The United States in 1790

In 1790, the Union, as we know it, was just beginning to be formed. There were 13 states and the United States was bounded on the west by the Mississippi River, which separated it from the vast unexplored wilderness which belonged to the Spanish at that time. Later, this would become the Louisiana Purchase. The area of the United States was about 800,000 square miles, but was only thinly settled in less than one-third of those. The difficulties in taking that first census of the population were much greater than in 1900. The Congress allowed a full 18 months for the task to be accomplished.

In 1790, there were no roads in many areas, and the ones that did exist were poor and sometimes impassable. Bridges were almost unknown. A trip from New York to Washington was a serious journey and took over a week under the best of conditions. Washington, D.C. was a dream, not even named, but called “Federal City.” It wasn’t until 1793 that the first wall of the White House was built. New York had a population of about 33,000, and was the largest city in the country. Boston had about 18,000 people and Philadelphia had about 28,000.

Tombstones and other records show that not long after the close of the Revolutionary fighting, our RICHARD JOHNSON-2, of Louisa County, Virginia, married LUCY HUNTER-3, who was born November 25, 1763, in Louisa County, Virginia. Lucy was the daughter of GEORGE HUNTER-2 and his wife, MILDRED AUSTIN, born February 21, 1783, in Louisa County, Virginia.

The Louisa County, Virginia, property tax list of 1787, “List A,” includes GEORGE HUNTER, who paid his poll tax for himself, and his list was 1-1-0-4-10. Stephen Hunter, on the same list, paid tax for self and 1-1-1-5-16.

There were two different kinds of local taxes. The church vestry which was the governing body of the state-supported church levied taxes called “tithes” on the people residing in the parish or upon the slaves or other labor that they employed in a parish. This was a “head” tax or a poll tax. It was a tax layed on the laboring population. Slaves were taxed from a certain age, regardless of sex. White male servants were taxed from a certain age, white female servants were only taxed if they were employed in the fields as labor. Elderly or inifirm men or slaves could be released from this tax, and certain occupations were exempt from the tax. These poll or tithe lists are quite informational for genealogical purposes. The County levied taxes and there were land taxes or “quit rents” which went to the proprietors or the crown. In addition, there were fees on tobacco and import and export-type taxes.

The tithe listings for Johnsons on the 1787 Louisa County, Virginia, tax list were for:

Christopher Johnson paying his own tithe. Several men named Richard Johnsono, including Richard Johnson who had a “quarter,” or portion of land on whick he farmed but did not live; another Richard Johnson, listed as “Jork Creek” to distinguish him from the other Richard Johnson. A man named Richard Johnson paying taxes also for his son, James Johnson. Another man named Richard Johnson with a son not named and considerable estate. David Johnson with a substantial number of livestock and slaves; George Johnson also with livestock and slaves, Micajah Johnson, with no tithables besides himself; several men named James Johnson, one man with a “Quarter” and tithable for himself; one man named James paying taxes for himself and his son, James Johnson, and another man named James Johnson, paying taxes for himself. Thomas Johnson with a substantial number of livestock and slaves, paying tithe for himself, was noted as “Minor,” which probably means that it is the same man as “Thomas Johnson, Minor” listed later in Hanover. Thomas Johnson, Major was also listed with a considerable estate of property. Philip Johnson, paying taxes for himself, but little property. Nicholas Johnson “not tithable.” There were other men incuding Benjamin Johnson, Elijah Johnson, Ashley Johnson, who paid Elijah Johnson’s taxes, Henry Johnson, and two women, one listed as a widow.

Several of the “Merewether” family also lived nearby and had large estates and tax listings. The terms “Major and Minor” may mean older and younger, or the designation “Major” may be a militia title.

From estate and later census records we can piece together our RICHARD JOHNSON’s children. Much of the credit for the Johnson research goes to Theda Womack and Erick Montgomery. Erick kindly corrected many of the author’s errors, and Theda pointed in the right direction. Without the tireless work of both of these people, knowledge of our JOHNSON Family would be scant, indeed.