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

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In her early life one of the writers knew several old people who had
been brought up under the pastorate of Rev. Stephen Johnson. One of
jthe younger of them, her grandfather M^ Curdy, was seventeen years of
age when his minister died. He was frequently spoken of, always as
" Parson Johnson ;" but she recalls nothing definite of what was said.
She much regrets that she did not inquire about his private character and
relations. Now it seems to be too late to collect any facts or traditions
with reference to those points, or to judge of him except by the printed
records, and his few private letters which we have preserved. We cannot
learn whether he was cheerful or grave in temperament ;
yet one pleasantry
concerning him has floated down. This was told to the writer by the late
Prof. William C. Fowler, whose mother repeated it as a good joke. It
seems that Mr. Johnson was on his way to New Haven with his Diodate
wife and a young child, to see her father and mother, and on their journey
visited his friend Rev. Elnathan Chauncey. When they were leaving,
the horse was at the door, he sat in the vehicle, and his wife was handed
in by her friends. The horse, impatient, started off. The wife cried out
" Oh, Mr. Johnson, the baby, the baby !" " Can a woman forget her
sucking child ?" exclaimed " Parson Johnson," while the child was hastily
thrown into its mother's arms as the impatient horse sped on.
Enough is learned from Mr. Johnson's public career to show that he
belonged to the "Church Militant." We can believe that he inherited
much of the spirit of the indomitable old John Ogden, who seemed born
to advance and to conquer. It was under Mr. Johnson's fiery preaching
against English usurpation that young Samuel H olden Parsons and many
other officers were trained for active military careers, and Gov. Matthew
Griswold was strengthened for his civic duties in the crisis. When
" Parson " Johnson asked leave of his people to go as Chaplain with
Parsons's Regiment to Bunker Hill, the consent of his people was reluct-
antly given, after persistent application on his part. We can believe that
there arose a struggle between his nature and his profession, and that the
sword which by natural impulse he would have sprung to use would not
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