An American Family History

Catherine Hadley Johnson

Catherine Hadley was born on November 11, 1704 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Simon Hadley.

She married Robert Johnson. Robert Johnson, Jr. was the son of Robert Johnson and Margaret Braithwaite of Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Catherine and Robert's children included:

Hannah Johnson (1735, married Joseph Taylor and William Baily),
Simon Johnson (1737, married Rebecca Mercer),
Caleb Johnson (1740, married Mary Bennett),
Lydia Johnson (1742, married Thomas Baldwin),
Stephen Johnson (1744, married Martha Wethereld),
Jonathan Johnson (1748),
Isaac Johnson (1750),
Phebe Johnson (1750, married Samuel Finley), and
Hadley Johnson (1750, married Joanna Richards).

When Robert and Katherine declared their intention to marry, they were forbidden to proceed until Robert, Jr. made the following acknowledgment:

Whereas I have Endeavored to draw out ye affections of my friend Katherine Hadley before I had ye consent of her parents, which said Action of mine being contrary to ye Rules of Friends and I knowing in my Self it not to be Right

Whereupon I do condemn all Such practices and do take ye blame on my Selfe and desire ye friends may pass it by and hope I Shall be more careful for time to come of giving any just offence to friends
as Witness my hand this 26 day of ye sixth month 1732.
Robert Johnson

In 1765, Robert and Katherine and five of their children; Stephen, Jonathan, Isaac, Phebe, and Hadley, were granted a certificate to move to the Wilmington Monthly Meeting, New Castle County.

from Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette and Greene Counties, Volume 3 by John Woolf Jordan and James Hadden

This branch of the Johnson family descends from Robert Johnson, who with his wife Margaret (Berthwaite) Johnson, came from Ireland, and settled in New Garden Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1732, leaving issue;
Benjamin, married, Septmber 5, 1729, Mary, daughter of Ephraim and Rachel Jackson;
James;
Joshua, born July 29, 1696, at County Wiclow, Ireland married Sarah, daughter of Gayen and Margaret Miller;
Robert of whome further;
Abigail ;
Ann.

Robert, son of Robert and Margaret (Berthwaite) Johnson, was born at Coleboy, county Wicklow, Ireland. He came to Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he became a farmer and a member of the Society of Friends. He married Katherine, daughter of Simon and Ruth Hadly. Children: Hannah, Simon, Caleb, Lydia, Stephen, Jonathan, also written Jotham, of whom further; Isaac.

Jonathan (Jotham), son of Robert and Katherine (Hadly) Johnson, was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, about 1755. He was a farmer, a Whig, a member of the Society of Friends. He was also for many years justice of the peace. He married Mary Richardson, and with his family settled in Greene county, Pennsylvania. Children: Richard, of whom further; William, Isaac, Louis, Jonathan, Joanna, and an infant unnamed.

...when Robert Johnson, son of Robert Johnson, of New Garden, and Katharine Hadley, daughter of Simon Hadley, of New Castle County, declared their intentions of marriage for the first time, they were not permitted to proceed until Robert produced the following acknowledgment:

Whereas I have Endeavored to draw out ye affections of my friend Katherine Hadley before I had ye Consent of her parents, which sd Action of mine being Contrary to ye Rules of friends & I knowing in my Self it not to be Right

Wherefore I do Condemn all Such practices & do take ye blame on my Selfe & desire ye friends may pass it by & hopes I Shall be more Carefull for time to come of giving any just offence to friends

as Witness my hand this 26 day of ye sixth moth 1732

from Simon Hadley's Will

I give and bequeath unto my grandson, Simon Johnson, son of Robert Johnson,

• certain plantation and tract of land lying contiguous to the above land devised to my grandson, Simon Hadley, bounded and described as followeth; Viz,
• Beginning at a corner mulberry tree being a corner of a corner post of the above land devised to my said grandson, Simon Hadley,
• thence south 69 degrees, east by the said tract 59 perches to a post
• and south 20 degrees, east 19 perches to a gum tree
• and south 60 degrees, east 137 perches and a half to another gum
• and south 50 degrees, west 48 perches and a half
• to a corner black oak
• and south 31 degrees, east 38 perches to a corner post in a line of the land seated by my said grandson John Hadley,
• thence west by the same 57 perches to a corner black oak in a line of the aforesaid Robert Johnson land,
• thence north by the same 37 perches to the place of the beginning,

containing by estimation 112 acres be the same more or less within the bounds aforesaid, with the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining, to hold to him, my said grandson, Simon Johnson, and the male heirs of his body lawfully begotten forever,

but if he my said grandson, Simon Johnson should happen to depart this life without male heirs as above, then and in such case I give, devise and bequeath the said tract of land and premises unto the next male heirs by consanguinity to him, my said grandson, and the male heirs of his body lawfully begotten forever, to be possessed by my said grandson when he shall arrive at the respective age of 21 years.

....I do leave to my daughter, Katherine Johnson, wife to Robert Johnson, the sum of 10 pounds of current money,

and I do leave to the said Robert Johnson, the sum of 10 pounds current money, which shall be their full share of my real and personal estate.

I do leave to my grandchildren, Hannah Taylor wife of Joseph Taylor, 60 pounds current money, and

I do leave Caleb Johnson 60 pounds current money and

I do leave to John Johnson 60 pounds current money, and

I do leave to Freeman Johnson 60 pounds current money, and

I do leave to Jonathan Johnson 60 pounds current money, and

I do leave to Isaac Johnson 60 pounds current money, all children to my daughter Katherine Johnson, wife to Robert Johnson.

Robert Johnston of East Marlborough, yeoman, to James Thomson and John Hadley, both of Mill Creek Hundred of New Castle Co. on Delaware, acting executors of Simon Hadley, Esq., late of the same place, decd.

Robert Johnston stands bound to James Thompson and John Hadley, £715.60.00, conditioned on payments of £16.56.6, to each of Robert’s (sic) children and grandchildren Simon Hadley, being Caleb, Lydia, Stephen, Jonathan, Isaac Johnston and unto Phoebe Johnston the sum of £51.5.6, when they arrive at the age of 21 or day of marriage, whichever happens first, with interest. In case any of the children happen to die before they receive their legacies, the share of the decd. to be paid the surviving grandchildren of Simon Hadley …