William Ashley Johnson / Sally Timberlake

Documentation Provided by Patricia (McDonald) Loughlin

Pat's message to Linda Sparks Starr explains, "I have an 1818 Bible belonging to William Ashley Johnson (whose wife was Sally Timberlake), a brother of Thomas Moorman Johnson. In it are listed quite a few births, marriages and deaths pertaining to the Johnsons. Thomas Moorman Johnson and Betsy Kinzer had seven children listed. I also have a few old letters written in 1897 by Cyrenius Johnson, concerning the Johnson heritage and connection to the Earl of Shaftesbury. The Bible came to me through the Granddaughter of William A. Johnson (Mary Beckner Dresser) and my great-grandmother Fannie Miskelly McDonald."

In a followup message, Pat refers to "the 1897 letters written by Cyrenius Johnson to Mary Beckner Dresser (Granddaughter of William Ashley Johnson and Sally Timberlake). She had this old Bible at the time, which had belonged to Sally. William and Sally were married on 8/18/1818, and the Bible was an 1818 edition, which I thought was rather interesting. I have Sally's parents (from Campbell Co, VA) listed as John Timberlake (no dates) and Molly (?) b. 1757, d. 1835." Pat says about Cyrenius' lineage, "I haven't quite worked it out. He says his grandfather Ashley Johnson was William A. Johnson's first cousin."

Pat has also sent two handwriting samples. This link is to the sample by William Ashley Johnson, including his 1831 "public sale notice" and signature. Here is the sample by Terresa Miskelly, the sister of Job Jennings Miskelly, about their motehr and grandmother.

Note: Only one of the photographs linked below has been identified. Please contact Pat at  Pattiepie8@aol.com  if you have information about the subjects.

Bible Pages

Front page of Bible
First page of family records, listing births
Second page of family records
Third page of family records
Fourth page of family records
Fifth page of family records (first entries for deaths, beginning with Patty Terrel and Ashley Johnson)
Last part of death record for Sarah Johnson (page has engraving depicting John baptizing Jesus)
First page of Dresser family records

Letters

Envelope, postmarked January 18, 1897, that held the letter of same date
First page of letter dated January 18, 1897 from Cyrenius Johnson (Ashley Johnson's grandson) to Mary Dresser of 679 Fullerton Ave., Chicago. Written on letterhead of the Johnson-Barnes Hardware Co. of Lafayette, Indiana.
Second page of January 18, 1897 letter
Third (the last) page of January 18, 1897 letter
First page of letter dated February 6, 1897 from Cyrenius Johnson to Mary Dresser
Second page of February 6, 1897 letter
Third (the last) page of February 6, 1897 letter (in which Cyrenius says George Rogers Clark was his grandfather's mother's brother)
Letter from Mary Dresser to Charley Johnson, answering his inquiry about family history; written about 1920 [Transcribed into Word file]
Letter dated February 27, 1928 from Mary (Beckner) Dresser, then living in St. Petersburg, to Ida Miskelly
Letter dated March 21, 1944 from Ida Miskelly to Jerry and Jeannette McDonald, describing the provenance of the Bible given by Ida to them

Photographsb

Sally Timberlake Johnson (1797 - 1865) per "Great-Aunt Ida" Miskelly. According to Patricia Loughlin, this type of photo, an emulsion on glass, was done around 1850-65. So, Sally would have been about 50 years old when this photo was taken. The photo was enclosed in an envelope with the following note, which was the letter shown above, sent (about 1944-45) to Jerry McDonald from his grandmother's sister Ida Miskelly:
Put this letter with picture in album. It is your great, great grandmother on Fannie's side of family. Jerry, bring records up to date in the old old Bible. Write in the proper place names on the envelope and be sure to record yours and Jannets marriage date, place, minister and if there are any children born to you record that. The record goes so far back we must keep it up to date for future generations. That Bible is historical.
Look thru record carefully and see if my grandfather, mother's father, William Ashley Johnson is recorded. The Ashleys were of English nobility and were given the grant of land in So. Carolina and the Ashley-Cooper Rivers were named for the Ashleys. There is an old mansion on the river near Charleston, S.C., Ashley Hall. I've always wanted to go to Charleston and vicinity and look up old records in Court Houses and visit cemeteries to see records on grave stones. If you ever can, do so.
Aunt Ida
Two photos in an album, one of a woman and the other of a man. Pat wonders whether they may be Sarah (Moorman) Johnson and Job Jennings Miskelly. Sarah would have been about 25-30 and Job about 40 years old at the presumed date of these pictures
Photo of woman, man and baby, thought to have been taken during the 1850s
Two photos in an album, one of a boy and the other of a girl. Pat wonders if these are children of Sarah and Job Miskelly, Walter (born 1856) and Ida (born 1858).