| Notes |
- An alternate date of birth of April 21, 1649 is often given for Edward Johnson; however, if this date is accurate, then he cannot be the son of Arthur Johnston, who died in 1641. Dr. Lorand Johnson, the source for much of the Johnson/Johnston information, states that Edward is indeed Arthur Johnston's son. However, some of his research has been found to be erroneous, calling all of it into question. While there is some circumstantial evidence pointing to Arthut Johnston as Edward Johnson's father, it is not conclusive, and DNA evidence would seem to refute the strongest piece of circumstantial evidence: a letter written by Ann Keith referring to her "cousin" Edward Johnston (the Keith family were related to the Johnstons of Caskieben). Therefore, Arthur Johnston has not been named as his parent. It is possible that some researchers are eager to link Edward Johnson to Arthur Johnston because that would entail royal lineage through Arthur Johnston's mother Christian Forbes. I would like to claim lineage from this fine, interesting family, but I'm just not convinced there is a valid connection except in the minds and wishful thinking of a few over-zealous descendants of Penelope Johnson Clark.
Edward was in Blissland Parish, New Kent County, Virginia, by 1677. He signed his name to a list of grievances presented to the King's Commissioners who had come to investigate the causes of the Bacon's Rebellion of that year. The date of his arrival in Virginia is uncertain; however, births of four children are recorded in the new parish of St. Peter's, New Kent County, in the 1680s: Thomas, Elizabeth, Penelope, and Rachel. The mother of these children is named only as Elizabeth, but there is some evidence that she was Elizabeth Walker, daughter of Alexander Walker of Aberdeen, Scotland, who is known to have come to New Kent County. Two other children are listed in the St. Peter's Parish book -- Rebecka, born 1698, and Benjamin, born 1701. It is not clear whether these children belong to Edward and Elizabeth, Edward and a second wife, or another Edward Johnson, perhaps an older son. Blissland Parish records before 1680 have been lost. Dr. Lorand Johnson adds to this list Anthony, born 1678, Arthur, Michael, and William, born 1703. The argument has also been made that Anthony and Arthur are, in fact, the same person -- really Arthur, since one name comes from a birth record and the other from a marriage record.
Arthur Johnson, son of Edward Johnson and Elizabeth Walker, was born about 1690 and died January 1759 in Augusta County, Virginia. He married Margaret Phares, daughter of John Phares. They had several children, including Margaret Johnson, who was born seven months after her father's death. Margaret (1759- 1808) married Andrew Skidmore and settled in Randolph County, Virginia (now part of West Virginia). Arthur's proven presence in the family is additional circumstantial evidence that Edward was the son of Dr. Arthur Johnston.
Edward accompanied Anne Keith, his cousin's daughter, to Virginia in order that she might marry George Walker. He married George's younger sister, Elizabeth. At issue is whether someone who attended the June 1676 Quaker Meeting in London would have been able to sail to Virginia, meet and marry Elizabeth Walker, sign the Bacon's Rebellion grievance document of April 2, 1677 in New Kent County, acquire property and have a son, Anthony, who was reportedly born in New Kent County in 1678. No one knows for certain who the Edward Johnston who signed the Bacon's Rebellion grievance was, but the notion that a grievance signer would have to have been a landowner does not hold up to scrutiny. Quaker Thomas Moorman, who also signed the grievance, was only 19 in 1677 and would not have been a landowner. Furthermore, there is considerable doubt as to whether Anthony was the son of Edward and Elizabeth Johnson. One hypothesis is that he was the son of Thomas Johnson (who lived at Chericoke on Pamunkey Neck) and the grandson of Richard Johnson. Anthony Johnson's first child Thomas was born in December 1694, which makes it unlikely that Anthony could have been the product of a 1677 marriage.
Edward Johnston settled on Powhite Swamp shortly after 1686.
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1638 - 1704 (66 years)
