Cassy, I am responding to your query of 2 Jan 03 asking about Benjamin JOHNSON who married Sarah MESSER in Knox County 28 Jul 1811. This marriage is of particular interest to us of the large JOHNSON family of the Laurel County area. We have been wondering if this Benjamin Johnson could be our missing Benjamin Ware JOHNSTON who seems to have moved away from Greenville District, SC about 1810. Three of his sons moved to the Knox and Clay County area about 1818 and began the huge Johnson presence in the region there that continues today. This newlywed Benjamin Johnson made an $50 indenture on his purchase of 50 mostly rugged acres on the state road next to William ANDERSON outside of Barbourville on 5 Aug 1811 just a few days after the wedding. He made the indenture with John LOGAN of Barbourville acting as attorney for Robert PATTON of Fredericksburg, VA. Indeed, in the 1820 Knox County census there is a Joseph Johnson living next to William Anderson near the state road. Our own Joseph Johnson is listed as living in Clay County in this census, if memory serves. We know that our mysterious Benjamin Ware Johnston or Johnson made a power of attorney in Laurel County in 1828 for his son Aaron to return to SC and sell off Benjamin's remaining land holdings there, but that is the only proof of his existence since some other legal papers in Greenville District, SC in 1809. This is a real mystery to us. Please bear in mind that we are by no means sure that the Benjamin Johnson who married Sarah Messer is our Benjamin Johnson. Do you have anything else on him? Bruce Nichols