Samuel Johnston's Old Home

contributed by: Jerry L. Johnston

     The Dougherty family house on old Highway 68 between Sweetwater and Madisonville, is said to be the oldest Samuel Johnston home. This home was possibly started as a smaller log structure that was expanded. The home, along with 584 acres, faces south which faces the old road. A son of Samuel, James Harvey Johnston's family sold the old farm at auction on March 27, 1868 to Johnston W. Howard for the sum of $7,900. This farm was once part of Starr's Reservation which Samuel bought from James Starr, a Cherokee Indian. He built many of the old homes in this area for his children. Many are still standing. Samuel Johnston owned thousands of acres of land in Monroe, Green and Blount Counties. Samuel also donated two acres to the "Succeeder Church where the old "Succeeder" meeting house once stood". It was called Rockville Presbyterian Church and Cemetery.

     Samuel Johnston was born 9 Aug., 1766 in Rockbridge Co., VA and died on 11 Aug., 1846 in Monroe Co., TN. He was married to Nancy Shaw in 1790 in Washington Co, TN. According to family tradition, Nancy was born while crossing the ocean, to Viginia, with her parents Samuel Shaw and Margaret Johnston in 1774 and died 13 December, 1849 in Monroe Co., TN. Samuel and Nancy Johnston are buried in Rockville Cemetery. The Shaw family moved from Virginia about 1786 toWashington Co, where Samuel Shaw died in 1794. Margaret his wife died in Blount County in 1812. Margaret was a sister of Samuel Johnston.