Be Fruitful and Multiply; Prequel to The Long Way Home.

This is just somewhat of a prelude to the most interesting story of our ancestry. It is for orientation purposes so that hopefully, the upcoming story will make sense and it can be placed in context.

Somehow, except for 1 remaining uncle on my Dad's side, I have become part of the oldest living generation. It happened way too fast. My father was the third youngest of 14 children born to Luther and Martha Johnson between 1905 and 1935. As previously mentioned, my father only has one brother still living.

It is hard to count our first cousins but if we count those that passed away and those living, we had at least 84. ( Infancy mortality was still very prevalent in my father's generation especially in our rural mountain area while his older siblings were giving birth. Therefore, I only counted those for which I have seen a headstone or a sibling confirmed their birth and burial.) Yes, 84 first cousins. Family reunions in Big Gully are pretty amazing!

Our family is recorded in the 1810 Census as having been in the Big Gully area. I for one still obviously love the area. I believe that one of the items that make us unique is that some of us have stayed this same general location for over 200 years!

Most of us can trace our documented lineage to Eli Johnson. Eli Johnson was born in 1803 or 1804 in South Carolina. His mother was Phoebe Johnson born in 1764 most likely in the Carolina Colonies....yes colony. She was born before and lived through the Revolutionary War and many other wars, conflicts and skirmishes. Eli married Mary "Polly" Winchester who was the mother to all of his children. Late in life, after the death of Mary, Eli married again. That becomes relevant later and is deserving of a post at a later date. Eli Johnson, for simplicities sake, was my great-great grandfather.

Eli and Mary Johnson had nine children who lived past infancy. They were as follows:

1.) Elizabeth A. "Betty" Johnson born May 19th 1824 who married James T. Saffell

2.) Maria Johnson born October 16th, 1825 and never married

3.) Nancy W. Johnson born around 1827 and married James Armstrong

4.) Hugh Lawson White Johnson was born around 1830 and married M. A.W. Caldwell

5.) Evelina H. Johnson born around 1832 and married Laban J. Rhyne

6.) Mary Margaret Johnson was born around 1838 and married Martin Luther Fields

7.) Sallie A. "Sarah" Johnson was born around 1839 and Married Sene Ross

8.) Thomas M. Johnson was born on March 27th, 1842 and married Sarah Jane Caldwell

9.) Richard Harrison "Dick" Johnson was born on January 8th, 1845 and married Julia A. Merritt

Our/my ancestor was Thomas Martin Johnson who had 5 children including Hugh Lawson White Johnson born June 25th, 1875 and Luther Johnson born September 28th, 1876. There is some incorrect data published that places Luther E. Johnson born about 10 years later and buried at the Oakland Methodist cemetery as our ancestor. From discussions with my father and many others, my grandfather Luther Johnson is buried in the 4 Mile Baptist Church cemetery. Thomas Martin Johnson and Hugh Lawson White Johnson are buried at the Union Grove Baptist Church cemetery in Big Gully.

Just to add a little more intrigue to the story, by treaty and law our end of Blount County and all of Monroe and McMinn County were officially Indian controlled territory until 1834. We had homesteaded much earlier than that. Eli and Polly had given birth to 5 children before the Indians/Native Americans officially gave up the land. Most of you know from local history that the Cherokee Nation Capital village of Chota was just across the Little Tennessee River from the Big Gully area.

That is enough boring names and dates for this post. The story will begin soon but felt that this information was important for context. Thanks for reading and I am looking forward to posting more genealogy and historical fiction based on facts very soon!