Obituary of Edmund Johnson, 1818 - 1907

Death of an Aged Citizen, 
Smithfield Herald, May 17, 1907

Mr. Edmond Johnson, living about five miles west of Smithfield died Thursday, May 9th. He was 88 years old. He had been married four times and lived to see his children and grand children a great host. His youngest daughter is over 21 years old.  He was a man of remarkable strength and endurance. Last call he picked out more than three bales of cotton. He liked to smoke and usually carried his pipe with him whereever he went. "Uncle Edmond" as he was familiarly called, was liked by everybody. His friends and acquaintances will regret to hear he is dead. The burial took place on Friday of last week at a graveyard  near Mr. Josephus Johnson. Seldom does so large a crowd assemble to see a burial as was present.

Note: Name is misspelled in obit (should be Edmund) and date of death is incorrect (should be May 7, 1907).

Note:  He is buried in the Johnson Family Cemetery west of Four Oaks, NC near intersection of SR 1330 and 1350. In the north west corner of a field, all stones are broken. It was a family cemetery before Johnson Chapel Church was established. 

Mary Ann Flowers Harper, 1798 - 1850ish, Johnston County, NC

My 4th great grandmother, Mary Ann FLOWERS,  was born just before the turn of the century -  about 1798 - in Johnston County, NC. She was the 7th of 15 children of Jacob FLOWERS and Pheriba JOHNSON. Her siblings were: 

1. Winifred
2. Edney
3. John
4. Michael
5. Emily
6. Winnie
7. Sally
8. Pherebe
9. Emily
10. Harriett
11. Tempy
12. Martha
13. Jacob
14. Elizabeth

That's a lot of kids! It's little wonder then that she married at age 14 Reddick HARPER on 01 Mar 1812 in Johnston County North Carolina. They had nine children:

1. Ammy who married Aaron W. MASSENGILL on 12 Aug 1851 in Johnston County.
2. Bryant. Don't know much about him.
3. Wilsie HARPER, born in 1819 and died about 1881. She married Aaron MASSENGILL on 25 Mar 1846 in Johnston County. These are my 3rd great grandparents. 
4. Elizabeth Emily born in 1827. Elizabeth may have been named for Mary Ann's youngest sister.
5. Susan Maria born in 1829 and died in 1907 - both events in Johnston County. Her mother, Mary Ann, was living with her on the 1850 census. 
6. Nancy Wiley born in 1835 and died on 24 Feb 1910 in Johnston County. She married Aaron W. MASSENGILL on 18 Mar 1855 in Johnston County.
7. Jacob was born in 1837. He married Willy Jane ATKINSON on 15 Jan 1861 in Johnston County.  Jacob may have been named for Mary Ann's youngest brother.
8. William was born in 1841 in Johnston County.
9. George Robert was born in 1844. He died on 23 Feb 1916 in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. He married Phereby SMITH on 10 Dec 1866 in Johnston County.  His mother Mary Ann was in her mid-40s when George was born. She had her 9 children over a 25 year range!

1850 was the first US census to enumerate women, so Mary Ann shows up then living in District 3 of Johnston County at age 52 living with her daughter Susan. She does not show up on the 1860 census, so she may have died within the decade. 

You should note that some of these facts are documented but others are not. I won't list all the sources here, but if you want to know if I have a source for a particular fact, feel free to drop a note!  Otherwise...do your own research. 

Will of Issac Johnson, ~1770-1822

Last Will and Testament

In the name of God, Amen. I Isaac Johnson of the County of Johnston and State of North Carolina, being of sound mind and memory do hereby make, publish, and declare this instrument of writing to be my last Will and Testament, in manner and form following, that is to say, first I give and devise to my son Stephen, all the land which I own on the north side of the north prong of the Beaver Dam branch, including the house and plantation whereon I now live to him and his heirs forever, reserving to my wife the use of the same during her natural life.

2d. All the rest of my land I give and devise to my son Frederick to him and his heirs forever. 

3d. I give and bequeath to my son Stephen, one sorrel filly, one feather bed and furniture, 1 shot gun, and one half of my plantation tools.

