John JOHNSON  (c.1590 - 30 September 1659)

He resided in England about twelve miles from London on the River Lee. He
brought his family to New England with the first fleet of Governor John
Winthrop, arriving at Salem on 22 June 1630. Settled in Roxbury and was
appointed Constable on 19 Oct 1630. He was made Freeman on 18 May 1631. He 
owned and operated a tavern or "ordinary" in Roxbury.

During the "Antinomianism Controversy" in 1636, he was responsible for
collecting the arms and ammunition of the followers of Anne Hutchinson. He 
was one of the most respected social and civic leaders of the Massachusetts 
Bay Colony. Among his many and diverse public offices the most important was 
that of "Surveyor General of the Arms". He was a charter member of "The 
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company" of Boston; and, he was its first 
Clerk. It is the oldest military organization in the US, founded 13 Mar 
1638. Twelve Presidents of the United States number among his descendants. 
The list of names of his other descendants who held prominent military, 
civic, social, literary, and educational offices in service of this country
would number in the thousands. 

Sources:
"Genealogy of Captain John Johnson of Roxbury, Massachusetts", Paul Franklin
Johnson, 1945.
"History of The Military Company of the Massachusetts...", Vol. I, pp.47-51,
66-67, Oliver Ayers Roberts, 1895.
"Brief Histories of The London Company", The Artillery Company of Mass-
achusetts, National Society of Women Descendants; p. 186, Annual Rendevous,
1940.
"Life and Letters of John Winthrop...", pp.4-7, Robert C. Winthrop, 1867.
"Vital Records of Roxbury, Massachusetts", Vol. I, Births, pp.194-195.






ibid, Vol. II, Marriages and Deaths, pp.223-24, 563, Salem, MA, 1925.
A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Vol. 2, James
Savage, 1860-1862, Automated Archives CD-ROM disk #40, 1992.
NEHGR, Vol. VI, 1852, pp.248-249, 344-345, "Early Settlers of Essex and Old
Norfolk."
ibid, Vol. IX, 1855, pp.224-225, "Abstracts of Early Wills."
Genealogical research notes of Charles Munat, Bainbridge Island, WA.
The Order of The Founders and Patriots of America; Register, Lineages of
Associates, 1896-1993, Vol.2, pp.1662-1663, 1747-1748.
Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service, p.180, Elizabeth M. Leach
Rixford, Rutland, VT., 1934. 1991.
The Winthrop Fleet of 1630, p.77, Charles Edward Banks, Boston, MA., 1930.