Asa Johnson

Notes:

Asa's wife Tamar was a widow at the time of her death. See her notes.

Sterling, Ma (Chocksett Burial Ground):
http://files.usgwarchives.net/ma/worcester/towns/sterling/cemeteries/chocksett.txt
Capital letters in parenthesis after each of the following entries indicate that location of the grave on the plot plan. "CW" indicates a Civil War veteran. "REV" one who fought in the Revolutionary War. Inscriptions copied by Ruth Hopfmann & Barbara Dudley, 1983-1986.
JOHNSON
Abel s/o Edward & Relief d. 16 Oct 1799 age 9 (W)
Asa d. 28 Oct 1801 age 73 (W) REV
Asa s/o Jonas & Damaris d. 25 May 1790 age 19 (Z)
Clarissa d/o Edward & Relief d. 17 July 1801 age 20 (W)
Edward s/o Edward & Relief d. 10 July 1880 [1800] age 1 (W)
Edward d. 21 July 1828 age 82 (O) REV.
Mary A w/o John B. d. 7 Feb 1880 age 69 (D)
Oliver d. 10 July 1857 age 72 (O)
Peleg s/o Edward & Relief d. Sept. 1822 age 30 (W)
Relief w/o Edward d. 11 Jan 1854 age 87 (O)
Relief d/o Edward & Relief d. 8 July 1878 age 82 (O)

[[*** Not to be confused with Asa Johnson, the lawyer, of Leominster, Ma:
http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=%22asa%20johnson%22%20OR%20%22johnson%2C%20asa%22%20lawyer%20leominster&sig=saVpidqJZnNA_3A4_iHvk_wAC8o&ei=6VYzTIXiIsOblgfgi7W-Cw&ct=result&id=-SFaLhqCZFsC&ots=rDGtFVRP9j&output=text
LEGAI PROFESSION.
With regard to the legal profession, the town has been highly favored. For nearly the whole of the first half century there was no lawyer here. The first who established himself *as an Attorney in this place, was Asa Johnson.
" This very singular man was born in the town of Bolton, in this State, and was actually engaged in the naval service of his country in the revolution ;? was a prisoner some considerable time at Halifax, but finally liberated, and in a second cruise, obtained prize money enough to educate himself at the University of Harvard, for which he had a great desire ; he was classmate with the Hon. John Quincy Adams, now President of the United States.
For many years he practised law in Leominster, but never arose to a degree of eminence in his profession which many of his contemporaries have enjoyed; yet his reputation, as an upright attorney, was proverbial. He was a classical scholar, and a tolerable linguist; but his eccentricities form the most memorable items. He lived and died a bachelor; kept house twenty years, and in the whole time never was known to cat from an earthen plate, in his own house; his table was constantly furnished with wooden trenchers. Disgusting as it may appear, he has been known to cook a cat, owls, hawks, and various reptiles, and to invite visitants to partake of his rare dish. He was the father of a young lady whom he educated with paternal fondness, yet he would never allow her to call him father ; it must on all occasions, be " Mr. Johnson." Not having married to meet his views, she was partially discarded ; but her death, soon after, appeared to affect him, although he resolutely declared that he had not the smallest anxiety for her, after she had disobeyed his injunctions in matrimony.
Johnson had many original notions, peculiar to himself; in spelling his own name he never inserted an h, but wrote simply in this manner, Jonson ; because /the h was an unnecessary letter, while his brothers and family connections used it. Several times in life he attempted to domesticate frogs, toads and serpents, and succeeded so wonderfully, as to have them, in a field, come at his call. A cat was his constant office companion, which was named after some statesman, for whom he had a peculiar regard ; one cat succeeded another, and generally bore the name of its predecessor.
For a repartee, he had few equals; as a specimen of his talents, this circumstance, which is said to have taken place at a boarding house in Worcester, is recorded.
A young mellow-headed lawyer sitting in company with Johnson, who was surrounded with counsellors, thinking to put him to a blush, asked him if he had ever eaten a dish of stewed pollywogs, having been informed that he had a relish for disgusting rarities 1 Johnson answered in the negative, and said he did not think they would injure him, however, if he should ; but observed to his interrogator, that it would be a ruinous meal for him. " Why."?" said the lawyer, " because," answered Johnson, " it is a well known fact that pollywogs will kill goslings." Johnson was fond of good living, and the society of literary persons ; he was remarkably polite, and among ladies, pleasing and agreeable in conversation. Above all, it is to be regretted that he lived, and died as he lived, a professed atheist; he welcomed death as an unaccountable something that would annihilate his soul forever.
At one time in his life he was worth a good interest; but at the close of it, his propensity for gaming and other concomitant habits, stripped him of his possessions in a few years.
He died of debility, on Sunday, August 13 th, 1820, in his sixty-third year, a pensioner of the United States."
The above biographical sketch of Mr. Johnson was published in the Boston News Letter, about twenty-five years ago, and must have been written by some one who had been well acquainted with him. Although the course of life which he led, could not, as a whole, commend itself to the consciences of sober-minded men, yet there were many good traits "in his character. He was kind to the poor. He was not inclined to encourage litigation merely for the sake of pocketing a fee. He was a charming singer, and did much to improve the church music in this place. He was strictly an honest man, and for several years was Town Treasurer, and an efficient member of the school committee. And although I shall not vouch for the fact, yet it is strongly impressed upon my mind, that, towards the close of his life, he not only expressed doubts whether the course which he had pursued with regard to religious and moral subjects was the true one; but even went so far, a day or two before his death, as to say, " I have been a wicked man."