I give and bequeath to my said son Frederick one mare and colt, one feather bed and furniture, one half of my plantation tools, and all the hogs that are commonly called his.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Bethany on feather bed and furniture, one cow and two yearlings, one loom and gear, half a dozen pewter plates, half a dozen pewter basons, one iron pot, and one spider and bed and one clothes chest.  All the balance of my household and kitchen furniture, I give to my wife.

The residue of my property, I wish to be sold by my Executor hereinafter to be named, and the money arising therefrom, after paying all my just debts to be equally divided between my three daughters Sally, Betsy, and Bethany.

I do hereby nominate and appoint my son Barny Johnson Executor to this my last will and testament. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 24th day of December, 1822.

Isaac Johnson (seal)

Signed, sealed, and acknowledged in the presence of E. Smith and W. Senton

State of North Carolina, November term 1823, Johnston County
Herein as the executor of this will duly proven in open court by the oaths of Edwin Smith and W. Senton and as directed to be recorded.

R.M. Saunders, Clerk

Recorded in the clerks office of said County in Book No. 11 page 58.  R. M. Saunders, Clerk.

Will of Bethany Johnson Johnson, ~1770-1824

Will Abstracts of Johnston County, 1746 - 1825. Vol. 1:

Thenny Johnson - died May 1, 1824. Probate Court May 1824. 

Son John:  1 skillet
Son Jacob: 1 bed cover
Son Frederick - 1 bed, 1 dutch oven
Daughter Thanny - remaining clothing
Son Stephenson - remaining property - pay just debts
Son Barney - 1 wheel
Daughter Sarah - 1 clock, clothing
Daughter Elizabeth: Household items
Exec: Stephenson Johnson
Witness:  Barnaby Jonson, David Parish

(My 4th great grandmother)

JOHNSON Surname

I've been blessed - or cursed - with a family of common surnames. Like Jones, Smith, Davis....and JOHNSON. JOHNSON is the 2nd most common surname in the US. Just my luck.

My Johnsons go waaayyy back. And they almost exclusively resided in Johnston County, NC. I descend from a couple of different lines of Johnsons. Early on, they spelled it Johnston (as in the county) and Johnstone. 

Origin of the name is largely English or Scottish, but family lore has it that the Scots are the major culprits. Which makes sense because the county was named for Gabriel Johnston, a Scotsman who gave his fellow countrymen a tax break for settling in NC during the Colonial period. Nice guy.

My grandmother was a Johnson. Ada Lou JOHNSON. And her mother-in-law was a JOHNSON. Whose mother was also a JOHNSON. JOHNSONS abound.

I know quite a lot about my JOHNSON kin, but as always, there is plenty more to know!

Will of Jacob FLOWERS, 1776 - 1856

The Will of Jacob FLOWERS

My 5th great grandfather, Jacob FLOWERS Sr., left a will rich in family information. It contains the names of children, their spouses, and grandchildren. It shows Jacob to be a man of means who cared a great deal about his family. He must have been ill when he wrote the will as it was proven in court barely a year after it was written.

Will of Jacob FLOWERS, Sr.: [punctuation inserted for clarity] 

I, Jacob FLOWERS of the County of Johnston and State of North Carolina being of sound mind and memory but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say:

First - That my executor herein after named shall provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my relatives and friends and pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts, howsoever and to whomsoever owing out of the monies that may come into his hands as a part or parcel of my estate.

Item - I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Pherebee three beds & furniture, all the household and kitchen furniture not otherwise disposed of in my will, fourteen shoats, two sows and pigs, seven head of cattle if said hogs and cattle be in my posession (sic) at the time of my death all the domestic fowls and poultry, one bay mare, one pair of cart wheels, all my crop of my description and all the provisions on hand at the time of my death, and my working tools except enough of this item to pay all expenses named or herein after named in my will.

Item - I give and bequeath to my oldest daughter Mary, wife of Reddick HARPER, one dollar to be paid by my executor within two years from the time of my death out of my belongings to my estate.

