|
Berry Hill - Home of Joseph H. Johnson (1827-1893) and his wife Elmira
Andrews (1831-1867) or (1836-1869)
|
According to "Antebellum Orange" by Ann
Miller, Joseph Johnson purchased Berry Hill in
1872 and lived there until his death in 1893. His wife Elmira Andrews Johnson died in 1869 and she, along with her infant daughter Fannie, are buried in
the same grave in Graham Cemetery. Berry Hill still stands and was owned by
Joseph Johnson’s granddaughter, Jo Williams Hill and her husband, Rowland Hill
until 1986 when it was purchased by the Taylor family. Berry Hill acreage was
once a part of the original 1722 land grant to Colonel James Taylor II, and at one time
was owned by
the grandfather and namesake of President Zachary Taylor.
Children of Joseph and Elmira:
Wallace (1855-1860)
Lelia married Walker W. Sanford
Evelyn married William C. Williams
Blanche married William D Row
J. Weister married Loulie MacDonald
Fannie (died as an infant and buried with her mother in Graham Cemetery)
|
 |
|
Sunning Hill - Home of Joseph H. Johnson prior to move to Berry Hill
|
| Sunning Hill located in
Louisa County was purchased in 1867 by Joseph H. Johnson and Henry Quarles, the
half-brother of his wife Elmira Andrews Johnson. It was later sold to Joseph Johnson’s brother Thaddeus
and Thaddeus' son
Munford, after which Joseph and his family moved to Berry Hill. It appears that
Lelia was born at Sunning Hill. |
 |
According to researcher Claudia Anderson
Chisholm of Louisa County:
The next period of permanent tenure was that of the Johnson
family. In 1863 Joseph H. Johnson and Henry Quarles obtained the three
tracts of Minor property with an agreement that in the event either should
die, Quarles was to take the Spotsylvania and Duckinghold tracts and
Johnson the Sunning Hill tract. Unfortunately, Quarles died before deeding
the said tract. A law suit settlement in 1866 retained Sunning Hill in the
Johnson family.
During the next thirty-three years, various members of the
Johnson family owned Sunning Hill. Johnson owners were Joseph H. Johnson of
Orange County, 1866-1885; Thaddeus T. Johnson, 1885-1898; Mumsford S. Johnson
and wife, Mamie E. of Louisa County, 1898-1899. By 1905, John N. Walker had
purchased all three tracts from the Johnson heirs.
Sunning Hill still exists today, once again a private
residence.
|
|
Andrews Tavern - Home of Elmira Andrews (wife of Joe Johnson)
|
| Elmira Andrews Johnson was born at Andrews Tavern,
located in Spotsylvania County. Her father William Harris Andrews managed the
farm that supplied the tavern, while William's brother Samuel Andrews
managed the tavern. Samuel Andrews is buried in the graveyard on the site.
Elmira Elizabeth Andrews (1831-1867) was the daughter of William Harris
Andrews and Mary Elizabeth Anderson Quarles (1806-1869). She is buried in Graham Cemetery.
|
 |
| Children of William Harris and Mary Elizabeth Quarles Andrews were:
John Quarles Andrews (1829-1859) Drowned in Texas
ELMIRA ELIZABETH ANDREWS (1831-1867) married Joe Johnson
Roberta Andrews (1833-?) Married William Garnett
Armelia Landonia Andrews (1835-1853) married Joseph Brock
Wilmonia Eudora Andrews (?-1927) married James Mordecai Moore
Mary Isabella Andrews (1838-1874)
(Note: The Ben Sanford family values very highly a small walnut trunk or
chest that Ben purchased at the auction of Cousin Mabel and Willie Moore’s
property in 1959 in the Town of Orange. Mabel and Willie were daughters of
Wilmonia Eudora Andrews and James Moore. The trunk was said to have been one of
three built by an uncle for three of the Andrews sisters, probably their hope
chest. This story was told to us by Cousin Rowland Hill who added that the base
of one of these chest was removed and it was put down in a closet to hide the
family silver from the Yankees during the War between the States. I think I
recall him saying that he and Cousin Jo had one of the chest and Aunt Lelia had
another.)
John Andrews (1765-1802) who married Elizabeth Lipscomb in 1792
John and Elizabeth were the parents of at least six children. Among these
children are William Harris Andrews and John Day Andrews (17951882) who went to
Texas and was closely allied with the city of Houston. (Note: There exist in my
files a fascinating write-up of John Day Andrews’s life and accomplishments in
and around Houston which came to me through Brena, Gene and Richard.)
|