Posted on: Madison Co. Oh Queries Forum Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Oh/Madison/715 Surname: John Johnson, Michael Johnson ------------------------- The history of Madison County has quite a lot of information on this family. The first Johnson to be established in Madison County seems to be Michael who is said to have been living in what is now Jefferson Township prior to the beginning of the present century (Beers published 1883). He was a native of Ireland and born about 1750. In early life came to the colony of Virgtinia where he grew to maturity and married the daughter of German parents who had also located there in childhood. The account lists nine children all born in Virginia. It says that he left Virginia in 1795 for the Northwest but returned to Virginia to make preparations for moving his family in 1797. With his wife and eight surviving children he started for the Scioto Valley and finally settled on Little Darby about 4 miles northwest of the site of Jefferson. In the fall of 1797 he built a cabin and here many of his descendants yet reside. Michael Johnson possessed that stout, robust constitution so characteristic of the irish. Michale Johnson drowned in the little Darby in 1808. The account involves his son in law Peter Paugh. John Johnson the eldest of the family married a distant relative of thge same name whose parents came to Jefferson Township at a much later day tht the Michael Johnson family. He was not a sucessful farmer on account of his restless dispostion. He first settled on the farm now owned by George W. Blair in Jefferson Township. He left and returned to it again and again under the squatter system then in vogue. About 1837 he mermved to Michigan settling near St. Joseph wher he and his wife both died. Of his children now residents of Madison County are John, in Jefferson Township, Euphemia (Johnson) Lombard in Monroe Township and Permelia of Canaan Township. This account is in much more detail than I have given including the names of the children of Michael Johnson, his son John and that another John Johnson was residing in West Jefferson county in 1883 when the book that I have was published. See Beers History of Madison County pps. 294-298 On page 390 is mention of Johnson as a juror in August 1811. Interest in defending the county for the Indians is mentioned on page 488 and 627 and the ruse that involved John Johnson's desire to return to his home along with the remaining company of volunteers probably connected with the war of 1812. the latter at the leader of the Darbyites. that is plenty for you to chew on at this time.