Tuscola County MI Archives Biographies.....Johnson, Jethro 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 22, 2007, 4:11 am

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

JETHRO JOHNSON, deceased. We are gratified to be able to here give a sketch of
one who was for many years a representative citizen of Watertown Township,
Tuscola County. He was born in New York in Jefferson County, and his father,
Joshua Johnson, resided in that county for many years, and finally removed to
Ohio, where he died. His wife, Experience Tibbie, was the mother of twelve
children. Joshua Johnson and his wife were natives of Connecticut. Jethro
Johnson was four years of age when he removed to Ohio, and there after reaching
manhood he was married to Abigail A. Moon, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Leet)
Moon, natives of Vermont and Massachusetts respectively. Their ten children were
all daughters. Joseph Moon was a carpenter by trade and very ingenious in his
work. He became an early settler in Watertown Township, where he resided for a
number of years and owned a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. He returned to
Ohio in 1868, and there died six years later, his wife having departed in 1883.
The father of Joseph Moon was James Moon, a native of Vermont, who removed to
Ohio and finally to Flint. His wife was Dorcas Dodge, and to her were born
twelve children. He was a farmer throughout his active years, but finally
retired from business and lived in Flint until he passed away.

  The subject of this sketch came to Michigan in 1856, and made his home on one
hundred and sixty acres of land in Watertown Township. He pursued the double
vocation of carpenter and farmer, and did a vast amount of pioneer work. He
built his own house and lived to see great improvements in this part of the
country and to see many handsome buildings erected. The twelve children who were
born to our subject and his estimable wife are: William J., Melissa R., Burton
E., Emma E., Howard L., Byron E., Dell, Eliza M., Charles M., Frank R., Ann
Eliza and Luke.

  Mr. Johnson and his wife are members of the Free Will Baptist Church at
Mayville, this State. Their eldest son, William J., enlisted in Company D,
Twenty-third Michigan Infantry, and served in the Civil War. He enlisted July
27, 1862, and served until October 12, 1864. He was in the hospital at Bowling
Green, Ky., for some time, and then came to Detroit, and thence came home, where
he died October 24, 1864.

  Jethro Johnson died December 14, 1871, and his worthy wife is now living at
the age of sixty-seven years. She resides at the old homestead. Her daughter,
Eliza, and her two sons, Burton and Howard, live with her on the homestead. The
family was one of the first in the township and the first township meeting was
held at Mr. Johnson's house, and at that session the name of Watertown was
bestowed upon it. Mrs. Johnson has in her possession the first ballot box which
was used in that township, and she prepared dinner for the men who attended that
first township meeting. The political affiliations of this family are with the
Republican party, and the young men are highly respected in this part of the
county. Mrs. Johnson has six children living, four sons and two daughters-Burton
E., Howard L., Charles M., Frank R., Dell and Ann Eliza. Of these three are
married and three single. Charles M. married Etta Johnson; Frank R. married
Alvin Hoord, and Dell married Orin Gooch.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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