Why is Robert Johnson of Isle of Wight County, VA, disconnected from daughter, Mary Johnson?

Question

I have spent a good deal of time researching the colonial Virginia Johnson family from Robert Johnson (Johnson-3723) down to my grandmother Omato Johnson, who married into the Rose family of Isle of Wight County. The Roses and Johnsons lived in and about Walters, Virginia, which is the location of the Corowaugh Swamp referred to in documents related to Robert Johnson and other Johnson family members . 

I have seen the reference to Mark Valsame's research on the Johnsons and I have seen the G2G item about it as well. But I cannot find any evidence of this research on the internet and no evidence that there was a second Robert Johnson concurrent with this one in Isle of Wight County. I do not see any compelling reason for disconnecting Mary Johnson from her father, Robert Johnson (Johnson-3723), who was married to Katherine Allen (Allen-2169).

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/164107/two-robert-johnsons-of-early-virginia-conflated?show=164107#q164107

It appears to me that Robert Johnson was disconnected in error. If anyone can help with this, I'd appreciate it. 

Brian Rose  (Rose-16958)

Answer 1

Based on the available information it is more likely these are two different men and not one man; Robert Johnson, wife Katherine, father of Mary who married James Johnson (as seen in a deed); and Robert Johnson, wife Ann, father of another Mary who is named in his 1733 will. There is nothing in the evidence available that leads to the conclusion that these men are identical with one another.

Comments

It's possible that the Robert Johnson who died in 1733 is a different person than the Robert Johnson who married Katherine Allen and had a daughter Mary, as seen in the deed from 1692. Presumably that gift was made when Mary married James Johns(t)on. There is, however, no proof that there were two Roberts. You are saying "based on the available information it is more likely these two are different men." I'm not sure what that information is.

One red flag, of course, is the presumption that Robert Johnson lived from about 1643 to 1733. Making him 90 years old when he died. Unlikely, perhaps. But I'd like to point out that my 4th great grandfather James Allen Johnson lived to be 98. He lived from 1747 to 1845.

In either case, however, it seems that Mary should be connected to Robert Johnson who was married to Katherine. And the only thing in question, I think, is the Robert Johnson with the 1733 will.

Thanks so much for your input.

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The available evidence I'm talking about is here. The will of Robert Johnson who died in 1733 names "my younger daughters Mary and Sarah"; this Mary can't be the wife of James Johnson who was deeded land in 1692, so this Robert is probably a different man altogether.

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Even if there is a second Robert Johnson, Mary Johnson who married James Johns(t)on, daughter of Robert and Katherine Allen should be reconnected. Perhaps, the will of 1733 should be flagged as disputed in the existing Robert Johnson profile, which is PPP.  

James and Mary are, from what I can see, the 5th great grandparents of President Lyndon Johnson, and they are ancestors of James Allen Johnson, who was a captain in the Revolutionary War and a delegate to the Virginia convention for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

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Again: there is no evidence that Robert Johnson, who died c. 1733 and left a will, is identical with the Robert Johnson who is father of Mary who married James Johnson. Robert, father of Mary who married James Johnson, was married to Katherine (who may not have been an Allen); Robert who left a will was married to Ann. There is no compelling reason to believe these are the same men, absent any evidence which definitively connects them.

Answer 2

Hi Brian, this post caught my eye because you mentioned Mark Valsame. Years ago Mark worked with Lee, Tony, and I on the Johnson YDNA project at FT. I still have all saved emails from that work which goes back to at least 2008. Bennett asked us to find descendants of the 2 Johnson presidents and test them, which we did. We determined no connection between the 2. We all quit in 2016, I've lost contact with Mark but continue with Tony and Lee. Happy to help if I can.

Comments

Sherrie, I'd love to see anything you have on the Johnson family. My father's side of the family is from Walters, Virginia, which is essentially the Corrowaugh Swamp, which is where Robert Johnson patented land in 1681. I've traced my ancestors back to James Allen Johnson, a notable figure, largely lost to history. Mentioned by Boddie and Eddis Johnson. I'm not convinced yet that there were two Robert Johnsons, but I am open to any and all evidence, as well as reasonably informed speculation.

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Here's a link to the ancestor of the 2 LBJ cousins we tested: Samuel Ealy Johnson: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Johnson-3761

They were identified only as LBJ1 and LBJ2, per their request. They are kits 132728 and 132729 in group E1b1  Family A at FTDNA. This in contrast with the only YDNA kit associated with this profile B199316 appears to confirm no match to LBJ. This kit matching kit 15859 who traces to Isaiah Johnson, b. 1725 and d. 1799 is haplogroup R-M269 Family ZZZZ at FT.

Brian send me a PM so I can send you a biography written by Tony, our librarian.