HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



243 



■^1904). Clark Johnson followed farm- 

 ing as a means of livelihood, his i3to- 

 ducts finding a ready market. He was a 

 vestryman of the Episcopal church, and 

 his political affiliations were with the 

 Democratic party. He married Rachel 

 Grim, who was a native of Delaware 

 county, Pennsylvania, and their children 

 were: John, who was a merchant of 

 Hulmeville; Adaline, who became the 

 wife of C. M. Henry; Ann, who became the 

 wife of Frank Wood ; and Jesse L., who is 

 mentioned hereinafter. Both Mr. and 

 Mrs. Johnson lived many years beyond 

 the allotted scriptural age of three score 

 years and ten, he dying at the age of 

 eighty-four, and she at the age of eighty- 

 six. 



Jesse L. Johnson (father) was born on 

 the old homestead in Bensalem town- 

 ship, September 5, 1822. He attended 

 the district school at Eddington, and 

 after completing his education settled on 

 the old homestead, where he followed 

 agricultural pursuits successfully during 

 his lifetime. Like his father, Mr. John- 

 son served in the capacity of vestryman 

 of the Episcopal church, and cast h- 

 vote for the candi.dates of the Demo- 

 cratic party. He was a member of if 

 Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He 

 was united in marriage to Anna P. 

 Levis, a daughter of Robert Levis, a 

 tanner of Mt. Holly, New Jersey, later 

 ■of Maryland. Mrs. Johnson was reared 

 by her aunt, Eliza Renshaw, of Edding- 

 ton. Ten children were the issue of this 

 marriage, namely: Lizzie, Elmer L., 

 Mary, Josephine, Clark, deceased; 

 Louisa, deceased; Clara, John, Jesse, de- 

 ceased; and Annie. Jesse L. Johnson 

 (father) died September 25, 1901 ; his 

 wife passed away May 12, 1895, after one 

 day's illness. 



Elmer L. Johnson attended the public 

 schools at Eddington, thereby acquiring 

 a practical education which qualified him 

 for the many duties and responsibilities 

 of life. He engaged in farming pursuits, 

 having become familiar with that line 

 of work by assisting his father, and in 

 due course of time succeeded to the old 

 homestead of one hundred and fifty 

 acres, which is one of the best cultivated 

 and most productive farms in that sec- 

 tion of Bucks county. The neat and 

 thrifty appearance of the property be- 

 speaks the careful' supervision of one 

 thoroughly versed in the details of farm 

 work. Mr. Johnson follows in the foot- 

 steps of his forefathers in religious and 

 political affairs, being a vestryman of the 

 Episcopal church, and a Democrat. He 

 is interested in all matters pertaining to 

 the welfare of the community, and in 

 every relation of life has proved him- 

 self an honorable and conscientious 

 man. On April 2, 1890, Mr. Johnson was 

 married to Elizabeth T. Schaffer, who 

 was born in Bucks county. Pennsylvania, 

 a daughter of Godfrey Schaffer. Their 



children are: Jessie A., born April 30, 

 1894; Helen L, born January i, 1899; and 

 Elizabeth V., born December 3, 1903. 



J. HERMAN BARNSLEY. Thomas 

 Barnsley, major in "His Majesties 6oth 

 Royal American Regiment of Foot," came 

 with his regiment to America during 

 the French and Indian War of 1756. 

 . At the close of the war he resigned his 

 commission and returning to England 

 brought over to Bucks county his wife 

 Bersheba and his nephew John Barnsley. 

 J In 1763 he purchased six hundred acres in 

 Bensalem, part of the Tatham tract, and 

 erected thereon a handsome and commo- 

 dious mansion house, the bricks for which 

 were brought from England. He died in 

 1771, and his wife died some years earlier. 

 The property was sold by his executors to 

 John Swift in 1772, and remained in the 

 Swift family until 1883, when it was pur- 

 chased by Sallie B., wife of Dr. Richard 

 Dingee. The mansion house is still stand- 

 ing. 



John Barnsley inherited a fourth interest 

 in his uncle's estate, but it was paid him 

 in Continental money and became prac- 

 tically worthless. He was one of the com- 

 mittee for driving off cattle in Bensalem to 

 prevent them from falhng into the hands 

 of the British., and was with Washington's 

 army in January, 1777, in the march from 

 Trenton to Princeton, his team having 

 been impressed to haul ammunition. He 

 purchased a farm in Newton township, 

 where he lived until his death, February 2, 

 1796. His wife was Elizabeth Van Court, 

 who was born at Huntingdon Valley in 

 1751, and died in 1824. The children of John 

 and Elizabeth (Van Court) Barnsley were: 

 Thomas, born January 21, 1774, removed to 

 Maryland; WILLIAM, born November 8, 

 1775; Mary, born March 21, 1778; Eliza- 

 beth, born August 3. 1780; George, born 

 November 8, 1783 ; Moses, born February 

 23, 1788; Sarah, born March 10, 1791 ; and 

 Ann, born October 14, 1795. 



William Barnsley, second son of John 

 and Elizabeth, married Jane Van Horn, 

 born in Makefield, July 25, 1784, and died 

 July 25, 1861. They were married January 

 21, 1808. Their children were: Mary, born 

 1809, died unmarried January 16, 1889; 

 John, born August 26, 181 1; Thomas C, 

 born October 21, 1815, died September 5, 

 1866, and Joseph Barnsley, born June 9, 

 1820, died near Hartsville, January 12, 1888. 

 William Barnsley died at Newtown, August 

 21, 1848. 



John Barnsley, eldest son of William and 

 Jane, resided on the homestead at Newtown 

 until his death, January 11, 1880. He was 

 a justice of the peace for thirty-five years, 

 and transacted a great deal of business in 

 settlement of estates and in transfers of 

 real estate. He was a man of more than 

 ordinary ability and very much respected 

 in the community. He was county treasurer 



