Joseph Johns (1794-1906)

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Joseph Johns is a notable figure in the history of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. There is limited information available about Joseph John's life, however. The information below should not be taken strictly as fact in its entirety, as specific details may have been exaggerated or misreported over time.

Early Life

Joseph Johns was said to have been born in Fauquier County, Virginia in 1794. Before he became a collier, Joseph Johns related that he was a slave on a plantation in Virginia. After escaping slavery, Joseph Johns resided for several years in the mountains near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania before coming to Lebanon County, Pennsylvania[1] and eventually settling on the Blue Mountain. It was reported that Joseph Johns was believed to have escaped from Virginia with one or two other slaves; however, he was the only one who made it to freedom[2]. Joseph Johns had to cross the Susquehanna River during his escape, and these words have since been attributed to him: "I would rather have drowned in the waters of the river than be captured and returned to the corn and cotton fields of Virginia"[3]. Some newspapers reported that Joseph Johns may have worked for the S. & S. (Schuylkill & Susquhanna) Railroad before settling on the Blue Mountain[4].

Life as a Collier

Unlike most colliers, who typically lived in collier huts only during the charcoal production process, Joseph Johns lived year-round in his dwelling on the mountain[5]. Choosing a location near two springs on the Blue Mountain, Joseph Johns constructed his small, round home out of birch and oak logs, using mud and leaves to fill the chinks between the logs[6]. His collier hut was larger than typical huts, being about ten to twelve feet in diameter and twelve feet in height[7]. If the reports were true that Joseph Johns lived in basically the same location since coming to Pennsylvania, it was likely that he produced less charcoal than typical colliers who would move frequently in order to attend to new hearths[8]. Joseph Johns had a woodstove in his hut[9]. The charcoal the Joseph Johns produced was likely for smaller, local iron forges[10]. Joseph Johns also worked partially as a wood chopper and sold his cord wood[11].

Joseph Johns also sold berries, possibly blackberries, raspberries, or huckleberries, he collected on the mountain[12]. The area where Joseph Johns lived may have also provided him with other local sustinance such as mushrooms, wild leeks, wintergreen, and parsnips[13]. In approximately 1881, thieves (possibly the notorious Blue-Eyed Six Bandits[14]) came upon his residence and reportedly stole either fifty[15] or five-hundred dollars from him[16] and then proceeded to burn his collier hut to the ground. Joseph Johns rebuilt his hut following this event[17] on the property of John Fahler, who allowed the hut to remain standing following Joseph Johns' death[18].

It is unknown how Joseph Johns learned the collier trade. At the time he would have been living in Fauquier County, VA, there were no furnaces in the area. It was, therefore, unlikely that he knew anything about being a collier until after he arrived in Pennsylvania. He probably was taught by a collier on the mountain or learned the skills in the few years he resided in other areas of Pennsylvania before moving to the Blue Mountain area. Joseph Johns' northern route likely would have taken him past several operational furnaces. It would be difficult to discern if Joseph Johns worked at any of these furnaces, as most of them are in ruins with no known records. Two furnaces that have been preserved as historic sites/landmarks lie between Fauquier County, Virginia and Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. These are Hopewell and Cornwall Furnaces.

Later Life

John Fahler and Joseph Johns had a good relationship. It was told that men from the South who sought out runaway slaves came looking for Joseph Johns, as they had heard there was a runaway slave residing in the mountains. John Fahler told the men that there was no runaway slave living in the mountains, and the men left. They returned later, however; and this time John Fahler allegedly took out his shotgun and told the men to leave his property, protecting his friend's freedom[19].

Although reported to still be a good shot, later in his life Joseph Johns received an influx of charitable food donations from local residents and surplus game from other hunters in the area[20]. Joseph Johns died in Union Township, Lebanon County on February 7, 1906 at approximately 112 years of age and was buried in Moonshine Church Cemetery [21], which church he had attended for many years, bringing candy with him for the children[22]. Reverend Christian Wengert officiated at the funeral service[23]. A white marble tombstone was placed to mark his grave at the behest of John Fahler[24]. Inscribed on the stone was:
"Joseph Johns
Born in Fauquier County, Va.
Died, Feb. 7, 1906.
Aged 112 years.
He resided near John Fahler,
North side of Mountain, west of
Swatara Gap Union Township, Lebanon Co., PA."[25]

According to his death certificate[26], the undertaker thought Joseph Johns, who reportedly had no physician, died of dropsy (now known as edema) and was about 110 years old. In a local newspaper, it was reported that Joseph Johns said he was 117 and remembered the death of George Washington, who died in 1799[27]. There are no known records of his actual year of birth.

