Skip to content

Jared Johnson

Back to the Early History Profiles index

Local record

Jared Johnson was established in the part of Lowndes County that later became Brooks County by 1837. Reconstructed deed indexes place him on District 12 land in Lots 492, 394, and 436 between 1837 and 1841. The original 1840 census contains a Lowndes household read as Jared Johnson. The deed entries are useful locators, but the recorded instruments have not yet been inspected.

A row formerly assigned to Johnson in the 1830 census actually reads Jared Singleton. It is not evidence for Johnson. His traditional 1824 or 1825 arrival date also remains unproved.

Bethlehem Church

Folks Huxford's account of Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church identifies Johnson as an early deacon, twice-elected clerk, and an 1836 association delegate. Huxford wrote that Johnson moved to Florida and died on October 16, 1844. These claims appear to come from the church minutes, but the original minute-book images have not been inspected.

The reported move needs clarification because Lowndes records continue through 1841. No spouse, child, Florida record, or direct connection to the later Barney townsite has been proved.

Evidence assessment

  • Roster: supplemental early settler.
  • Present by: 1837, based on the reconstructed deed index.
  • Original household anchor: 1840 census.
  • Church roles and death: strong secondary evidence.
  • 1830 census claim: rejected; the household head was Jared Singleton.

Sources

  1. 1840 U.S. census, Lowndes County, Georgia, manuscript p. 77; Ancestry collection 8057, record 1792315, image 4411334_00479.
  2. 1830 U.S. census, Lowndes County, Georgia, stamped p. 79; Ancestry collection 8058, record 1850779, image 4409522_00156; used to reject the Jared Singleton row as a Johnson record.
  3. Folks Huxford, The History of Brooks County, Georgia, 1858–1948 (1948), pp. 29–30 and 309–311.
  4. Reconstructed Lowndes deed index, Jared Johnson entries for District 12 Lots 492, 394, and 436.