Who Would A Thunk It Rev H Johnson?

I had no earthly idea that Texas was thought of in the same way that Oklahoma was as far as migration was concerned. 

Those thoughts were coming from Baltimore Maryland by a preacher man.

While in my reading mode for everything Texas, boy was I wrong. Reverend Harvey Johnson made his wants known. 

I found this article in the 1910 Baltimore Sun where Rev. Johnson explains his plan to purchase Texas to his church congregation. 

Rev Johnson stated that everything would be done through the Maryland Texas Purchase Association with the option to pay the sale off in one hundred (100) years. 

 

Reverend Johnson even stated that after all negroes were in place a Republic would be started and all ties to the United States would be severed. 

I thought I would see if I could find this Reverend with a vision in the census. 

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Source: Ancestry 1900 Census Baltimore Maryland Roll 608 Pg7A, ED 0024

Here he is along with wife Amelia, two children William and Harvey in the 1900 Census on lines 8-12. His  72 year old mother in law Ellen Hull is also living with them. He is listed as a Preacher.

The Union Baptist Church on Druid Hill in Baltimore Maryland was where Reverend Johnson was its minister from 1872 to 1923 and is now on the National Register Of Historic Places.

Needless to say the Reverend was not taken up on his plan. He was outnumbered not only by those of the opposite race but by many of us own. 

I am just saying, who would a thunk it!

I do not have the Reverend in my research as far as I know but I do have Texas folks named Johnson from around Marshall Texas. 

I will continue to look for them but who knows who I will find. 

Will it be Jack Johnson, Heavy Weight Champion Boxer from Galveston Texas?

 Or Mary Ellen Johnson

The 77 year old ex-slave living in Dallas Texas who is featured in the Slave Narratives from The Federal Writer’s Project 1936 through 1938.

What about this Dallas born world class track star who just might sprint his way to the root of my line.

Michael Johnson

So all you Johnson’s, catch me when I come looking for you so I can add you to my tree.

You don’t have to be famous, just rich with all that DNA mixed with mine.