Additional Information

Social Aspects

Joseph Johns was allegedly known among the residents in the area as a "healer" and mothers were said to have brought their children to him[28]. It was said that Joseph Johns would sometimes have guests in his hut or be a guest himself of friends in town[29]. This goes against the idea that Joseph Johns was a "hermit" or a recluse"[30].

Guns

He was reported to have been "a splendid shot"[31], which served him well as he hunted game on the mountain. He owned at least three guns, including a shotgun, a pistol, and a Kentucky rifle. Francis Ditzler mounted the shotgun and donated it to the Lebanon County Historical Society[32]. It is the Kentucky rifle that Joseph Johns is shown holding in front of his colliers hut in the only known photograph of him[33].

Bashore Scout Reservation

John Bashore bought the Fahler farm in 1946 and donated the land to the Boy Scouts[34]. In 1969 Joseph John's collier hut was reconstructed as an Eagle Scout project by Michael Shay of Lebanon County, PA[35]. Old bottles, nails, a home-made mule shoe, and other items were found in the foundation of the hut during the reconstruction process[36]. Michael Shay's reconstruction collapsed after a few years and was later rebuilt several times by other scouts[37]. A stone marker in the memory of Joseph Johns was erected at Bashore Scout Reservation, Lebanon County, PA in 1994[38]. The Bashore campers take a yearly hike to the site where Joseph Johns' hut was[39].

Census

A certain amount of mystery surrounds the life of Joseph Johns. His inclusion in the 1850 and 1870 United States Federal Censuses seem to provide more questions than answers. In the 1850 census records of Union Township, Lebanon County, PA, Joseph Johns was listed as being a twenty-seven-years old living in the house of Isaac Bender. It was not unusual for families to rent out rooms in their homes during this time period. In the next two houses enumerated after the Bender family lived the Fehler families, including the father of Joseph Johns' friend John Fahler*. That particular census identified people as "White," "Black," or "Mulatto" only. Joseph Johns was listed as being Black and the final tabulation stated that there were "9 Total Coloreds" in Union Township, which had a population of 2,184[40]. Assuming this is Joseph Johns the collier, per this census, he would have been some thirty-five years younger than his later alleged age. Even given Joseph Johns' understandable lack of knowledge of his birth year, this is a large difference. In the 1870 census, a fifty-three year old laborer named Joseph Jones (quite possibly a misspelling), listed as being "Black" and unable to read or write, was residing in East Hanover, Lebanon County, PA[41]. His birthplace was reported as being Pennsylvania; even though the slaves had been freed, Joseph Johns might not have wanted to advertise the fact he had been born in Virginia, though it was apparently known to others in the community, at least at a later date. In the following census of 1880, John Fahler is in Union Township, indicating that his farm is also there, perhaps being the property on which the Fehlers and Joseph Johns were living in 1870[42]. There is no entry for Joseph Johns - or a similar name - in the 1880 Federal Census for Union Township. The majority of the 1890 census was destroyed[43], including that covering Lebanon County. There is no listing for Joseph Johns in the 1900 Union Township census, either. This does not mean he was not living there, only that he was not counted in the census. 

*Johan Henrich Fehler, the son of Johannes and Catherina Fehler, was christened 6/8/1828 at Sattazahns Evangelical Lutheran Church, Union Township, Lebanon County, PA[44]. Per his gravestone at Sattazahns Lutheran Cemetery, John Henry Fahler was born 1/28/1828[45], given the christening date and the similarity in name, it is likely that Johan Fehler anglicized his name to John Fahler.

