Cyrus Johnson

first name
Cyrus
last name
Johnson
gender
male
birth, death year
circa 1795 , --
first, last year in records
--, --
confidence level
confirmed identity
freed status (year freed)
unknown
enslaver(s)
location(s)
Conway, MA   Whately, MA  
place of origin

Bio

In the History of the Town of Whately, Mass is reference to "an Indian known as Samson Johnson or Johnson Samson." He had three sons- David, Cyrus, and Eph (Ephraim), who worked on farms in town and in nearby Conway and Deerfield "as late as 1835." It was noted that Cyrus was "half negro." The book's author related that after Cyrus's birth, Johnson tied up his Indigenous wife, beat her, and "gave her a lecture that I have often heard, but will not relate here."

Most likely, Cyrus moved to Van Buren, New York. The 1860 federal census for that town lists him as being 65 years old, his wife Clarissa was 66, Alonzo W. and Sarah (Alonzo's wife or twin) were both 40, and Harriet was 19. Cyrus and Alonzo were farmers.

Sources Consulted
History of the Town of Whately, Mass, James M. Crafts, 1899, pp. 70, 282-283