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Theoretical Possibilities for this Family
Information gleaned from the Emma Davey letter indicates that Hiram's father could be either a Henry or a Daniel. She says one grandparent was one and one the other. The Fink side being proved to be Daniel, I have assumed I'm looking for a Henry. Emma says this family had 15 children and that Henry married Catharine Perry, and that both grandparents had children named Henry and Daniel.
In following Hiram's daughter, Clara, she repeatedly says in census records that she was born in New York. This is odd since she is the only one born there. So I supposed that perhaps she was born there because Hiram and Anna were visiting his parents, or one of his relatives had died and they journeyed there. In searching the counties in the western part of New York (which would have had the easiest access to Ohio), I discovered a Henry Johnson in Wilson, Niagara County, New York.
In Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, edited by William Pool, published, Syracuse, N.Y.?. D. Mason & Co.,1897(original), 1987 recopyright by Ancestry.com page 310 about the town of Wilson: "The first blacksmith was Henry Johnson, about 1824."
In the same book page a159 of Part III, Family Sketches: "Johnson, Jay K., was born in Wilson, N.Y., in December, 1841, a son of Richard and grandson of Henry Johnson. Henry Johnson was born in New York State and early in life moved to Ohio and in 1824 came to the village of Wilson, where he worked at the blacksmith business for Luther Wilson, doing iron work on a grist mill. His wife died in 1864, and he spent some time in Michigan, where he died in 1871 and was buried in Wilson. Richard Johnson was born in Ohio and when twelve years of age moved to Wilson, N.Y., with his parents, where he learned the blacksmith's trade; he died in 1885."
This excerpt would explain some confusion on the part of descendants claiming Hiram was born in New York or maybe Ohio in census records. In 1870, a Henry Johnson is in Union Twp., Branch County, Michigan (County that Hiram's son George was born in). He is 76 and married to Martha age 57. This same Henry dies 21 Mar 1872 in Union. According to the Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Henry was returned to Wilson for burial. It is possible that this is the same Henry above described. Using a birth calculator from the Henry Johnson death in Michigan, he would have been born 13 Aug 1790.
Censuses are not available for 1800 and 1810 in Ohio. Let's presume the following to be correct. The 1820 census has a Henry Johnson living in Johnston Township, Trumbull County, Ohio. This family has 2 males under 10, 1 male 26-45, 3 females under 10, 1 female 26-45. This would include the Richard named in Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, born in 1812 and possibly the Henry Jr. born around 1820. I have not discovered the names of the 3 females under 10 as yet. Hiram was born about 1822 and the family then moved to New York in 1824.
By the 1830 census, Henry's family has 2 males 5-10, 2 males 10-15, 1 male 30-40, 2 females under 5, 1 female 5-10, 1 female 10-15, 1 females 15-20 and 1 female 30-40. They are in Wilson, Niagara County, New York.
In 1840, Henry's family is still in Wilson, with 2 males under 5 (these would be Seth and Daniel, later mentioned), 2 males 5-10 (one would be George), 2 males 15-20 (one would be Henry and one would be Hiram), 1 male 20-30, 1 male 40-50, 1 female 5-10, 1 female15-20, and 1 female 40-50. Richard is living next door with one child under 5, 1 male 20-30, 1 female 20-30.
Between 1840 and 1849, Hiram moves back to Ohio. I am still investigating if any other of the children also moved back, or Henry may have had brothers and sisters there, or maybe still parents.
In 1850 Henry and Catharine are in Calhoun County, Michigan with sons George, age 18, Seth, age 16, Daniel, age 12. His sons Henry Jr. and Richard are both still in Wilson. Hiram is in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.
In the 1860 census I discovered Henry in Wilson with his wife, Catharine and sons Seth and Daniel. According to Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Catharine dies in 1864 and Henry then goes to Michigan, where he possibly could have married the Martha in the 1870 census in Union Twp, Branch County, Michigan mentioned above.
I have used the Reunion genealogy program to show the possible children the above censuses show. At this time I am looking at wills from early Trumbull County, Ohio, including a William Johnson to see if there are any links. Any of the settlers in Trumbull County between 1800 and 1824 would be lot fewer and so any Johnsons found there could be the people I am looking for. If the William Johnson lists his children in his will, some of those might be relatives which could account for Hiram returning to Ohio. The Johnsons being looked at in this theory all moved rather freely between New York, Ohio and Michigan.
------Nancy Ratay August 2005