Betsey Johnson

Brief Life History of Betsey

When Betsey Johnson was born in 1779, in Tewksbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, her father, Josiah Johnson Jr, was 57 and her mother, Sarah Gardner, was 36. She married Josiah Symmes on 28 May 1807, in Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 3 daughters. She died on 21 June 1857, in Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, at the age of 78, and was buried in Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.

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Family Time Line

Josiah Symmes
1758–1832
Betsey Johnson
1779–1857
Marriage: 28 May 1807
Elizabeth Symmes
1804–1864
Lucy Ann Symmes
1823–1881
Johnson Symmes
1808–
Josiah Symmes
1809–1846
Gardner Symmes
1813–1878
Elisabeth "Betsey" Symmes
1815–1867
Jesse Symmes
1820–1862

Sources (35)

  • 1850 United States Federal Census
  • Betsy Johnson, "Massachusetts, Marriages, 1695-1910"
  • Betsey Symmes, "Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915"

World Events (7)

1781 · The First Constitution

Serving the newly created United States of America as the first constitution, the Articles of Confederation were an agreement among the 13 original states preserving the independence and sovereignty of the states. But with a limited central government, the Constitutional Convention came together to replace the Articles of Confederation with a more established Constitution and central government on where the states can be represented and voice their concerns and comments to build up the nation.

1783 · A Free America

The Revolutionary War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris which gave the new nation boundries on which they could expand and trade with other countries without any problems.

1800 · Movement to Washington D.C.

While the growth of the new nation was exponential, the United States didn’t have permanent location to house the Government. The First capital was temporary in New York City but by the second term of George Washington the Capital moved to Philadelphia for the following 10 years. Ultimately during the Presidency of John Adams, the Capital found a permanent home in the District of Columbia.

Name Meaning

English and Scottish: patronymic from the Middle English and Older Scots personal name Johan, Jo(h)n (see John ) + -son. It was often interchanged with Jenson and Janson . In North America, this surname has absorbed cognates from other languages, e.g. Norwegian, Danish, or North German Johnsen , Johannesen , Johannsen , Johansen , Jansen , Jantzen , and Jensen , Swedish Johnsson (see below), Johansson , Jonsson , and Jansson , Dutch Janssen , German Janz , Czech Jansa 1, and Slovenian Janša (see Jansa 2) and Janežič (see Janezic ). Johnson (including in the sense 2 below) is the second most frequent surname in the US. It is also the second most common surname among Native Americans and a very common surname among African Americans.

Americanized form (and a less common Swedish variant) of Swedish Johnsson: patronymic from the personal name John, a variant of Jon (see John ). Compare 1 above.

History: Surname Johnson was brought independently to North America by many different bearers from the 17th and 18th centuries onward. Andrew Johnson (1808–75), 17th president of the US, was born in Raleigh, NC, the younger son of Jacob Johnson and Mary (or Polly) McDonough. Little is known of his ancestors. The 36th president, Lyndon B. Johnson, dates his American forebears back seven generations to James Johnston (sic) (born c. 1662) who lived at Currowaugh, Nansemond, and Isle of Wight counties, VA. — Noted early bearers also include Marmaduke Johnson (died 1674), a printer who came from England to MA in 1660; Edward Johnson (1598–1672), a colonial chronicler who was baptized at St. George's parish, Canterbury, England, and emigrated to Boston in 1630; and Sir Nathaniel Johnson (c. 1645–1713), a colonial governor of Carolina, who came from County Durham, England.

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

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