Ruth JONES

Notes:

I am making an assumption that this Ruth Jones belongs with this particular Joseph Matteson, father of Ruth Matteson.

The marriage record identifies Ruth Jones as "of Exeter, daughter of Seth, dec'd."

Ruth married Joseph MATTESON 6 Dec 1762, East Greenwich, RI. Joseph (son of Thomas MATTESON) was born Abt 1740. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The marriage record at Coventry identifies Ruth as daughter of Joseph.

Ruth married Ezekiel JOHNSON, Jr. 20 Feb 1783, Coventry, RI. Ezekiel (son of Ezekiel JOHNSON and Elizabeth GREENE) was born 1760; died 15 Aug 1849, Coventry, RI; was buried , Maple Root Cemetery, Coventry, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Like his brother Philip, Caleb migrated westward to Ohio in the early 1820s:

"Before the year 1824 Leonard Metz, Newton Messenger, Col. Everett Messenger, Portius Wheeler, David Thompson, Elder David Dudley and Caleb Johnson, settled near the town of Big Island, forming quite a settlement in the place, where it was thought probable that the county seat would be located. The town of Big Island was laid out by Dr. Alson Norton. For many years after the county seat was located at Marion, repeated efforts were made to secure its removal to Big Island, and the hope of success was not wholly given up until the erection of the Court House in 1832." (http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Marion/History1907/marhisc7.htm)

Caleb married Jane Matteson Jan 1819, VT. [Group Sheet]

Rufus — . Unknown [Group Sheet]

Betsey — Elisha Johnson. [Group Sheet]

Phebe — Jeremiah Matteson. [Group Sheet]

Phebe — Loren Record. [Group Sheet]

Ruth — Thomas Matteson. [Group Sheet]

Catherine — Abel Matteson. [Group Sheet]

Nancy — Wanton Wickes. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Philip's gravestone is at Maple Root Cemetery, but he died in Ohio, so perhaps he is buried there.

According to Beaman's RI Genealogical Register, there was a Philip Johnson admitted to membership at Maple Root on 6 August 1814. This is probably the husband of Priscilla, and it was their son Philip who was born in Ohio in 1822. When, and for what reason, did they move to Ohio?

Supposedly there was another Philip Johnson admitted to membership at Maple Root on 30 June 1785, and this one died 13 July 1785. Who was this Philip? Was he an uncle, brother to Philip's father Ezekiel? Or perhaps his father wasn't Ezekiel at all, as stated in J.R.Cole's "History of Washington and Kent Counties," but rather was another Philip (?).

Ruth Nichols Reynolds, in her article titled " A Line of Descent from David Nichols of Coventry," writes that Prisilla Nichols, d/o Jonathan & Prisilla Nichols, married a Philip Johnson who was admitted a member of Maple Root on 30 June 1785 and died 13 July 1785. Where did she get this information from, that his wife was Priscilla? Could our Philip Johnson have been a son of this couple, born after the father died? If so, why does the "History of Washington and Kent Counties" say his father was Ezekiel?

What makes this confusing is that our Philip actually did marry a Priscilla Nichols, but not the one who was a daughter of Jonathan & Priscilla. She was a daughter of David, s/o Jonathan & Priscilla.

Philip married Priscilla NICHOLS Abt 1807. Priscilla (daughter of David NICHOLS and Mary GREENE) was born 30 Oct 1785; died 27 Jul 1879; was buried , Maple Root Cemetery, Coventry, RI. [Group Sheet]

Elizabeth married Everett Messenger OH. [Group Sheet]

Elipha married Paul Harrington 2 Jul 1871. Paul (son of Job Harrington, III and Meribah Whitford) was born 15 Aug 1798, West Greenwich, Kent Co., RI; died 24 Mar 1886, Washington Village, Coventry, RI. [Group Sheet]

Lydia — Josiah A. Johnson. Josiah (son of Daniel JOHNSON and Freelove ARNOLD) was born 27 Jul 1810; died 15 Aug 1852. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Hiram and his brother Alexander married two sisters.

