Family-histories and genealogies : containing a series of ...

#fl;tren=3>oJjitson
Having thus followed out, as far as our information goes, the line of
descent from Robert Johnson of New Haven, we now come to his brother
Thomas of New Haven and Newark, N. J.
THOMAS (3) JOHNSON of Newark, to use the words of
Dr. Stearns, was a " most active and useful settler " — prominent in
affairs of Church and State in his new home. He
"became one of the most prominent men in the settlement. He was one of the
eleven chosen at the preliminary town meeting [see above] and during his life occu-
pied successively nearly every gradation of office. His residence was on the north-
east corner of Broad and Walnut streets, the site now occupied by Grace Church."
says
:
In mentioning him with several others of the early settlers "Dr. Stearns
". . . the records of their corporate acts and the works they accomplished
point them out as men of no ordinary excellence. Strict Puritans we have already
called them ;
and
they seem to have possessed all the virtues of the Puritan, with
scarcely one of the faults alleged against that ancient race."
Samuel Swaine with Thomas Johnson and three others were a com-
mittee from Newark who met John Ogden, Robert Treat and others from
Elizabethtown, to settle the boundary between the two towns ;
when
Robert Treat led in prayer " that there might be good agreement between
them," and on the conclusion of their business "John Ogden prayed
among the people, and gave thanks for their loving agreement."
In 1670-71
"'the town chose Mr. Thomas Johnson' for the keeping of the ordinary, or
public house for the entertainment of travelers and strangers, ' and
prohibited all
others from selling any strong liquors by retail under a gallon, unless in case of
necessity, and that by license from the town magistrate.' "
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