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07 December 2009

Monday Madness


WILL THE REAL ISREAL JOHNSON PLEASE STAND UP?
When I first began researching this line I thought perhaps the hardest thing about the research would be the fact that it was the surname Johnson. Then I started to research in Georgia and I found out that no, the surname wasn't really the problem either.
The real problem is that in the state of Georgia, in the span of 100 years there are no less than eight or ten men living at any given time, all wearing the name of
ISREAL JOHNSON.
Alot of that time, the only thing you can use to distinguish between them is their ages, but some seem to be in the same age groups for multiple years. Toss in all the many ways you can misspell the name Isreal... Well you get the idea.
Finally the census comes into play with family names and you think AHHHHHH at last! I can compare children & wives & certainly that will straighten things out a bit. Really? You might think that but....
NO!
That would make things WAY too easy. I descend from Isreal Johnson (1859-1942), then his son, Isreal Johnson (1808-1885). He has a son Isreal too, but I don't descend from him.
Did I mention that I have a strong suspicion that I believe Isreal Johnson(1859-1942) is the son of an Isreal as well?
Proving the generations of Isreals can be a challenge but then if it wasn't a challenge it would not be much fun eh? So I'll keep searching & documenting. After all, I can't really be related to ALL OF THEM CAN I?
Happy Researching
Karen

3 comments:

Karen Packard Rhodes said...

Hi, Karen. I have nominated you for a Kreativ Blogger Award. You may pick it up here.

Another Karen (!)

PalmsRV said...

Hi Karen,

I feel your pain...My John Johnson was born ca 1783 in Georgia, had kids in Tennessee and was in Southern Illinois by 1850. Still have no idea who his parents were.

Cathy

Dr. Bill (William L.) Smith said...

...and I'm working on Joseph and Michael Smith (Schmidt)(Schmitt) around 1830-60... nice to see I'm not alone. Thanks for sharing!!

Keep those ancestor stories coming!

Bill ;-)

http://drbilltellsancestorstories.blogspot.com/