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Winny, wife of John HARPER, one dollar to be paid out by my executor as the above bequesth. (sic throughout)

Item - I give to my granddaughter Sally, wife of William ROBERTS, one dollar to be paid by my executor as in the former bequesths.

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Sally, wife of Laban GRIFFIS (sic) one dollar to be paid by my executor as in the former bequesth.

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Pherebee, wife of Elijah GODWIN, one dollar to be paid by my executors as in the former bequesth.

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth, wife of Stephen GODWIN, one dollar to be paid by my executor as in former bequesths.

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Emily, wife of Matthew DODD, one dollar to be paid by my executor as in former bequesth.

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Harriet, wife of Wesley (sic) GODWIN, one dollar to be paid by my executors as in former bequesths.

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Tempy, wife of John FLOWERS, one dollar to be paid by my executors as in former bequesths.

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha, wife of Robert MASSINGILL, one dollar to be paid by my executors as in former bequesth.

Item - I give and bequeath to my son Jacob one dollar to be paid by my executors as in former bequesth.

And I lastly do hereby constitute and appoint my friend Robert MASSINGILL as my lawful executor to all intents and purposes to execute this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and every part and clause thereof hereby revoking & declaring utterly void all the other wills and testaments by me heretofore made. 

In witness whereof I the said Jacob FLOWERS Sr. do hereunto set my hand and seal the 28th day of July A.D. 1853. 

Signed, sealed, published and declared by Jacob FLOWERS Sr., to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence to subscribe our names thereto.

Jacob FLOWERS (seal)

Witnesses:
S. B. LASSITER
Jesse BARBER

Proven at August Term 1854.

Introducing Ms. Avasilla Fluellen, 1776 - 1835

I just love that name...Avasilla FLUELLEN. Pretty cool that she's my 4th great grandmother. And double God bless her...she had a whopping 14 children (though some of these may have been her husband's children from his first marriage)! She was quite a woman. And her husband, Justice PARRISH, musta been quite a guy!

I don't have very much information on Granny Ava yet, except her marriage bond (May 30, 1797) to the prolific Justice, who had a total of 3 wives and 16 children. Good thing he owned a lot of land in Johnston County, NC. According to his will abstract, he provided very nicely for Ava leaving her 380 acres of land and his plantation, although he owned a total of 1200 acres acquired via land grants and purchases. This land is in the Coats and McGee's Crossroads area that sits near the line of Johnston and Harnett County, very near where I now live.

She was born in 1776 in Johnston County, making her a good bit younger than Justice, born in 1745 in Goochland County, Virginia. There was over 30 years difference in their ages.

Avasilla passed in 1835 living another 27 years after Justice passed away.  She was only 32 when she became a widow, so it's possible she remarried. 

Their daughter Parazadia (another great name!) is my 3rd great grandmother. 

Update: Salem Primitive Baptist Church

So I've griped for years that I couldn't find anyone who knew a single thing about Salem Primitive Baptist Church in Wendell, NC (actually, for those who know a tad about Johnston County, it's in Archer Lodge.) It was like it didn't exist. No phone number or web site. No one I asked had heard of them - and I asked a lot of people over the years!

My great great grandparents are buried in the cemetery next to the church. I've long wanted to know more about my family's involvement with this church. I suspect the roots run deep. 

Last week, at long last, I made contact with a church leader. And yesterday, I attended services at Salem. 

It was beautiful to sit in a church where I am sure William STANCIL and his wife and Mary MASSENGILL worshiped. I thought about them a lot while I sat there. I could picture them sitting together on a wooden pew with their seven children. Odd that only one of their children are buried with them at Salem, Joseph Henry STANCIL. But then there are a number of unmarked graves, so who knows?

There is something special about this church. I've always loved simple old country churches, but for some reason this one calls to me. 

The church is being gracious enough to open their records to me. I may find nothing about my particular family, but I am very honored and excited to be able to flip through the history of this extremely peaceful place.

Happy Birthday, Vivian!

Today is Vivian Leigh's 100th birthday. I've seen most of her films, but my favorite is A Streetcar Named Desire. Of course she'll always be most remembered for Gone With the Wind. 

