I am looking for any info on my 2nd g grandfather, James Thomas JOHNSON [b. 19 October 1821, near Bowling Green, Warren County, KY per the fmly Bible & his headstone], his 1st wife, Elizabeth E. (BOND) [b. 20 November 1826 Troy, Lincoln Co., MO] and their children: Martha Ann [b. 26 July 1846 in Troy, Lincoln Co., MO], Richard Moses [b. 25 February 1848 in Troy, Lincoln Co., MO], and James Bond JOHNSON [b. 15 January 1850 in Troy, Lincoln Co., MO], crossed the plains by an oxen drawn wagon to a location near Salem, OR from Lincoln Co., MO between 1851/52. His 1st wife, Elizabeth E. (BOND) JOHNSON died 11 May 1852 near Salem, OR following their arrival in Oregon and is buried near Salem, OR, possibly in Benton Co. I would like to locate her burial site!

James & Elizabeth had 5 known children, Elizabeth & Mary Frances JOHNSON were twins [b. 19 February 1845 in Troy, Lincoln Co., MO] and died within their 1st two years.

Their dau., Martha Ann, was 6 years old when they made this crossing by wagon train. The year following Elizabeth's death James returned via the Isthmus of Panama to MO. At Elizabeth's dying request he married his 2nd wife, Sarah Ann (EAST) [my 2nd g grandmother], on 17 November 1853 in Troy, Lincoln Co., MO. Sarah was Elizabeth's 1st cousin as their mothers, Frances Mary "Fanny" (WELTY) EAST & Sophia "Zillah" (Zilla) (Zella) (WELTY) BOND, were sisters.

Sarah was Elizabeth's aunt, Mahala Lois (WELTY) PRESLEY [1810-1898] & her husband, David B. PRESLEY, Jr. [1803-1877] together with their 10 children: Mary "Polly" [1828-1898], Barbara [1830-1866], Rhoda [1832-1866], Anthony Wesley [1833-1918], Franklin [1835-unkwn but married], Elias [1837-unkwn but married], Almenia [1838-1860], Ransom [1841-1866], Ellen [1842-1916], Elizabeth [1844-1924] and Melvina PRESLEY were members of Capt. Charles MILLER 1848 wagon train party. Mahala and David had 2 more children following their arrival in OR: Melvina [1849-1924] and Mae P. "Annie" [1851-1852] PRESLEY both born in Salem, Marion Co., OR. Mahala and David both died and are buried in Halsey, Linn Co., OR.

James appears as Age 61 years on Page 126B of the 1880 census (page 18 of 27 on Ancestry), Supervisor's District 110 and Enumeration District #11, Muddy Township, Benton County, Oregon with his 2nd wife, Sarah Ann (EAST), age 48 [b. 19 October 1831 in Lincoln Co., MO], and their children: Harriet "Hattie" Jane [b. 18 April 1856 in Lincoln Co., MO], age 23; Joseph "Jody" Collard [b. 14 November 1859 in Troy, Lincoln Co., MO], age 20; Garrett "Babe" [b. 23 February 1862 in Adams or Pike Co., IL], age 18; Steven Philip [25 July 1865 in CA], age 15; Rose M. [b. 21 April 1867 in CA], age 13, and Maud JOHNSON (my great grandmother) [b. 05 January 1869 in CA, age 11.

James and Sarah had 7 known children, Littleton JOHNSON the oldest [ 05 September 1854 in Lincoln Co., MO] likely died as a baby or in his youth.

Since James moved his 2nd family to Muddy Township, Benton Co., OR from CA sometime prior to the 1880 census. And since Elizabeth and Sarah Ann's aunt Mahala Lois(WELTY) PRESLEY and her family lived in Linn Co., OR, I think James & Elizabeth may have settled in Benton Co. in 1851/52 and James may have taken up a land claim when he 1st arrived in OR in 1851/52.

Other kin to the above families, the EAST, CANNON, HUBBARD & others, were also early 1840 & 1850 Oregon settlers.

I would appreciate any info anyone might have as to:
(1) Elizabeth (BOND) JOHNSON'S death and burial site,.
(2) Any land claims taken by James Thomas JOHNSON.
(3) Any land or tax records for James Thomas JOHNSON in Benton Co. prior to, during or after the 1880 census.
(4) Any other info on the above families in Benton, Linn, Marion and other Oregon counties.

Thank you,

Harleigh Winkler
San Andreas, CA
e-mail: hcwsew@comcast.net