Forsythe Family Network

Mystery Man

There is still much unknown about John Johnson that died in Butler Co., KY in 1857. Many people have a copy of his tombstone on their public tree. John and Elizabeth Johnson have hundreds of descendants that live in Butler Co., KY, but few really know this mystery man! Most people list that his wife is Mary Elizabeth or Elizabeth Phelps, however she is Mary Elizabeth Underwood daughter of Matthew Underwood that died in Ohio Co., KY. John and Elizabeth married in Ohio Co., kY in 1809. It is very possible that John may have been married before coming to Butler. We know through DNA testing that he had family in Mercer Co., KY. He may have also been living in Warren Co., KY as early as 1800. More research is needed!

Many people list that John Johnson is the son of Thomas Johnson and Mary Rankin! I wish that someone could provide me proof of this relationship or some type of documentation. At the moment, I tend to disagree with this assumption. We know that John Johnson is probably a brother to Moses Johnson that died 1815 in Warren Co., KY. Both named sons Isaac Johnson. DNA testing has proven that they are a very close match. Moses and John could be father and son, but I tend to think they are probably brothers.

Moses Johnson moved to Warren Co., Ky from Mercer Co., KY. His son Isaac Ewing Johnson named sons William Johnson, Charles Johnson, and Moses Johnson, born 1827 (disabled). This Moses Johnson did not marry Mary Elms Johnsons in Butler Co., KY in 1836. I wonder if Wiliam Johnson could be William F. Johnson?

Moses and Mary Johnson had 4 children Hannah Johnson, Winifred Pipes, William C. Johnson and Isaac (Ewing) Johnson named in his will. Widow Mary Johnson married Jobe Wilkerson in Butler Co., KY. Permelia's mother-in-law became her step-mother.

There was a Charles Johnson in Lincoln Co., KY between 1790 and 1800 that may be related to John, Moses and Isaac Ewing Johnson. DNA testing through Family Tree DNA ( See Johnson Project) has proven that this lines relates to Jeffery and Margaret Johnson. They had several sons with familiar names such as Moses , Benjamin, Charles etc.

Many people from Butler Co., KY believe that Joseph and John Johnson were brothers. Descendant have participated in a DNA sudy through Family Tree DNA. Results prove that they were not brothers, they come from entirely different lines. It is thought that Joseph Johnston line has ties to Louisa Co., VA. John Johnson lines has a ties to Wilkes Co, NC, earliest known ancestor is a Jeffery Johnson. Researchers just can not find the missing links to tie John Johnson of Butler Co., KY to Jeffery Johnson.

Joseph last name in many documents list his last name as Johnston.

Columbus Johnson is also listed on the Johnson DNA site, even though he does not match any of the 600 Johnsons. There is not a Flener DNA project at this time. Only 4 Fleners have submitted DNA, only one chose to publish his results. Columbus Johnson matched with this individual.

Please see Johnson Project on Family Tree DNA.

We are currently searching for a direct male Johnson descendant that is related to Isaac Ewing Johnson that married Permelia Wilkerson. If you know of an individual from this line, please have them contact me at gasb@aol.com