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| From John B. Jackson Map of Columbia, ca. 1850, copied in 1931.* |
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[Jane Mary Wood Johnston Mitchell/Michel: Notes on Family (1870+), Part IV. My rough transcription. Additional paragraph breaks inserted for easier reading.
Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy, Sally Young and Sue Davis for their ongoing research collaboration; specifically to William for providing scans of the original documents, and in turn many thanks to Peter Johnston Binckley and Patricia D'Arcy "Trish" Binckley (1951-2007), at the source.]
Benjamin was a most singular child – so
silent, so shy, so reserved that even Mother did not understand or appreciate
him. He showed such an utter aversion to learning, & gave so little
indication of mind, that the parents feared he was absolutely deficient
& made no effort to force him to learn.
He spent his days in quiet rambles, in silent
reverie, or, more frequently, in hanging over the great deep spring with a pin
hook, fishing for minnows, & richly rewarded for his trouble, if he got a
single little fish in a day. All at once, however, when he was a lad of twelve,
he awoke from his mental slumber – began, under Mother’s instruction, to
acquire the rudiments of education, & made astonishing progress. In a
couple of years, he was at the [Abingdon] Academy, side by side in his studies with Joe,
who had been attending school several years, and had made good progress.
From that time, Benjamin was a devoted and
successful student. His perseverance was unyielding. One winter, not being able
to find any one to teach him Greek, he resolved to learn it without assistance
– he got somebody to give him the sound of the letters, & with that aid
only, he soon became proficient in the language.
When quite young, he was sent
to South Carolina College, then one of the very finest institutions in the
country. There, after three years’ study, he took the first honor. He then went
to teaching, & at the same time studies Law under the direction of cousin
William Preston. As soon as he was licensed to practice, he was taken into
cousin William’s office as a partner, and became an intimate of his household.
He rose rapidly at the Bar, and attracted notice as an eloquent public speaker
while yet very young.
At the time of the Nullification movement, he
took a zealous part in favor of State rights and made political speeches which
were much admired for rigor & clearness. The most eminent men of the State
looked upon him as one destined to the highest distinction. But alas! He died
of “country fever” before he had completed his 26th year – died
calmly, with his finger on his pulse.
Benjamin Johnston had talents of the highest
order. In addition to mental endowments of exceeding excellence, he possessed
an extraordinary capacity for sculpture and painting, which was evinced in
childhood. Without ever having seen any person attempt to draw, he, by dint of
persevering effort, learned to draw exquisitely, & to paint in water color.
Had he devoted himself to that, he might surely have attained high eminence.
He was the best, the purest boy I ever knew.
I never saw him hurt any creature, & never heard him speak ill of any
person.
When we would, as children be strolling about
the fields, I have often seen him turn out of the road to avoid frightening a
bird, or step carefully aside to spare the little ants’ nests. As to a vulgar
or profane word, such never passed his lips as long as I knew him -- & I
can’t recall any instance of his deserving correction.
It was the boast of “our
boys” that not one of them was ever whipped at school, though they sometimes
were under teachers who were noted disciplinarians.
My father was extremely strict in the
exercise of his authority, having been brought up after the Scottish fashion,
and also taught in the army the virtue of subordination. He inculcated the
highest sense of truth & honor: & taught us all to endure pain or
privation without complaint.
In our early days, he had abundant means: yet
we were never pampered or allowed to be waited on. The boys went barefoot: in
all kinds of weather they were out of doors: and they hunted deer over hill,
mountain & “knob” on foot, often walking as much as twenty miles in a day
over a wild & rugged country. These early habits made them universally
athletic and healthy – and to Joseph, in his military career, they were
invaluable.
Of all my father’s eight sons, but one has
handed down the name – the son & only child of brother John. He has eight
children, two of whom are sons. William, his oldest son, was drowned in the
river at Wheeling, when he was about 18 years of age [in 1869]. He was all that
is most loveable in a youth, & gave promise of uncommon excellence. Dear
Willie! [H]ow many fond hopes were laid in his grave!
[Above: pages 21-23; skips original page 24.]
[Jane Mary Wood Johnston Mitchell/Michel (1811-1892).
Benjamin Franklin Johnston November 18, 1808-November 5, 1834).
Mother = Mary Valentine Wood Johnston (1769-1825).
Joe = Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891).
Cousin William Preston = William Campbell Preston (1794-1860).
My father = Peter Johnston, Jr. (1763-1831).
Brother John = Dr. John Warfield Johnston (1790-1818).
John = Senator John Warfield Johnston (1818-1889).
William/Willie = William Floyd Johnston (1852-June 3, 1869).
*Red circles indicate possible locations of E. W. & A. S. Johnston's store(s). A clickable version of the full map can be found here, at NOVA NUMISMATICS. ]
