Elizabeth "Betsy" Johnson1

F, #15921, b. 26 June 1799, d. 28 October 1878
Father*Thomas Johnson1 b. b 1775, d. 2 Nov 1826
Mother*Hannah (__________)1 b. 26 Jul 1768, d. 29 Sep 1858
Birth*26 June 1799 Elizabeth "Betsy" Johnson was born on 26 June 1799 date backed into from age at death.1 
(Witness) Census18201820 She is assumed to be one of the household of Thomas Johnson in the 1820 census, Nicholas Co., Kentucky, who has 2m0-10 (1810-1820, Asahel & Thomas)
1m16-26 (1794-1804, Joseph)
1m45+ (before 1775, Thomas)
1f0-10 (1810-1820, Betsy)
2f10-16 (1804-1810, Susan, Ruth & Polly but which is missing?)
3f16-26 (1794-1804, Hannah, Rachel, Nancy)
1f45+ (before 1775, Hannah)
2 in agriculture (Joseph & Thomas). 
Marriage* Elizabeth "Betsy" Johnson married John W Cunningham they later ended up in Iowa.1 
(Grantor) Deed14 April 1837 Elizabeth "Betsy" Johnson sold land on 14 April 1837 at Deed Book F (SLC 1315555) Page 192-193, Putnam Co., Indiana:      This indenture made the 14th day of April, one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven between John W. Cunningham and Elizabeth his wife Hosea Wright and Susan his wife and Thomas Johnson heirs of Thomas Johnson dec’d of the one part and Stacey Reeves of Putnam County, Indiana of the other part witnesseth[sic] that the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of two hundred dollars current money of the United Sates to them in hand paid, the receipt where of is hereby acknowledged have granted, bargained, and sold and by these present do grant bargain and sell unto the said Stacey Reeves his heirs and assigns forever their undivided interest in a certain tract of parcel of land
     Page 193
situate lying and being in the County of Putnam and State aforesaid, being the south east quarter of section twenty-seven in township fifteen north and range four west containing one hundred sixty acres. To have and to hold the said tract or parcel of land will all the appurtenances unto the said Stacey Reeves his heirs assigns, to his only proper use benefit and behalf forever and the said party of the first part do covenant and agree with the said Stacy Reeves and his heirs and assigns that the premises hereby bargained and sold now are and forever here after shall be and remain free and clear of and from all right and title of dower or other incumbrances [sic] whatsoever and that they the said party of the first part will and their heirs executors and administrators shall warrant and forever defend their interest in said tract or parcel of land with all the appurtenances unto the said Stacey Reeves and his heirs and assigns against all and every person and person whatever lawfully claiming or to claim the same.
     In testimony where of the said party of the first part have here unto set their hands and seals the day and year first above mentioned.
     Thomas Johnson seal
     Hosea Wright seal
     Susan Wright seal
     J.W. Cunningham seal
     Elizabeth Cunningham seal
State of Indiana Putnam County Oct 4 1837
     Be it remembered that on this day to wit the fifteenth Of April eighteen hundred and thirty seven personally came before me ReuBen Slavens a Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid John W. Cunningham and his wife Elizabeth, Hosea Wright and Susan his wife and Thomas Johnson the grantors named in the foregoing deed of conveyance and severally acknowledged the signing and sealing of said deed to be their act and for the purposes therein contained and Elizabeth and Susan wives of John W. Cunningham and Hosea Wright, being first examined seperately and apart form their husbands acknowledged that they signed and sealed said deed as their own voluntary act without any compulsion or coercion from their husbands
     In testimony where of I have here unto set my hand and seal the day and year above written
     Reuben Slavens JP seal
     This indenture made and entered into this 24th day of August 1837 By and between Hannah Johnson of Warren County of the one part And Stacey Reeves of Putnam County of the other part witnesseth That the said Hannah Johnson for and in consideration of three Hundred dollars to her in hand paid the receipt of which is hereby ackNowledged hat granted, bargained and sold by these presents do grant bargain and sell unto the said Stacey Reeves and his heirs and assigns forever all her right and title of dower in and to the south east quarter of section twenty-seven in township fifteen north and range four west in the County of Putnam and State of Indiana, to have and to hold unto the said Stacey Reeves and his heirs all the aforesaid right and title of dower against the claim of the said Hannah Johnson and all persons claiming under her. And the said Hannah Johnson will warrant and defend the title aforesaid to said Stacey Reeves and his heirs and assigns
     Page 194
all claims whatsoever.
     In testimony where of the said Hannah Johnson hath here unto set her hand and seal this date above.
     Hannah Johnson seal
     Signed sealed and delivered in presence of Mary Wright               
     State of Illinois McDonough County
     I Harrison Hungate an acting Justice of the Peace of the aforesaid county do hereby certify that the above named Hannah Johnson grantor to the written deed and who is personally known to me personally came before me and acknowledged the assigning and sealing the same to be her act and deed for the purposes there in expressed
     Harrison Hungate JP seal
     
