnson's Kinsmen were tough!," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 5, No. 2, May, 1979, pp. 96-99]. In an article published in May, 1982, Hugh B. Johnston identified a number of letters found in the papers of President Johnson written by individuals claiming kinship. Henderson W. Johnson of Jasper County, IA, son of Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN, wrote Andrew Johnson a letter dated February 8, 1861 identifying himself as a cousin. Jesse Wheeler of Johnston County, NC, while imprisoned at Point Lookout, MD during the Civil War, also wrote two letters dated June 29, 1864 and December 23, 1864 seeking Johnson's assistance. Wheeler identified his mother, Rulaney (Johnson) Wheeler, as a cousin of President Johnson. On August 2, 1865, Jane (Utley) Johnson of Raleigh, NC, widow of Jesse Johnson, wrote President Johnson seeking his aid. She identified her late husband Jesse Johnson of Raleigh as the President's uncle. [Hugh B. Johnston, "A Renewed Search for the Ancestry of President Andrew Johnson," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 8, No. 2, May, 1982, pp. 90-94]. In a subsequent article published in May, 1985, Hugh Buckner Johnston further identified John Johnson as a sibling of Jacob Johnson, citing a May 4, 1875 letter written by John's grandson Henry H. Depo of Fayetteville, NC describing his family's relationship. [Hugh B. Johnston, "President Andrew Johnson's Uncle John Johnson," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 11, No. 2, May, 1985, pp. 111-112].
Johnston's 1985 article also set forth a theoretical ancestry for Jacob Johnson (1778-1812), suggesting that he and his probable siblings Jesse, John, Moses, and Aaron Johnson were the sons of William Johnson of the Mark's Creek area of eastern Wake County, NC. Johnston further proposed that Jacob Johnson's putative father William Johnson was a grandson of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Essex, Amelia, and Prince Edward Counties, VA and Johnston County, NC. [Hugh B. Johnston, "Who was President Andrew Johnson's Grandfather," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 11, No. 2, May, 1985, pp. 111-112]. This theoretical ancestry put forth by Hugh B. Johnston was repeated in Hans L. Trefousse's book, ''Andrew Johnson: A Biography'' (1989). [Hans L. Trefousse, ''Andrew Johnson: A Biography'', New York: W. W. Norton Co., 1989, pp. 18-19].
Y-DNA genetic testing conducted by the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone DNA Surname Project sponsored by FamilyTreeDNA has discredited the theoretical ancestry of President Andrew Johnson suggested by the late genealogist Hugh Buckner Johnston, as well as various theories published by other earlier biographers of President Johnson. Two direct male descendants of Moses Johnson (ca. 1788 – ca. 1873) of Carter County, TN have been Y-DNA tested. In 2010, a direct male descendant of William Johnson (1804-1865) of Brazoria County, Texas, brother of President Andrew Johnson, was also Y-DNA tested. The results of those Y-DNA tests reveal a close genetic match between the descendants of Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN and William Johnson of Brazoria County, TX, thus substantiating the relationship of Moses Johnson's family line to President Andrew Johnson's family.
Y-DNA genetic testing was also performed by a direct male descendant of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Johnston County, NC. The test results confirmed that the families of Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) of Raleigh, NC and Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN are not descended from Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Johnston County, NC, thus disproving the theoretical ancestry proposed by Hugh B. Johnston. The male line of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson belongs to Haplogroup I-P37 (Burr Oak Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA).
President Andrew Johnson's paternal Johnson ancestors belong to Haplogroup I-M223 (Scarlet Oak Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA). Y-DNA results of that tree group suggest the possibility that President Andrew Johnson might be descended from or genetically related to William Johnson of Surry County, VA, who devised his will on November 4, 1709 (Probated July 4, 1710). This possible ancestral connection remains to be substantiated, however.
Contrary to a popular genealogical belief, President Andrew Johnson's father Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) was not a son of Andrew Johnson (ca. 1748-ca. 1795) and his wife Hannah Henkle (1750-1783) of Augusta County, VA and West Virginia. This has been disproved by genetic testing. Y-DNA genetic testing of male descendants of Arthur Johnson (d. 1759, md. Margaret Phares) of Augusta County, VA, the father of Andrew Johnson (md. Hannah Henkle), indicate that this Johnson male line belongs to Haplogroup R-M269 (Locust Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA)."
Jacob Johnson was the father of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States.
His date of birth is believed to be around 1778. Some sources indicate that he was born in Newcastle, England and sailed to America around 1795; but other sources indicate that he was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, and that it was his grandfather (and possible namesake) who sailed to North America from England.
