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Below is a family biography included in The History of Dent County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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John Thomas Johns. Classed among the prominent and successful farmers and stock raisers of Watkins Township stands the name of the above-mentioned gentleman, who was born in Texas Township, Dent Co., Mo., August 25, 1840. His parents were Elijah and Elizabeth (Craddock) Johns, natives of Kentucky, born near the years 1815 and 1818, respectively. They were married in Kentucky about 1837, and came to Dent County, Mo., about 1839. The grandfather, Elisha Johns, was a native of Virginia, and of Scotch-Irish descent. The maternal grandfather of our subject, John Craddock, was also a native of Virginia, and married Sarah Bartlett. Both died in Kentucky. When Elijah Johns, father of subject, first came to Dent County, he settled in Texas Township, and later in Watkins Township, where his son John T. now lives. He died in 1860. He was a successful and industrious farmer, and moved to Dent County when there were very few settlers. The mother is still living. John Thomas Johns was the eldest of eleven sons and one daughter, five sons and one daughter now living, and all but one brother in Dent County. He received his education in the common schools of Dent County, and in 1862 he enlisted in Company B, Tenth Missouri Cavalry, Federal Army, and operated in Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia. He was in the battles of Pea Ridge, Tupelo, and various other expeditions and skirmishes. He was with Gen. Wilson on his raid through Georgia and Alabama, and was discharged at Nashville, Tenn., as a corporal, in October, 1865, after over three years’ service. He enlisted twice, the last time as a veteran. In March, 1866, he married Miss Mary, daughter of Judge James M. and Nancy Jones, who were early settlers of Dent County, where they died, the father in 1877 and the mother in 1873. To Mr. Johns’ marriage were born eight children, four sons and four daughters. After his marriage Mr. Johns lived for some time on Little Piney, in Phelps County, but since then he has lived on the old home place, and is the owner of 500 acres of good land, all the result of his own efforts, and with about 100 acres under cultivation. In 1884 he was appointed justice of the peace, and served about one year. Politically he is a Republican, casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1864. He is a member of the Agricultural Wheel; he and wife are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Johns, like many others, could not write his name until during his first service while in the war. He then learned to write, and has since become considerable of a reader, and is considered a well-informed man on any subject. He has taken great pains to educate his children, and his eldest son finished his education at Salem, and is now one of Dent County’s best teachers. Mrs. Johns’ parents came to Missouri an 1843, and her father was a soldier in the Federal army; was a justice of the peace for some years, and served one term, at least, as county judge. He and wife were members of the Baptist Church.

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This family biography is one of 82 biographies included in The History of Dent County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Dent County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Dent County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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