GENERATION TWO

DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM JOHNSON

THE PROTESTANT PERSECUTION                                                                

Colonial Maryland Timeline

1689 - the Protestant Association, a group led by John Coode, seizes control of the colony and demands that England take over the government.  

1691 - the English crown appoints a royal governor.

1715 - The Calvert family regains control of Maryland in 1715 under Benedict Leonard Calvert, the fourth Lord Baltimore, who is a Protestant.

1718 - Roman Catholics in Maryland lose the right to vote. This right is not regained until 1776.

1718. Catholics disenfranchised by Assembly.

1720-1727. Charles Calvert, governor.

1723. School and board of visitors in each county mandated by Assembly.

1729. Baltimore Town established by charter.

1732. Salisbury Town laid out by commissioners.

1732. Establishment of boundary line with three lower counties of Pennsylvania, which later became Delaware.

I. INTRODUCTION

During the lifetime of John Johnson, son of William Johnson, the colony of Maryland saw much tumult between the Protestants and the Catholics.  This period saw the Protestants in 1694 force the movement of the Capitol from St. Mary’s City to Annapolis, Maryland.  Catholics lost their right to vote and didn’t regain it until after the Revolutionary War.  With Catholicism in disfavor during this time Catholics actually had to disguise their worship.  This went so far as having to disguise their buildings of worship.  St. Francis Xavier Church in New Town (now Compton, Maryland) was just such an example.

St. Francis Xavier Church was built in 1704 and rebuilt in 1766.  The present vestry is the only portion of the church that remains unchanged."  Some early Johnsons worshiped there.  References can be found in the church records to the wedding of Mary  Johnson and John Murrein on December 4, 1769.

This church has an incredible history stretching back to the period when the Protestants were oppressing the Catholics of St. Mary's County, Maryland.   The church was originally constructed to look like a tobacco barn so that the authorities would not know it's actual use.  Only later when religious tolerance became the norm was a brick front added to make room for a vestibule and choir loft.  Later a brick sacristy and small belfry announced that it was a church!

 II. EXPLANATORY NOTES – JOHN & MARY (SMITH) JOHNSON

In the Rent Roll information cited above under William and Alice Johnson there is an additional  entry at the bottom of the document.  This indicates a later transaction.  In this case I believe it represents a later payment of rent on behalf of John Johnson to Philip Key.  The entry reads as follows:

      100  0.4.0  Philip Key from John Johnson, March 9, 1737.

This indicates that John Johnson made payment on 100 acres (St. Peters Wells) to Philip Key on March 9, 1737 of the sum of “0.4.0” [which mean 0 pounds, 4 shillings, 0 pence].  This moves the property to the second generation.  As mentioned in the earlier chapter on William and Alice there is also a Rent Roll entry regarding a 104 Acre Addition to St. Peter’s Well which was surveyed for this John Johnson.  It reads:

We have a will for John Johnson (see below) that indicates that he made his Last Will and Testament on January 14, 1744 and that it was probated on April 2, 1745.  The will does not mention his wife by name but does mention his children Peter, John, Thomas, Leonard and Susannah.  We know that Mary was previously married to a John Medcalf.  We know this from the Administrative Account from 1707 for John & Mary Medcalf.  Mary was the administratrix of the account which ends with this sentence “Then came John Johnson, who married the aministratrix above sd, and made oath to the above acct before me, Wm Aisquisth, Dep Commissary.” Then we have the Will of one Peter Smith probated in 1717 which refers to his daughter “Mary Johnson.”

In existence we also have a Last Will and Testament for one of John’s sons, Leonard who was married to Winifred. That Will was probated on February 19, 1775.  See, Will Book T.A. 1, p. 718 (see below). This was a verbal will that left his estate to his wife Winifred until his children came of age, unless Winifred remarried in which case the children are to take their parts of the estate.  We also have some information regarding Peter Johnson and his wife Grace.  Following the death of her first husband John Mattingly in 1744, Grace married Peter Johnson. Peter's Will, written on 1-2-1747, named the youngest children of John. Grace reportedly died sometime after the date shown.

We also find the following Administrative Account for Peter Johnson:

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JOHN JOHNSON

Drawn -

Probated - April 9, 1745

Page one

 ENLARGE

Page 2

 ENLARGE

      Transcription of the Last Will and Testament of John Johnson

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF LEONARD JOHNSON

Drawn –

Probated February 19, 1745

 ENLARGE

Transcription of Last Will and Testament of Leonard Johnson

GENERATION THREE