Jacob &
Margaret Johnson
Memorial Project
Jacob and Margaret JOHNSON were
living in Surry Co., NC by 1783. They moved to Lawrence Co., in southern Mississippi by
1829, with their son-in-law and daughter, Aaron and Middia MATTHEWS. After Aaron's death
about 1836, a large family group, including Middia, her nine children, and parents, moved
to Johnson Co., AR. Middia and her younger brother, Jacob Jr. are listed on the Johnson
Co. tax returns in 1837.
Old-timers reported that Jacob
and Margaret's graves were the first burials in MINNOW CREEK CEMETERY. This is supported by letters exchanged by
Aaron Matthews (b. 1850) and Miss Clara B. Eno in 1918. He stated that those were the
graves of his great grandparents and that the graves had been in the family graveyard
eighty to eighty-five years. Until the 1930s, cairns, constructed of stacked sandstone,
covered the graves of Jacob and Margaret. This style of burial was common in frontier
times, but seldom used after the Civil War. All that is left of this original grave
structure is a coping and two large slabs of sandstone.
Descendants installed a memorial
marker for Jacob Johnson and his wife, Margaret Garrett, in 1999. If you are a member of
this large clan network, join them in honoring the memory of this pioneer couple by
contributing to the maintenance fund of Minnow Creek Cemetery. For more information
contact: Wanda Pearson, 506 N. Mt. Home Road, Lamar, AR 72846;
Johnson
County Cemetery Index Johnson County Genealogy
Minnow Creek