Historian Rev. Nash A. Odom writes that "In the year 1760, Peter Johnson, migrated from Kintyre Scotland to North Carolina with his large family and settled in Cumberland County. The preaching instinct broke out again and a number of the Johnsons became ministers. One was the father of Jacob Johnson, who moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and was the father of President Andrew Johnson." Author Billy Kennedy writes that Jacob's father, named Andrew, a Presbyterian, came to North Carolina about 1750 from Mounthill, Ireland.
Whatever his beginnings, it is known Jacob was in Raleigh, NC in the early 1800's. On September 9, 1801, 23-year old Jacob married Mary "Polly" McDonough and together would have 3 children: William Patterson Johnson (1804–1865), Elizabeth Johnson (1806–unknown), and Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808–July 31, 1875). Andrew is said to have been named after his uncle or grandfather, Andrew McDonough.
The Johnson family lived humbly in a log home located on the property owned by Casso's Inn, a popular antebellum inn located northeast of the present-day North Carolina State Capital building. Casso's Inn was run by Peter Casso, a Revolutionary War soldier. Mary worked as a weaver and clothes washer, and Jacob worked as a hostler. Jacob also served as a militia Captain of Muster Division 20, as a sexton for the Presbyterian Church, and as a porter for the State Bank of North Carolina (chartered in 1811). Jacob is also reported to have been the sole bell toller in Raleigh.
Jacob died a hero's death at age 34, when he valiantly saved two fisherman whose boat had capsized. It was December, 1811, and Colonel Thomas Henderson, the young editor of the Raleigh Star, and his friend Mr. Callum, were fishing on Walnut Creek, near Hunter's Mill, when the enthusiastic group of fishermen capsized their fishing skiff. (A third occupant of the skiff, Mr. Pearce, had no trouble getting to shore.) Jacob Johnson jumped in the water and saved Henderson and Callum, to the detriment of his own health. Jacob died several weeks later, ironically, while ringing the funeral bell at church.
His obituary from the Raleigh Star newspaper (dated January 10, 1812) read as follows:
"Died, in this city, on Saturday last, Jacob Johnson, who had for years occupied a humble but useful station in Society. He was a city constable, sexton, and porter of the State Bank. In his last illness he was visited by the principal inhabitants of the city, by all whom he was esteemed for his honesty, industry, and humane and friendly disposition. Among all whom he was known and esteemed none lament him more (except, perhaps, his relatives) than the publisher of this paper; for he owes his life, on a particular occasion, to the boldness and humanity of Johnson."
Jacob's grave remained unmarked until 1867, when the current marker was erected. The writing on the marker has been obliterated from weather and vandalism, but an early account indicates that it was inscribed as follows:
"In memory of Jacob Johnson. An honest man, loved and respected by all who knew him."
Then-president Andrew Johnson was invited by Raleigh Mayor William D. Haywood to attend the public erection of Jacob's monument. He agreed to attend the dedication; this marked Johnson's only trip to the south during his term as President. He departed Washington, DC on June 1, 1867, stayed at Richmond, Virginia on the 2nd, and arrived in Raleigh on the 3rd. Johnson stayed at the Yarborough House Hotel on Fayetteville Street during his stay, and delivered a lengthy speech about various topics shortly after arriving.
The childhood home of President Johnson home (shown here), where his parents raised him, is now preserved at Mordecai Historic Park in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The following from Findagrave contributor mv66nc member # 46944406:
"The late genealogist and local historian Hugh Buckner Johnston, Jr. (1913-1990) of Wilson, NC published a series of articles in ''The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal'' between 1978 and 1985 identifying the probable siblings of Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) and proposing a theoretical ancestry for President Andrew Johnson (1808-1875).
