Sarah or Sally married Bellanfant, a Frenchman who reputedly came to America with the Marquis Lafayette’s troops during the Revolution, just after his first wife Louisa “Lucy” Yeoman died while giving birth at sea on the way home from visiting his parents in France, according to a longstanding, but possibly far-fetched family story. Bellanfant lived in the Dan River valley and had real estate transactions with the Johnsons in the 1790s.
Sally became the stepmother of seven children, including twins, all under age 12, and Jean almost immediately died -- before May 1802 -- while fighting a fire in a foundry or blacksmith shop. The eldest child, twin Mary Jessaline Bellanfant, married Alexander Johnson, the son of William Johnson and Sally’s cousin.
Dan River, Guilford Co., RockinghamBedfore Co., Tennessee
Alexander (April 14, 1782, Rockingham-Feb. 7, 1857, Maury) married Mary Jessaline "Polly" Ballanfant, the daughter of Frenchman Jean and Louisa “Lucy” Yeoman Ballanfant, on Aug. 6, 1805 in Rockingham Co. Alexander served several terms on the Maury Co. administrative court. With the Pillows, Alexander Johnson was among the leading Democrats in Maury County in the 1840s and often chaired political meetings in support of James Knox Polk, a neighbor, governor and finally the U.S. President.William Allen and Sarah McClaren Johnson are buried in Johnson-Amis Cemetery in front of the Culleoka, TN post office in Maury Co. Among the 11 children of son Alexander was Louisa Yeoman Johnson who married Lewis Amis on July 15, 1830. The Amis couple and five of their seven children lie in the same cemetery.
Mary Jessaline (Polly) BELLANFANT
11 children
7 childrenWilliam Allen and Sarah McClaren Johnson are buried in Johnson-Amis Cemetery in front of the Culleoka, TN post office in Maury Co. Among the 11 children of son Alexander was Louisa Yeoman Johnson who married Lewis Amis on July 15, 1830. The Amis couple and five of their seven children lie in the same cemetery.
Son John Johnson (1783-after 1850, Maury Co., TN) married first Elizabeth Arnold and fathered nine children over at least 30 years before the couple divorced. He then remarried to Mary Beaver on Jan. 18, 1843 in Maury Co.
9 children
Son John Johnson (1783-after 1850, Maury Co., TN) married first Elizabeth Arnold and fathered nine children over at least 30 years before the couple divorced. He then remarried to Mary Beaver on Jan. 18, 1843 in Maury Co.
Son William Allen Johnson Jr. (1789-1852, McNairy Co., TN), a Maury Co. constable and military officer, married Mary Griffin. His campaign against Nimrod Porter for Maury Co. sheriff is included elsewhere in this manuscript.
Had eight children who came to Maury Co.