William Johnson
William Johnson died in Rutherford County, Tennessee, early in 1816. He made his will on 19 January 1816. By 28 February his children had begun signing an agreement to support his widow.
Where he came from rests on later papers. A DAR lineage form gives his birth as about 1740 in England and his marriage, "prob. England 1765," to Rebecca Larkin. It places him in South Carolina during the Revolution, with patriotic service by material aid, which meant supplying the American side rather than serving under arms. A family book of the 1920s also says England. No record supports the English birth.
His will left his wife Rebecca her household furniture and working tools, her choice of the horses, her saddle and "a good bridle," and "two of the best cows & calves." It also left her "the negro woman Sara and the child Leah," who were enslaved. All of this was hers for life, or until she married again. Then it was to be divided among his children. Whatever else he owned was to be sold and shared the same way.
Rebecca, the will says, "makes choice to end her days with her son Larkin Johnson." She was to go to Larkin with everything left to her. Sara and her child were then to become Larkin's own, if he paid his brother Mathew one hundred dollars. What became of Sara and Leah after that is not recorded. His executors were "friends Greene Norman & James Higgins." John Dean and James Sikes witnessed the will. It was recorded on 9 May 1816 in Will Book 3.
His children did not wait for the estate to be settled. Between 28 February and 9 March 1816 they signed a bond to the widow. They bound themselves "to procure to the said widow a comfortable decent support during her life, without her being compelled to labour for it in her old age, or yet to be beholden to any." The land was to be sold at auction on twelve months' credit. After the debts were paid, Rebecca would share alike with the children and use her share as she pleased.
The bond was signed by "John Johnson, Mathew Kuykendall, in rite of his wife, Nancy, Edward Johnson, John Miller in rite of his wife Mildred, James Johnson, William Johnson, Edward Taylor in rite of his wife Polly, & Mathew Johnson." Rebecca made her mark. "In right of his wife" was the legal form: a married daughter's share was held and signed for by her husband. At the April term of 1816 the clerk certified it as "the foregoing bond, made by the children & heirs of William Johnson dec'd to the widow of said deceased." It was recorded in Book 3 on 10 May 1816.
Between them the two documents name nine children: John, Nancy, Edward, Mildred, James, William, Mary called Polly, Larkin and Mathew. Nancy was the wife of Matthew Kuykendall, and by family records she was born on 10 July 1765. Whether Rebecca was the mother of all nine, or of Nancy, the records do not say.
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Cite: Heirology, "William Johnson (1740-1816)", https://heirology.com/ancestors/william-johnson-1740-1816-836bc9.