Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Johnson, William ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joe Patterson, Patricia Bastik & Susan Walters Dec 2009 Source: History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania; edited by J.H. Battle; A. Warner & Co.; 1887 Buckingham Township WILLIAM JOHNSON was a native of Ireland, which country he left in early manhood and arrived here about the year 1750. His motive for the change may perhaps be explained by the motto on the family coat-of-arms, "Ubi libertas, ibi patria." Little is known of his early history, as he was taken from his family while yet young. He was a man of the highest scholastic attainments and left many manuscript lectures on various scientific subjects. Those upon electricity bear date of 1763 and were probably delivered at that time. He had one of the best loadstones in this country, which he used to illustrate his lectures on magnetism. It was afterward presented to Princeton College, under the following circumstances: Calling one day at the college on a visit to its president, he found that gentleman and his wife amusing themselves by picking up needles with a small loadstone. Professor Johnson at once sent over to his own house for his large stone, and astonished the president and his wife by picking up with it a large pair of fire-tongs with the shovel tied thereto. He then presented the stone to the college and it is now among the curiosities of the college museum. He also presented to the same institution the original electrical machine made by Benjamin Franklin. When he crossed the ocean he brought over with him four hundred volumes of standard works; a portion of them are now in possession of his descendants in Buckingham, through Ann Johnson, his granddaughter, who married Thomas Paxson. After about two years' residence in America he married Ruth Potts, of Trenton, N. J., who was a sister of the mayor of that city. He was the only one of his brothers that chose America as an abiding-place, although Gervis Johnson, a minister in the Society of Friends, traveled through it in that capacity, and visited his brother's grave in South Carolina. He died at the early age of 32 years, leaving a widow with three children. Sarah, the eldest child became the wife of Thomas Mathews of Virginia. Hon. Stanley Mathews of the Supreme Court of the United States is a lineal descendant. Thomas Potts Johnson, the second child, became an eminent lawyer of New Jersey, and his portrait, until quite lately, and possible at the present time, hangs in the court-house at Flemington. He left numerous descendants; Dr. Foulke, of New Hope, is a great-great-grandson. Samuel Johnson, the third child, was born in Philadelphia in 1763, and shortly afterward his parents removed to Charleston, where they remained until he attained his fourth year. At that time his father died, and his mother, with four children, returned to Philadelphia. They finally moved to Trenton, where they resided at the time of the memorable battle there during the revolution. He moved to Bucks county in 1786 and purchased the property long known as "Elm Grove," the residence in later time of the late George G. Maris, near Lahaska. He planted the row of Sycamore trees at the bridge on the turnpike opposite Daniel Smith's residence. He brought them from the Delaware river on horseback. While living there he married Martha Hutchinson, daughter of Matthias Hutchinson, who was one of the associate judges of the courts of Bucks county. He was also the master mason builder of Friends' meeting-house, Buckingham, as it now stands. Samuel Johnson disposed of the "Elm Grove" property and purchased a large farm extending from the present Holicong well to the mountain. "Bycot House," the residence of Judge Paxson, is situated on this tract. He was a successful farmer, and held the office of justice of the peace for many years. In the year 1801 he retired from active business and moved to the residence of his son-in-law, Thomas Paxton. At this period his literary life may with propriety be said to have commenced. His time was generally devoted to reading, conversing with friends or in poetic composition, his favorite pastime. He was a poet of more than ordinary merit and his verses are marked by an easy flow of language that led them to be much admired. Two volumes of his poems have been published, the last and largest one in 1844. It is entitled the "Triple Wreath," and contains also a number of poems from his two daughters who seemed to have inherited the poetic talent of their father. Samuel Johnson was without the benefit of a collegiate course of education, his father being taken away while he was young, and his mother having four small children to care for. She was a woman of much culture and refinement and her son as he advanced in years proved a true type of the Irish character. He was companionable for old or young, and his ready wit and humor made him prominent in the social circle. His useful life came to a close in 1840, aged 81 years. His wife died a few years previously. There were three children; Elizabeth, born in 1790, married Jonathan Pickering of Solebury in 1814, and a few years thereafter moved to Philadelphia, and finally to Germantown, where she died. Ann Johnson, second child of Samuel and Martha Johnson, was born at "Elm Grove," Buckingham, in 1792, and married Thomas Paxson in 1817. She was a woman of mark. The warm impulsive nature that distinguished her ancestors found a home with her. Whenever by sacrifice and self-devotion a fellow-being could be made more comfortable she was the good Samaritan, and the numerous homes of want and sickness that it was her wont to visit, call to grateful remembrance her many acts of Christian kindness and charity. She was a writer of much merit, both in prose and poetry, and her 'Memoirs of the Johnson family, with an autobiography," has left her name wreathed in the myrtle memory of family and large circle of devoted friends. She died in1883, in her 92nd year. Samuel Johnson Paxson, deceased, and Albert S. Paxson, Esq., and Judge Paxson, of Buckingham, are her children. William H. Johnson, third child of Samuel and Martha Johnson, was born in 1794. He was a classical scholar and mathematician, and received instruction at Enoch Lewis' celebrated school. He married Mary, daughter of Jacob Paxson, of Abington, Montgomery county, in 1818, and engaged in agricultural pursuits on his father's farm in Buckingham. In this he was successful for a time, but his impulsive nature warmed up to the seeming evils in our land, and he became a leader in the temperance and anti-slavery movements. He was honest in his convictions, and he lived at a time when to be a reformer was attended with much personal sacrifice. He was a member of the Society of Friends, but their methods of accomplishing reforms seemed slow to him, and he therefore united with various organizations having a single purpose in view. He did not sever his connection with the Friends, however, although most of his interest was centered elsewhere. He was not a fluent speaker, but, as was said by a contemporary, "give him a goose-quill" and he will be a match for any one. He was a vigorous writer, and his essays in the Bucks county "Intelligencer" some forty years ago, signed "Humanitas," show a wide expanse of thought. He was a close student and he never allowed his Latin and Greek to grow rusty. He continued his contribution to various journals until late in life. He died at the residence of his son-in-law, Stephen T. Janney, in Newtown, and he will be remembered by very many of the people of the middle and lower end of this county. He lived to see slavery abolished, but intemperance, a twin sister with slavery as he considered, survived him.