Hiram — Silanda B. Albro. Silanda was born 1801; died 1843. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Alexander and his brother Hiram married two sisters.

Alexander — Sarah Ann Albro. Sarah was born 1814; died 1867. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The following notes are excerpted from The History of Marion County, Ohio; Chicago: Leggett, Conaway & Co., 1883; online at (http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Marion/History1883/mhj1883.htm):

"WILLIAM G. JOHNSON, Sr., (Big Island Township) was born May 24, 1814, in Providence, R. I. His parents, Philip and Priscilla Johnson, came to Marion County about 1818. Philip Johnson dying soon after this, Mrs. Johnson returned to her native State. At five years of age, William was bound out to E. D. Bates, with whom he remained eighteen years, and by whom he was taught the tailor's trade. He was married to Elizabeth Bickford, daughter of John and Amy Bickford, of Marion. They have had nine children -- John B., Samuel C., Mary P. (wife of Edward Kesler), Newton M., Amy E. (wife of Benjamin Burns), Alexander (Baggage Master), Thomas R. (dead), William G., and Lydia A. (wife of Ross Burns). The first three years of married life were passed in Big Island Township; then he went to Marion till 1857, supporting a family of fourteen by digging wells and moving buildings. He worked seven years upon the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railroad. Mr. J. has always been a hard worker, having cleared in his time seventy acres of forest, land. He bought a farm of eighty acres at Gurley Station in 1857. but has disposed of that property. Mr. J. has been failing the past few years, losing his right eye by brain fever, 1869. Mrs. J., by breaking both arms, at different times, is permanently crippled."

William — Elizabeth Bickford. Elizabeth (daughter of John Bickford and Amy Unknown) was born 1816. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Notes from Linda Mathew, Johnson family researcher:

"Caleb Johnson of Coventry and Harty Potter of Plainfield, CT, were married 10 Nov 1839. The marriage was recorded in Coventry. She signed many times in Caleb

Caleb married Harty Potter 10 Nov 1839, Coventry, RI. Harty was born 1802; died 1884. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

We have a nice five-generation picture which includes Philip in 1913, when he was ninety. There is another one taken around the same time in which he has Margaret Estelle Whitford on his lap. The story is that he was blind in his old age.

Philip's gravestone has been photographed. According to the RI Cemetery Database, the Maple Root Cemetery "is a very old cemetery containing many inscribed field stones for the earliest settlers in this area. Records at Town Hall indicate that the first lot in the newer section was sold to Philip Johnson on 7 Nov 1893." I would guess that this was my 3xGreat-grandfather Johnson, or else his son Philip R. Johnson.

In the 1860 Federal Census, Philip & Triphina H. Johnson are living in Coventry, RI. In the home are Hearty P. 10, Philip R. 9, and Triphina 5, as well as Persilla Johnson, 74, Philip's mother.

By 1870 Philip has remarried, and he and Phebe are at Coventry with three children in the household: Ednah P. 9, Patience J. 6, and Zilpha W. 1.

In 1880 they are still at Coventry, and two daughters are with them: Orvilla P. 24 and Zilpha W. 11. Orvilla is Phebe's daughter from her previous marriage to Isaac Paine.

Philip married Tryphena Hoxsie GREENE 25 Nov 1849, West Greenwich, RI. Tryphena (daughter of Hiram GREENE and Abigail JOHNSON) was born 19 Aug 1827; died 9 Jul 1866, Coventry, Kent Co., RI; was buried , Maple Root Cemetery, Coventry, RI. [Group Sheet]

Philip married Phebe Wood 11 Jul 1867, Coventry, RI. Phebe (daughter of James M. Wood and Zilpha Unknown) was born 1829; died 1917; was buried , Deacon John Wood Cemetery, Magnolia Lane, Coventry, RI. [Group Sheet]