| Notes |
- LAWRENCE JOHNSON AND HIS DESCENDANTS.
The family of JOHNSON, from which Lawrence JOHNSON descended, belonged to the yeomanry and lived in Lincolnshire, England, having settled in Barrow-on-Humber in 1684, after the marriage of Robert JOHNSON and Mary HALL, nee LEDGARD. Here five generations of the family lived and owned property. Edward JOHNSON removed to Hull after his marriage in 1796. Previous to 1680 the family had lived and owned property at Grasby, in Lincolnshire.
Edward JOHNSON had a large family of children, and, believing that their prospects for advancement would be greater in America, he was induced by his sons to sell his property in Hull, and emigrate with his family to America. On July 4, 1818, with his wife and ten children, he sailed from Grimsby on the brig General Ripley" for New York, where the vessel arrived August 28, 1818. The people of New York looked so pale that Edward JOHNSON thought it could not be a healthful place, and accordingly sailed immediately up the Hudson to Albany, where he bought a farm of one hundred and twenty-fice acres near Cato, Cayuga county, New York.
Lawrence JOHNSON, son of Edward and Ann (CLAYTON) JOHNSON, was born in Hull, England, January 23, 1801, and was baptized in Holy Trinity church, March 2, 1801. Immediately after coming to America with his parents in 1818, he found employment in the office of the "Troy Budget," a newspaper published at Troy, New York, but the following spring went to New York city, where he was employed in several printing establishments. About 1820 he settled in Philadelphia and established a stereotype foundry, to which he later added the industry of making type, under the firm name of L. JOHNSON & Company, and built up an immense business. He became interested in many prominent enterprises in Philadelphia and elsewhere in Pennsylvania, the development of coal lands, building of street horse-car lines, and many other enterprises, and acquired a fortune. He was also president of the Commonwealth Bank. He died in Philadelphia, April 26, 1860.
In the spring of 1851 Lawrence JOHNSON purchased a farm and country seat in Bristol township, Bucks county, known as "Lansdowne," where he spent much of his time, and which has ever since been occupied by members of his family.
Mr. JOHNSON had married May 3, 1825, Sarah B. MURRAY, of Philadelphia, who died August 21, 1834, leaving one child, a daughter. He married a second time, on May 29, 1837, Mary WINDER, daughter of Aaron and Sarah (VAN HORN) WINDER, of Lower Makefield township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, who was born June 18, 1814, and died February 26, 1877. (See WINDER Family). Lawrence and Mary (WINDER) JOHNSON were the parents of ten children, viz: I. Edward Winder; 2. Anna Rebecca; 3. Mary Ella; 4. Caroline Fletcher; 5. Howard Lawrence; 6. Russel Hampden; 7. Lawrence; 8. Walter Richards; 9. Robert Winder; 10. Alfred Clayton.
8. Walter Richards JOHNSON, eighth child of Lawrence and Mary (WINDER) JOHNSON, was born at Lansdowne, Bucks county, August 24, 1851. He was educated at Dr. Faires' and other private schools of Philadelphia. He married, October 31, 1876, his cousin, Mary Rebecca WINDER, daughter of Moses and Margaretta WINDER. He purchased a farm on the right bank of the Neshaminy, in Bensalem township, Bucks county, between Hulmeville and Newportville, where he lived the remainder of his life, and was actively engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was also actively interested in political affairs and held several political offices. He died March 25, 1897, leaving one child, Winder Lawrence JOHNSON, since deceased, who married, October 11, 1899, Susan D. FINE.
9. Robert Winder JOHNSON, ninth child of Lawrence and Mary (WINDER) JOHNSON, was born Sunday, May 7, 1854, at No. 727 Pine street, Philadelphia. He prepared for college at Mr. Gregory's private school on Market street, near Eleventh, and entered the freshman class of the University of Pennsylvania, September, 1870 (class of 1874,) but left the University in the spring of 1871 and accompanied his mother to Europe, where he studied and traveled until October, 1874. He again traveled abroad in 1875 and 1876. In January, 1877, he entered the office of Lawrence JOHNSON & Company, doing a large business as importers and exporters and bankers, and in July, 1879, was admitted as a member of the firm and has since been actively associated with its business. He was elected a member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in 1874 and a life member in 1877; was elected a member of the Rittenhouse Club in 1883; a member of the vestry of St. Peter's church in 1891; member of the board of managers of Christ Church Hospital in 1892; member of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania in 1892; member of the Colonial Society of Pennsylvania in 1897; member of the Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church for the Advancement of Christianity in Pennsylvania in 1897; member of the Board of managers of the Children's Hospital in 1897; member of the Netherlands Society of Philadelphia in 1899; and a life member of the Bucks County Historical Society in 1903. He takes a deep interest in the local history of Bucks county, where his maternal ancestors, the VAN HORNS, VAN DYCKS, VAN SANDTS, VAN PELTS, VANDEGRIFTS, WINDERS, and others were among the earliest and most prominent settlers, and has devoted much time and expense during the last twenty-five years in tracing out the history of these early families of Bucks. Mr. JOHNSON was married on November 10, 1887, to Rosalie MORRIS, daughter of George Calvert and Elizabeth (KUHN) MORRIS, at St. Peter's Church, Third and Pine streets, Philadelphia. Their children are as follows: Morris Winder, born July 5, 1889, at Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia; Lawrence Edward, born July 9, 1892, at Lansdowne, Bucks county; Robert Winder, Jr., born August 19, 1894, at Lansdowne, Bucks county; and Rosalie Eugenia, born October 12, 1900, at Chestnut Hill.
Text taken from page 98 of:
Davis, William W. H., A.M., History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania [New York-Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1905] Volume III
Transcribed JULY 2000 by GRACE T. BURTON of EAGLEVILLE, PA as part of the Bucks Co., Early Family Project, www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/bucksindex.html <http://www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/bucksindex.html>
Published September 2000 on the Bucks County, Pa., USGenWeb pages at <http://www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/> [2]
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1801 - 1860 (59 years)
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