In both films, she played a Southern lady meeting difficult life circumstances. Odd, since she was British and had probably never been in a position to experience or understand southern culture. Clearly, however, she "got it" to some extent because she won Oscars for both performances. 

Indeed, us southern girls have a certain strength of character. 

My mother Gladys ALLEN certainly did. She grew up poor, but her family fought their way from the depression to middle class status to owning a home of their own. In spite of being raised as a moonshiner, which netted him a lil' prison time, my grandfather Atlas ALLEN found himself in hot demand during World War II as a helicopter mechanic. A skill he picked up in prison, no less. Good for him!

On the other side of the family, Grandpa STANCIL moved his family from rural Johnston County, NC to the big city of Raleigh, NC where jobs and opportunities were more plentiful. His wife, Lou Ada JOHNSON, must have been one heck of a good woman, just based on the letters my father wrote to her from Marine Corps boot camp and later from Korea. He sure loved his mama. 

Then there's me. I'm no traditional southern belle, but I was raised in the whole southern culture thing where we wore patent leather shoes to church on Sundays and had fried chicken and biscuits for dinner. That's when we weren't having fried pork chops or BBQ straight off the pig.

So while Vivian wasn't exactly a GRITS (Girl Raised in The South) kind of gal, she sure had us pegged with the attitude. My favorite Scarlett O'Hara quote is "Tomorrow is another day".

I say that often. Like, daily. 

Joseph Henry STANCIL and Fannie A. JOHNSON

My great grandparents, Joe and Fannie, married on September 14, 1892 in Johnston County, NC. 

It is documented in the Marriage Register of Johnston County, NC Vol II, 1881-1900, Ross. RNC 929.3756. The Justice of the Peace who married them was an AM SANDERS. 

Joseph Henry STANCIL was the son of William STANCIL and his wife Mary Ann Rebecca MASSENGILL. Fannie was the daughter of Walter JOHNSON and Parazadia (Zadie) JOHNSON. 

Both families were long time residents of Johnston County going back generations. 

In March of 1904 when Fannie was just 26 years old, she died at her father's home after becoming ill while visiting. She'd been hit by a falling tree a few years earlier and her obituary insinuates her death was related. She left behind three small children. Joseph and Fannie had been married 12 years when she died.

From family stories, Fannie was a very kind and gentle woman. Those Stancil women tend to be that way.

Six years after Fannie's death, Joe remarried Nellie PLEASANTS, a widow with one child of her own. He died 19 years later.

I think it's sweet that Fannie and Joe are buried side by side at Salem Primitive Baptist Church in Johnston County. 

Nellie lived another 40 years after Joe's death. She had a debilitating stroke and was in Howard's Rest Home in Morrisville, NC when she died in 1965. Her death certificate does not list either parent or her husband.

Jesse B Stancil Family on the US Census

Jesse Bernard Stancil, 1895 - 1976 (My Paternal Grandfather)

1900 Federal US census, Wilders Township, Johnston County, NC

• Stancill, Joseph, head, born Nov. 1873, age 26, married 7 years
• Stancill, Fannie, wife, born Jan 1878, age 22
• Stancill, Jesse, son, born Oct 1895, age 4
• Stancill, Pearl, dau, born Jan 1898, age 2

1910 Federal US census, Wilders Township, Johnston County, NC

• Joseph Stancill, head, age 36, farmer, owned farm
• Jesse Stancill, son, age 14, farm laborer, could read, write, attended school

1930 Federal US Census, Raleigh, Wake County, Swift Creek, NC

• Jesse Stancil, head of household, age 34, share farmer, tobacco
• Ada Stancil, wife, age 34
• Jesse R, son, age 7
• Macon Mc, son, age 5
• Erric C, son, age 4 1/2
• Cecil B , son, age 2 10/12
• Edith, daughter, age 1

1940 Federal US Census, Raleigh, Wake County, NC

• JB Stancil, head of household, age 44, truck driver sanitation department
• Ada Stancil, wife, age 44
• Jessie, age 16
• Macon, son, age 15
• Erick, son, age 14
• Cecil, son, age 12
• Edith, daughter, age 11
• Carl, son, age 9