http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Oldest+cemetery+rich+in+history-a0186484161
"LEOMINSTER - Asa Johnson, the city's first lawyer, was a bit of an eccentric.
He ate things ? rats and owls, for example ? that other people wouldn't think of tasting, even in the 1700s. He fought with the militia at the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775, but later became a privateer.
Johnson, who was an atheist, attended church, but only so he could introduce different musical instruments to the services, causing one distinguished worshipper to storm out in disgust.
A shopkeeper with a Main Street store that stood at the former Boston Fish Market site, Johnson ran unsuccessfully for several local state offices, but did become a postmaster and justice of the peace. He died in 1820.
He is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery, ....."


http://www.archive.org/stream/vitalrecordsofle00leom/vitalrecordsofle00leom_djvu.txt
LEOMINSTER DEATHS.
JOHNSON
Asa, Esq., Aug. 13, 1820. Scrofulous disease, c.r.

The following "Asa Johnson" has same death date as "Asa Johnson" the lawyer,
but "Asa Johnson" the lawyer died "in his sixty-third year," (born abt 1758):
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=johnson&GSiman=1&GScid=91446&GRid=28735147&
Asa Johnson
Birth: Feb. 16, 1728
Death: Aug. 13, 1820
Inscription:
Rhode Island
Pvt. 2 RI Regt.
Revolutionary War
Burial:
Pine Grove Cemetery
Leominster
Worcester County
Massachusetts, USA
Plot: M-2
Created by: Bonnie/Barb
Record added: Aug 02, 2008
Find A Grave Memorial# 28735147

There is an Asa Johnson, born in Bolton, Ma in 1759:
http://www.archive.org/stream/vitalrecordsofbo00bolt/vitalrecordsofbo00bolt_djvu.txt
Bolton Births
JOHNSON
Asa, s. Edward and Mary, April 6, 1759.

Asa married Tamar Whitcomb on 22 Feb 1753 in Leominster, Worcester Co, Massachusetts, USA. Tamar (daughter of Benjamin Whitcomb and Dorothy White) was born on 28 Mar 1735 in Lancaster, Worcester Co, Massachusetts, USA; died on 5 Mar 1815 in Leominster, Worcester Co, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Sterling, Worcester Co, Massachusetts, USA (Chocksett Burial Ground). [Group Sheet]

Notes:

She died a Widow:
http://www.archive.org/stream/vitalrecordsofle00leom/vitalrecordsofle00leom_djvu.txt
LEOMINSTER DEATHS.
JOHNSON
Wid. Tamer, March 5, 1815

Cemetery:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=68385618

Edward married Rebecca Reed. [Group Sheet]

Benjamin married Dorothy White. [Group Sheet]