Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-08-31
MISCELLANEOUS.
Death of an old Pioneer.

Desbery johnson, was born October 10,
1766, and died in Gallon, Crawford County,
Ohio, Wednesday July %, 1863, aged one
hundred and two years, nine months and thir-
teen days. OF his birth place little is known.
His father, James johnson, moved from Fir-
ginia to Pennsylvania about the year lT62.-
Here Desbery and his twin brother Griffith
were born. Soon the Indians began to ravage
the country, and James, with his wife and
three children were compelled to retrace their
steps over the hills of Pennsylvania to Vir-
ginia for safety, carrying the three children
ON their backs. Afterserving an Apprentice
ship in Charleston, Va, Desbery, at the age
of twenty>two, left his native home for Ken
tuckys wilds, remained in Kentucky four
years, then came to Charleston on the Ohio
River. He was married at the age Of thirty
to Jinsy McGee. From Charleston he moved
to Harrison Co., Ohio. Here his wife died.
He was married again in 1917 to Mary Cooper,
his present widow, whose age is eiShty-three
years. In 1921 he moved to this County one
year after the County was oraaniged. Follow
ing an Indian trail from Mansfield to Gallon,
which then numbered two houses, he entered
one hundred and sixty acres of land in Polk
Township where he remained forty five years,
was elected Justice of the Peace, wbith Office
he filled for several years and was highly
honured for his impartial judgment and de-
csions.
His family consisted Of fourteen children
eight girls and six boys, his grand children
number ninety two the number of great grand
children can not be ascertaiDcd correctly at
this date, but the probable number exceeds
one hundred and fifty, three great great grand
children are living in this County, one of
whom attended his funeral, representing the
tosrth generation.
Among the incidents of his early life-of
which he loved to rchearse was that Of seeing
troops mustered for Washington's army, and
of his two brothers Henry and j ohm, escaping
from the Indians after being prisoners, the
circumstances of which are these. The two
boys being some distance from home one even
ing, observed two men approaching whom
they supposed were their friends but proved
to be indiana They were captured and con-
veyed through the woods about fourteen
miles. The youngest of the boys, John, was
greatly alarmed, being only eleven years old,
p but was encouraged by his brother telling him
of the Indians hunting and fishing; in the
meantime he was breaking down small sap
liDgs which was amusement for the lndIansi
to serve as guide to their home if released.
They camped on the bank of a small stream
j ohm was closely secured but Henry was such
good Indian, they thought it useless to secure
him. After all was quiet, and the Indians
asleep, Henry arose, released John, and placed
gun in his hands and bade him fire at one,
as he raised tomahawk to dispatch the other.
This done, they shouldered the gun and
started home guided by the broken saplings.
His father was prisoner with the IndiaEs
three wears and was released after the treaty
of Virpiuia After his release he was met by
the son at Cincinnati o., after an absence of
twenty years. At the age of twenty six he
became a member of the Presbyteriar Church,
with which he stood identified until his death,
period of seventy six ycars.-Forum.