William Johnston's 1000 Acre Tract

This is the first of two 1000 acre tracts patented to William Johnston as shown on this drawing. The tracts adjoined and lay along the Ohio River in what would later be parts of Jefferson and Bullitt Counties.

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William Dangerfield was an ensign in the Braddock expedition, and later commanded a Virginia regiment during the Revolution. In return for his services he was granted the right to 3000 acres of land, which he assigned to Benjamin Johnston, as shown in the warrant shown below.

One thousand of those acres were surveyed on 30 Apr 1784 by H. Clarke, north of the junction of the Salt and Ohio Rivers, and included the mouth of Pond Creek. Today the eastern part of this tract lies in Bullitt County, and the western part in Jefferson County with Pond Creek as the dividing line. A month after the survey was completed, Benjamin Johnston assigned the tract to William Johnston (also spelled at Johnson). William obtained his deed to the tract on 6 Jan 1786.

Surveyed for Benjamin Johnston, assignee of William Dangerfield 1000 acres of land in Jefferson County by virtue of part of a military certificate No. 601. Beginning at the mouth of Salt River on the upper side, running thence up the Ohio with its meanders 686 poles to a beech, sugar tree & ash, thence South 50° East 280 poles to an ash and two small beech trees, thence South 40° West crossing a fork of Pond Creek 660 poles to two large hoop ash trees on the bank of Salt River, thence down Salt River with its meanders to the beginning. April 30th 1784. H. Clarke, surveyor.

Virginia Grant Book 9, pages 66-67
Patrick Henry Esquire, governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. Know ye that by virtue and in consideration of a military warrant under the King of Great Britain's proclamation of 1763, number 601 and issued the seventh day of March 1780, there is granted by the said Commonwealth unto William Johnson, assignee of Benjamin Johnson who was assignee of William Dangerfield, a certain tract or parcel of land containing 1000 acres by survey bearing date the 30th day of April 1784, lying and being in the county of Jefferson and bounded as followeth, to wit. Beginning at the mouth of Salt River on the upper side, running thence up the Ohio with its meanders 686 poles to a beech, sugar tree & ash, thence South 50° East 280 poles to an ash and two small beech trees, thence South 40° West crossing a fork of Pond Creek 660 poles to two large hoop ash trees on the bank of Salt River, thence down Salt River with its meanders to the beginning with its appurtenances to have and to hold the said tract or parcel of land with its appurtenances to the said William Johnson and his heirs forever. In witness whereof the said Patrick Henry Esquire, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, hath hereunto set his hand and caused the lesser seal of the said Commonwealth to be affixed at Richmond on the 6th day of January in the year of our Lord 1786, and of the Commonwealth, the 10th. (signed) P. Henry

In 1792, Johnston obtained a General Assembly act that laid the groundwork for a hundred acre town on this tract at the junction of the Salt and Ohio Rivers. An image of the Assembly act is shown below. It appears that this venture proved unsuccessful.

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