William W. JOHNS, SR.

Wm. W. Johns, Sr. was born in 1773 in the Charleston District of SC, the son of Jacob & Patience Johns. He & his wife Lucinda (Lucy) signed the deed to settle his father's estate on 8Jan1817, and left for Camden Co. GA shortly thereafter. (Neither Wm. nor his wife was literate, but he could make a fancy capital "W".)

His father, Jacob Johns' estate consisted of 646 acres on the fork of the Salkehatchie River in the old Charleston District adjoining land owned by Andrew Deaveaux; it was survey for him on 28 Jan 1797, and granted by Chas. Pickney, Esq., Gov. on 5 Jun 1797. This is documented in the Barnwell Co. Deed Book L, p. 268-272. Fortunately, the buyer lived in Barnwell Co, because all the then Colleton Co records were burned with the courthouse in 1865 by the Union Army. Otherwise this valuable record would have been lost forever.

Like many of the young couples of their time, Wm. and Lucy were seeking an affordable place of their own, and the cheaper land to the south attracted them. They are enumerated in the 1820 & 1830 Camden Co GA census. He & his wife were received by letter into the High Bluff Primitive Baptist Church on 13 Jan 1829 and were dismissed by letter on 12Nov1831 when they left for Florida. Wm. had won land in Rabun Co in the GA Land Lottery of 1820, which he either sold or gave to his relatives. There is still a Johns' clan there today. He is found in the Columbia Co. FL census of 1840. They are also found in 1850 on the farm between their sons Archibald H. Johns and Burrell Johns; Wm. & Lucy were 77 & 78 years old respectively at this time, and must have died shortly thereafter as no more record of them is found. Their g-children, General Cyler Johns and
the John Johns family from GA were living with them, apparently working the farm for the old folks.

Wm & Lucy had the following children:

Wm. W. Johns, Jr. b. 1801, m. Elizabeth Hicks
Archibald H. Johns, b. 12 May 1810, m. Margaret Prevatt, Margaret Gieger, and Addie Roberts, by whom he had had an illegitimate son.
Tarlton Johns, b. 1812, m. Louisa ....
Burrell Johns, b. 1813, m. Malissa Taylor
Mary Johns, b. 29 Mar 1820, m. Samuel Crews

William and Lucinda Johns are the vital link to the Fla Johns family where so many ended up, especially in Hamilton and Baker counties.

Source: Judge Huxford's Notes', Barnwell SC Deed Book L; Early GA Marriages, Maddox; International Gen. Index, LDS Church Files, the Gloria Johns Glines
collection at Baker Co. Historical Society Library, GA/Fl census info.

Submitted by: Clifford M. Johns