This narrative relates the history of the Johnston family of Franklin County, Ohio, and connected families as they moved west to Ohio after the Revolutionary War. Specifically, details focus on Elias Johnston of New Jersey and aligned families who typify those who made moves westward seeking new lands.
It is the design of this book to preserve for the people of Franklin County an imperishable record of its early history — now existing only in scattering and detached papers and records, which are every year wasting away. To write the history of a single county, may to some appear like a very small business; while to others it is considered very desirable that someone should do so in every county. How else are the names and memory of our early settlers and friends to be preserved? And who is there that would not be pleased to look back, or to have his children look back, upon some record of his early days, and of departed friends? . It has been the writer's object in this compilation, to give a correct statement of all events worthy of remembrance, with their proper dates, so as to form a book of ready reference, such as will be convenient and interesting to all residents of the county.
This E-book centers around one of the founders of Columbus, Ohio; namely, Isaiah Vorys (1750-1834), who was was descended from his 1660 CE Long Island, New York "Van Voorhees" Dutch ancestors. The descendants of these Van Voorhees (Vorys/Voris) progenitors purportedly represent the largest Dutch family in the USA today. The author has traced Isaiah Vorys' ancestry to 1400 CE, The Netherlands, and he offers a comprehensive genealogy of his numerous descendants. Isaiah himself was a New Jersey Revolutionary War soldier who served under General George Washington. He migrated to the Columbus, Ohio area around 1808 C.E., and his descendants (including the author) and collateral relatives eventually resided in 82 out of 88 Ohio Counties throughout the past 200 years!