     State of Illinois County of McDonough Oct
     I James M. Campbell Clerk of the County Commissioners Court in and for the County of McDonough and State of Illinois do hereby certify that Harrison Hungate Esq whose name is subscribed to the foregoing certificate of acknowledgement was at the time the same was made an acting Justice of the Peace I and for the county afore said was duly commissioned and qualified and that is such, full faith and credit are and ought of right to be given to all his official acts
     seal
     The testimony where of I have here unto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County Commisioners Court of said County at my office in Macomb this thirteenth day of August AD 1837 and the independence of the United States           
     James M. Campbell Clerk. 
Association1844 She and Ruth Ann Johnson were shown as sisters in 1844 at Brazelton neighborhood near Mt Pleasant, Henry Co., Iowa: The author of the source book states: "In the summer of 1844, when I was teaching school in the Brazelton neighborhood near Mt. Pleasant, one evening just as I was leaving the school-house for my boarding place, two women came along on horseback.
     Each had a pair of saddle-bags thrown across her horse, and a bag or bundle hanging on the horn of the saddle. They halted a little and spoke to me. I immediately became interested in them and we entered into conversation. They informed me that they were trying to reach Trenton that evening; had come from somewhere in Illinois that day, and had crossed the Mississippi at Burlington. I asked them where they lived. One of them said, 'We are sisters and live away up in the New Purchase.' We became more interested in each other when I told them about my relatives who were also living in the New Purchase. They were well acquainted with my relatives, and as I walked along the road and talked with them they told me about their husbands and children, and how they came to go back to Illinois where they moved from to Iowa. Business and pleasure combined had taken them back to the old neighborhood after living a year in the wilds of the New Purchase.
     Their husbands had to take care of their claims and crops, and they were brave enough to make the journey alone and on horseback. One of those ladies was Mrs. Newton Seevers, who said she had two daughters old enough to keep house for their father in her absence. The other lady was Mrs. John W. Cunningham.
     She lived nearer my uncle's and could tell me much about them. Those women had a genuine, respectable, kindly appearance which drew me toward them, and made an impression on me at once which has lasted through all these years. There seemed to be little prospect at that time of my ever seeing them again, though Mrs. Cunningham remarked when we parted, 'I wish you would come up to the New Purchase and teach school, for I have a boy and two little girls that I would like to spend to school to you.' We bade each other goodbye, all expressing the pleasure it had given us to have met in so unlooked-for a way, and hoped that we would meet again."
     (Researcher Donna Cook, who reported to Angela then said) This article goes on for several pages, all of which I will not type in this report. She states that she did eventually go to the New Purchase as a school teacher and had as students the children of Elizabeth Cunningham - Joseph and his sisters, Lizzie and Ella. She also states that Lizzie married a gentleman by the name of Barr and they live in Illinois. Ella married Dr. J. F. Smith, a Virginian, now a successful business man. She further states that
     "Mrs. Seevers has been a widow for many years. She is now well on toward ninety, but quite well preserved, both physically and mentally. Her home is with her son, Thomas Seevers, who is one of Oskaloosa's most prosperous business men. Thomas Seevers owns and lives in one of the most beautiful homes in the city."
     She gives also provides a description of the Seevers family tree, beginning with Henry Seevers, the father of Isaac Newton and James Seevers. Coming to Iowa at the same time as Newton and James was a cousin, Alfred, and later Alfred's brother, George. James and Newton were from Virginia, but Alfred and George were from Ohio.2,1 
Note1844 Note(s): in 1844 states that she has "a boy and two little girls". Later the source book gives their names as Joseph, Lizzie, and Ella. Also that Lizzie married a Barr, and Ella married Dr J F Smith.2 
(MentionedIn) Probate11 January 1872 Elizabeth "Betsy" Johnson was mentioned in a probate of Joseph G Johnson on 11 January 1872 at Henderson Co., Illinois; The $30,000 bond says that his personal estate will probably amount to $16,000, that he left at his decease no widow, and Asahel Johnson, Thomas Johnson, Elizabeth Cunningham, Susan Wright, Ruth A Severs, Olivia Dickenson, and Anna Temple, daughters of Mary Wright, Allen J Hill, son of Nancy Hill, Rachel R Epler and Hannah Spangler, his brothers, sisters, nieces & nephew.3 
Death*28 October 1878 Elizabeth "Betsy" Johnson died on 28 October 1878 at Granville, Mahaska Co., Iowa, at age 79 age 79 yrs 4 mo and 2 days.1 
Burial* She was buried at Baldwin Cemetery, Granville, Mahaska Co., Indiana.1 
Relationships2nd great-grandaunt of David Lee Bassett
Grandaunt of Martha Belle Spangler

Family

John W Cunningham
Marriage* She married John W Cunningham they later ended up in Iowa.1 
Last Edited4 Mar 2013

Citations

  1. [S1647] "email from Angela to Kathryn," e-mail message from Angela McLaughlin, private email address to Kathryn Bassett, Apr 2007+.
  2. [S1702] Proud Mahaska, 1843-1900: Iowa, Semira Ann Hobbs Phillips.
  3. [S1779] Illinois Probate Records, 1819-1970 on Family Search, Administrators bond 1859-1880 vol A pg 163.