Elijah Johnson
Encyclopedia
Elijah Johnson was an African American
who was one of the first colonial agents
of the American Colonization Society
in what later became Liberia
. He was probably born in New Jersey
, received some limited schooling in New Jersey and New York
, served as a soldier in the War of 1812
and studied for the Methodist ministry. He had two children out of wedlock, Lewis Johnson (1810 – 1838) and Charles Johnson (born 1812). He latter married and had one daughter Elizabeth (born 1818) with his wife Mary Johnson.
In 1820, Johnson emigrated on the ship Elizabeth to West Africa and landed on Sherbro Island
in what is today Sierra Leone
on March 9, 1820. The settlers had difficulty surviving, with many including his wife Mary dying from Malaria
and yellow fever
. In 1821, the surviving settlers moved to Providence Island near what is today Monrovia
. There, Johnson married Rachel Wright (born ca. 1798), with whom he had several additional children, including Hilary Johnson
, who would become the eleventh President of Liberia in 1884.
Johnson became the colonial agent of the American Colonization Society after the death of the white first colonial agent Eli Ayers
and his black successor Frederick James
. He served in this role from June 4, 1822 until August 8, 1822 and again from April 2, 1823 until August 14, 1823 and was replaced by Jehudi Ashmun
. He was then appointed Commissary of Stores but was also active in politics. In 1847, he was one of the signers of the Liberian Declaration of Independence
. Johnson died in 1849 in White Plains, a missionary station in the interior of Liberia.
Elijah Johnson was of mixed raced ancestry, and was born about 1790 probably in New York. Two of his children that are seldom mentioned are Sarah (b. about 1811), and Elijah Johnson Junior (born about 1812). Sarah and her brother Elijah were left in an Orphanage in Chester County in 1816. There was no mention of who their mother was, but the father was listed as the Negro Elijah Johnson. He came into Pennsylvania from New York, prior to the War of 1812, in which he served. After the War, he studied at a Methodist School and and was ordained as a Minister of the Methodist Church in Northern New York. He is probably a descendant of Molly Brant a Mohawk woman and her white husband William Johnson. Elijah Senior was a member of the American Colonization Society as was his friend Jehudi Ashmun. They traveled to Liberia on the same ship in 1820 along with their wives and children. Many of Elijah's descendants from Liberia now live throughout the United States. His son Hilary R.W. Johnson was the first Liberian/American President.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
who was one of the first colonial agents
Agents and Governors of Liberia
The following is a list of Agents and Governors of Liberia, made up of the 14 agents and two governors of the American Colonization Society from 1822 until Liberia's independence in 1847...
of the American Colonization Society
American Colonization Society
The American Colonization Society , founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen...
in what later became Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. He was probably born in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, received some limited schooling in New Jersey and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, served as a soldier in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and studied for the Methodist ministry. He had two children out of wedlock, Lewis Johnson (1810 – 1838) and Charles Johnson (born 1812). He latter married and had one daughter Elizabeth (born 1818) with his wife Mary Johnson.
In 1820, Johnson emigrated on the ship Elizabeth to West Africa and landed on Sherbro Island
Sherbro Island
Sherbro Island, is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, located in Bonthe District off the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. The Sherbro make up by far the largest ethnic group in the island....
in what is today Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
on March 9, 1820. The settlers had difficulty surviving, with many including his wife Mary dying from Malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
. In 1821, the surviving settlers moved to Providence Island near what is today Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
. There, Johnson married Rachel Wright (born ca. 1798), with whom he had several additional children, including Hilary Johnson
Hilary R. W. Johnson
Hilary Richard Wright Johnson served as the 11th President of Liberia from 1884 to 1892. He was elected four times. He served as Secretary of State before his presidency, under the administration of Edward James Roye....
, who would become the eleventh President of Liberia in 1884.
Johnson became the colonial agent of the American Colonization Society after the death of the white first colonial agent Eli Ayers
Eli Ayers
Eli Ayers was a physician and the first colonial agent of the American Colonization Society in what would later become Liberia. He was born in 1778 in Shiloh in New Jersey and married Elizabeth West in 1812. He practiced medicine in Woodbury, New Jersey. On August 7, 1821 he left New York for West...
and his black successor Frederick James
Frederick James
Frederick E. James was an American artist. He was noted for his depictions of 18th-century American life....
. He served in this role from June 4, 1822 until August 8, 1822 and again from April 2, 1823 until August 14, 1823 and was replaced by Jehudi Ashmun
Jehudi Ashmun
Jehudi Ashmun was a religious leader and social reformer who became involved in the American Colonization Society...
. He was then appointed Commissary of Stores but was also active in politics. In 1847, he was one of the signers of the Liberian Declaration of Independence
Liberian Declaration of Independence
The Liberian Declaration of Independence is a document adopted by the Liberian Constitutional Convention on 16 July 1847 to announce that the Commonwealth of Liberia, a colony founded and controlled by the private American Colonization Society, was now an independent state known as the Republic of...
. Johnson died in 1849 in White Plains, a missionary station in the interior of Liberia.
Elijah Johnson was of mixed raced ancestry, and was born about 1790 probably in New York. Two of his children that are seldom mentioned are Sarah (b. about 1811), and Elijah Johnson Junior (born about 1812). Sarah and her brother Elijah were left in an Orphanage in Chester County in 1816. There was no mention of who their mother was, but the father was listed as the Negro Elijah Johnson. He came into Pennsylvania from New York, prior to the War of 1812, in which he served. After the War, he studied at a Methodist School and and was ordained as a Minister of the Methodist Church in Northern New York. He is probably a descendant of Molly Brant a Mohawk woman and her white husband William Johnson. Elijah Senior was a member of the American Colonization Society as was his friend Jehudi Ashmun. They traveled to Liberia on the same ship in 1820 along with their wives and children. Many of Elijah's descendants from Liberia now live throughout the United States. His son Hilary R.W. Johnson was the first Liberian/American President.