Johnson Family Cemetery listings

Moniteau County Missouri

Johnson Family Cemetery listings

This cemetery is shown on the map of Linn Township Cemeteries but there is no entry for it in the book itself.

In a letter dated June 14, 1996, to Betty Williamson, Historical Society Genealogy chairman at the time, from Pamela Bradley of Rolla, MO, Pamela states it is just down the hill from Hickam cemetery, in northern Moniteau County, and is located on what was the Ralph and George Garrett farm.

Below is information Pamela Bradley provided in the aforementioned letter and in a California Democrat article dated May 31, 2000.

James Albin and Alan Sparks visited this cemetery April 15, 2008. It is located on land owned by Jerry (Lupus) Garrett. Also, pictured above, at right, is a log house erected around 1832 that Garrett is in the process of restoring. The cemetery is a quarter to half mile in the field behind and to the right of this house.

Located here: 38.832624,-92.450517

Please do not use them on other websites (including Find-a-grave) without permission.

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Last Name, First Name, Middle, Birth Date, Death Date, Comments

Johnson Margaret Elizabeth Parker -- 1780 - 1827 -- Unknown place of birth; Died in what is now Linn Township, Moniteau Co, MO
Johnson Phillip -- Abt 1771 - 1820 Jan 15 -- Born in Spotsylvania Co, VA; Died in what is now Linn Township, Moniteau Co, MO

Ott(s) Abraham -- Unknown birth; Died approx. 1820

This article appeared in the Wednesday, May 31, 2000 California Democrat:

By David A Wilson

The burial place of at least three Moniteau County pioneers was dedicated Sunday afternoon, with nearly 40 descendants, relatives and friends present.

The Johnston or Johnson family cemetery is a small family plot on land now owned by J Lupus Garrett. Family member Clyde "C. J." Johnson, Boonville, spoke of the history of the family. The Rev. Myron Crouch, pastor of the Jamestown Baptist Church, gave the dedication of the marker and the plot. Others also spoke, adding to the family lore.

According to Johnson, at least three bodies are buried in the plot. Those known to be buried there are Phillip Johnson, wife of Phillip, and Abraham Otts, stepson of pioneer settler Jeremiah Clay, and thought to be a cousin of Phillip. Johnson said he is a descendant of Phillip and Margaret.

He also said Phillip and Margaret came to Missouri from Kentucky with 10 children in 1819, settling in what was then Cooper County in Missouri Territory, and Phillip died in January of the following year.

Several of the children became Baptist ministers including Snelling Johnson, who was the first person buried in Union Baptist Cemetery in Jamestown when he died of cancer in 1850. [editor's note: the earliest burial recorded is Nancy McDaniel in 1832]

Johnson said it was difficult to trace the family name because it was variously spelled Johnston and Johnson, sometimes by the same people at different times. He said in tracing the name to Scotland, it was sometimes Johnstone, but often Johnston or Johnson. He also said the name could be traced to France where it was de Johnstone.

Johnson said the Johnstons had a family crest given to them by Robert Bruce, Scottish king. He also said the family crest is the one used by Kemper Military School [Boonville] and was given to them by a family member, Alexander Johnson, when he was president of Kemper. He said the Kemper motto, "Always Ready," is also the Johnston family motto.

Hudson Clay, Lupus, said he is a descendant of Jeremiah Clay, stepfather of Abraham Otts, the third person known to be buried in the small plot.

Garrett, owner of the farm on which the plot is located, said the land has been in his family 140 years, having been bought by his great-great grandfather, Coleman Bruce. He said Bruce owned 2,000 acres and divided it among 10 children. Bruce's daughter Virginia Chastain, great grandmother of Garrett, inherited a share of the land, getting about 200 acres.

Rev. Couch dedicated the plot and the stone, reading from Genesis about Abraham and his family being strangers in the land and buying a burial place from the Hittites.

He also said that even though these historic sites are very old, they are still only temporary.

"When Christ returns," he said, "the preacher that is buried here will be caught up to be with the Lord."

Johnston/Johnson descendants Clyde Johnson and Pamela S. Bradley were instrumental in getting the information collected and the dedication arranged. Garrett, present owner of the land, keeps the site up and welcomes the historical interest of the family.

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