In an article published in February, 1978, Mr. Johnston identified Aaron Johnson as the brother of Jacob Johnson, based upon claims made by Johnson's detractors concerning Aaron's son Madison Johnson, who was executed for murder in Wake County, NC in 1841 [Hugh B. Johnston, "Was a first cousin of President Andrew Johnson hanged in Raleigh?," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal', Volume 4, No. 1, February, 1978, pp. 30-34]. Hugh B. Johnston also published an article in May, 1979 concerning the criminal trial of Matthew Johnson of Wake County, NC, who was also identified by contemporaries as a cousin of Andrew Johnson. Matthew Johnson was the son of Jesse Johnson of Raleigh, NC. [Hugh B. Johnston, "President Andrew Johnson's Kinsmen were tough!," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 5, No. 2, May, 1979, pp. 96-99]. In an article published in May, 1982, Hugh B. Johnston identified a number of letters found in the papers of President Johnson written by individuals claiming kinship. Henderson W. Johnson of Jasper County, IA, son of Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN, wrote Andrew Johnson a letter dated February 8, 1861 identifying himself as a cousin. Jesse Wheeler of Johnston County, NC, while imprisoned at Point Lookout, MD during the Civil War, also wrote two letters dated June 29, 1864 and December 23, 1864 seeking Johnson's assistance. Wheeler identified his mother, Rulaney (Johnson) Wheeler, as a cousin of President Johnson. On August 2, 1865, Jane (Utley) Johnson of Raleigh, NC, widow of Jesse Johnson, wrote President Johnson seeking his aid. She identified her late husband Jesse Johnson of Raleigh as the President's uncle. [Hugh B. Johnston, "A Renewed Search for the Ancestry of President Andrew Johnson," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 8, No. 2, May, 1982, pp. 90-94]. In a subsequent article published in May, 1985, Hugh Buckner Johnston further identified John Johnson as a sibling of Jacob Johnson, citing a May 4, 1875 letter written by John's grandson Henry H. Depo of Fayetteville, NC describing his family's relationship. [Hugh B. Johnston, "President Andrew Johnson's Uncle John Johnson," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 11, No. 2, May, 1985, pp. 111-112].
Johnston's 1985 article also set forth a theoretical ancestry for Jacob Johnson (1778-1812), suggesting that he and his probable siblings Jesse, John, Moses, and Aaron Johnson were the sons of William Johnson of the Mark's Creek area of eastern Wake County, NC. Johnston further proposed that Jacob Johnson's putative father William Johnson was a grandson of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Essex, Amelia, and Prince Edward Counties, VA and Johnston County, NC. [Hugh B. Johnston, "Who was President Andrew Johnson's Grandfather," The North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 11, No. 2, May, 1985, pp. 111-112]. This theoretical ancestry put forth by Hugh B. Johnston was repeated in Hans L. Trefousse's book, ''Andrew Johnson: A Biography'' (1989). [Hans L. Trefousse, ''Andrew Johnson: A Biography'', New York: W. W. Norton Co., 1989, pp. 18-19].
Y-DNA genetic testing conducted by the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone DNA Surname Project sponsored by FamilyTreeDNA has discredited the theoretical ancestry of President Andrew Johnson suggested by the late genealogist Hugh Buckner Johnston, as well as various theories published by other earlier biographers of President Johnson. Two direct male descendants of Moses Johnson (ca. 1788 – ca. 1873) of Carter County, TN have been Y-DNA tested. In 2010, a direct male descendant of William Johnson (1804-1865) of Brazoria County, Texas, brother of President Andrew Johnson, was also Y-DNA tested. The results of those Y-DNA tests reveal a close genetic match between the descendants of Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN and William Johnson of Brazoria County, TX, thus substantiating the relationship of Moses Johnson's family line to President Andrew Johnson's family.
Y-DNA genetic testing was also performed by a direct male descendant of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Johnston County, NC. The test results confirmed that the families of Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) of Raleigh, NC and Moses Johnson of Carter County, TN are not descended from Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson (ca. 1696 – 1763) of Johnston County, NC, thus disproving the theoretical ancestry proposed by Hugh B. Johnston. The male line of Sylvanus "Sill" Johnson belongs to Haplogroup I-P37 (Burr Oak Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA).
President Andrew Johnson's paternal Johnson ancestors belong to Haplogroup I-M223 (Scarlet Oak Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA). Y-DNA results of that tree group suggest the possibility that President Andrew Johnson might be descended from or genetically related to William Johnson of Surry County, VA, who devised his will on November 4, 1709 (Probated July 4, 1710). This possible ancestral connection remains to be substantiated, however.
Contrary to a popular genealogical belief, President Andrew Johnson's father Jacob Johnson (1778-1812) was not a son of Andrew Johnson (ca. 1748-ca. 1795) and his wife Hannah Henkle (1750-1783) of Augusta County, VA and West Virginia. This has been disproved by genetic testing. Y-DNA genetic testing of male descendants of Arthur Johnson (d. 1759, md. Margaret Phares) of Augusta County, VA, the father of Andrew Johnson (md. Hannah Henkle), indicate that this Johnson male line belongs to Haplogroup R-M269 (Locust Tree Group at the Johnson/Johnston/Johnstone Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA)."
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