Notes

  1. ↑ Hower 1992
  2. ↑ Lebanon Daily News February 7, 1906
  3. ↑ Ditzler 2007, 12
  4. ↑ Gilara 1964
  5. ↑ Hower 1992
  6. ↑ Lebanon Daily News March 31, 1971
  7. ↑ Welch 2002, 14
  8. ↑ Hanford 2019, 43
  9. ↑ Welch 2002, 15
  10. ↑ Welch 2002, 18
  11. ↑ Ludwig 1980, 9
  12. ↑ Hanford 2019, 39
  13. ↑ Hanford 2019, 40
  14. ↑ Valley Spirit February 14 1906, 3
  15. ↑ The Lebanon Daily News February 7, 1906
  16. ↑ Miner's Journal 1906, 2
  17. ↑ Lebanon Daily News February 7, 1906
  18. ↑ Lebanon Daily News June 28, 1906, 5
  19. ↑ Ludwig, 1980, 5
  20. ↑ Welch 2002, 13
  21. ↑ Hower 1992
  22. ↑ Welch 2002, 12
  23. ↑ Lebanon Daily News February 26, 1906, 3
  24. ↑ Lebanon Daily News June 28, 1906
  25. ↑ Welch 2002, 19
  26. ↑ Find a Grave
  27. ↑ The Union Leader February 9, 1906
  28. ↑ Hower 1992
  29. ↑ Hanover 2019, 22
  30. ↑ Lebanon Daily News June 28, 1906
  31. ↑ Lebanon Daily News February 7, 1906
  32. ↑ Ditzler 2007, 19
  33. ↑ Welch 2002, 1
  34. ↑ Forney 1994
  35. ↑ Hower 1992
  36. ↑ Lebannon Daily News March 31, 1971, 10
  37. ↑ Wagner 1980, 2
  38. ↑ Ditzler 2007, 33
  39. ↑ Forney 1994
  40. ↑ United States Census 1850
  41. ↑ United States Census 1870
  42. ↑ United States Census 1880
  43. ↑ Blake 1996
  44. ↑ Pennsylvania Births and Christenings 1709-1950
  45. ↑ Find a Grave

References

  • Blake, Kellee. 1996. First in the Path of the Firemen: The Fate of the 1890 Population Census, Part 1. Prologue Magazine, Spring, Vol. 28, No. 1. National Archives.[1]
  • Ditzler, Francis W. 2007. From Slavery to Freedom: Joseph Johns 1794-1906. U.S.A.: KeyComp.
  • Find a Grave, database and images [2]: accessed 11 September 2020, memorial page for John Henry Fahler (28 Jan 1828–10 Oct 1918), Find a Grave Memorial no. 12793573, citing Sattazahn Lutheran Cemetery, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by GerbLady (contributor 46637511) .
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 02 September 2020), memorial page for Joseph H “Black Joe” Johns (1794–7 Feb 1906), Find a Grave Memorial no. 6611393, citing Moonshine Cemetery, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Linda Himpsl (contributor 46993321).
  • Forney, Rahn. 1994. Mark of a Legend: Stone Monument Honors Well-Known Runaway Slave, Lebanon Daily News, May 22, 1994.
  • Forney, Rahn. 1994. Stone Honors Former Slave: Runaway Settled in Northern Lebanon County in 1800s.
  • Gilara, Minerva, 1964. 112-Year-Old Slave's Burial Spot is Still Legendary Attraction. Press and Journal, November 12, 1964.
  • Hanford, Stuart. 2019. Local Legend: A Look at the Life of Joseph Johns, a Black Collier. Anthropology Senior Thesis, Muhlenberg College.[3]
  • Hower, John. 1992. Black Joe: Former Slave Provides Fuel for Campfire Tales. Lebanon Daily News, February 3, 1992.
  • Lebanon Daily News. 1906. County's Oldest Resident, February 7, 1906.[4]
  • Lebanon Daily News. 1906. Hermit Johns Passed Away, February 7, 1906.[5]
  • Lebanon Daily News. 1906. Tombstone Marks Grave of Late Joseph Johns, at Moonshine Church, June 28, 1906. [6]
  • Lebanon Daily News. 1906 Untitled, February 26, 1906, p 3.[7]
  • Lebanon Daily News. 1971. Old Black Joe Legend Revived, March 31, 1971.[8]
  • Ludwig, Gary. 1980. The First of a Two-Part Story of the Slave who Found Refuge in Lebanon County. Community Advertiser, August 6, 1980.
  • Ludwig, Gary. 1980. Old Black Joe Part Two. Community Advertiser, August 13, 1980.
  • Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709-1950, database, FamilySearch [9].: 27 January 2020, Johannes Fehler in entry for Johan Henrich Fehler, 1828.
  • The Union Leader. 1906. He Claims Old Age, February 9, 1906.[10]
  • Valley Spirit. 1906. Oldest Man Live Here, February 14, 1906.[11]
  • Wagner, Merv. 1980. The Legend of "Old Black Joe".
  • Walker, Joseph E. 1966. Hopewell Village: A Social and Economic History of an Iron-Making Community. Oxford University Press.
  • Welch, Katharine R. 2002. The History of Joseph Johns and an Examination of the Potential For Archaeological Excavations on the Site of his Former Residence. Anthropology Senior Theses. Paper 24.[12]
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