Michael Johnson
There is no doubt that Michael Johnson was living in what is now Jefferson Township some time prior to the beginning of the present century. He was a native of Ireland, born about 1750, and in early life came to the colony of Virginia, where he grew to maturity and married the daughter of German parents, who had also located there in childhood. They had born to them nine children, viz., John, Margaret, Mary, Jacob, Abraham, Henry, Sarah, Catherine and Michael, the latter dying in infancy. Feeling the necessity of finding a country where he could obtain homes for this large family, he left Virginia in 1795, on a prospecting tour to the Northwest Territory, where he remained about one year. He then returned to Virginia and early in 1797 began to make preparations for moving his family to this country. With his wife and eight children, he started for the Scioto Valley and finally settled on Little Darby, about four miles northwest of the site of Jefferson. This settlement occurred during the year 1797, probably late in the fall. Here in the forest he built his cabin, andhere many of his descendants yet reside. Michael Johnson possessed that stout, robust constitution so characteristic of the Irish, whom scientists declare to be the finest physicially developed race on the globe. Mr. Johnson was drowned in the Little Darby in 1808. while crossing that stream with his son-in-law, Peter Paugh, in a canoe, the skiff began to sink, when Paugh suggested to Johnson, who was a good swimmer, to jump out and swim. Johnson did so, but the water being very cold, he immediately took cramps and sank to rise no more. Paugh was rescued by some friends swimming a horse to where he was clinging to the branches of a tree, and he, catching hold of the animal's tail, was brought safely to the shore. Mr. Johnson's widow survived him several years, when she, too, passed into eternity, leaving eight worthy children to mourn her loss.
John, the eldest of the family, married a distant relative of the same name, whose parents came to Jefferson Township at a much later day than Michael Johnson's family. He was not a very successful farmer, on account of his restless disposition. He first settled on the farm now owned by George W. Blair, in Jefferson Township, which he left and returned to again and again, under the squatter system then in vogue. About 1837, he removed to Michigan, settling near St. Joseph, where he and wife died. Of his children, now residents of Madison County, are John, in Jefferson Township; Euphemia Lombard, of Monroe Township, and Permelia, of Canaan Township. Margaret, the second eldest child of Michael Johnson, married William Lapin; Mary, the third child married Peter Paugh, a native of Virginia, who settled in Madison County about 1800, subsequently locating on Spring Fork, where he and wife resided until death. His first wife dying and leaving a family of several children, he subsequently married the Widow Guy. Paugh was a warm friend of Jonathan Alder's, who speaks of him in his reminiscences. All of his descendants removed to the West many years ago. Jacob, the fourth child of Michael Johnson, was a great hunter, and spent several months with a band of Indians, taking part in their hunts and their mode of life. He finally became tired of living in this manner and returned to Madison County, where, about 1807, he married Jemima Cary, and lived alternately in Jefferson and Canaan townships, finally locating near the site of West Jefferson. About 1832, he removed to a farm four miles northwest of that town, where he subsequently died. His first wife had passed away about 1826, and he married Phoebe (Cary) Davis, widow of John Davis, who survived him several years. Of these marriages twelve children were born, six by each, only four of whom are living in Jefferson Township, viz.: Mary, widow of Henry Penny, and Lewis by the first wife; while Luther and Samuel are children of the second wife. Abraham, the fifth child of Michael Johnson, married Susan Bradley, daughter of Jonas Bradley, of Monroe Township, and pioneers of that portion of the county. Abraham and wife first located in Monroe Township, but finally bought the farm where James Peene now resides, and there Abraham died. His widow married Nehemiah Gates, and removed to Illinois. Henry, the sixth child, was a peculiar character, a noted hunter, and delighted in the chase. He never married, went to Illinois and there died abou t1842. Sarah, the seventh in the family of Michael Johnson, married Henry Robey, of Canaan township, and died childless. Catherine, the eighth and last of the family, married Abijah Cary, who lived and died in Canaan township. Many of their posterity are still residents of that part of the county.
From HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY - W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]