Sarah Neel Johnston was the daughter of Col. Thomas and Jean Spratt Neel. She was the wife of David Johnston, SR. Their children were, Jean, who married John Boyd, Mary who married John McGill, Elizabeth who married Joseph Wood, Sarah who married John Franklin Glenn ,and David Jr. "Big David" who married Mary "Polly" Glenn (sister of John Franklin Glenn. Sarah Neel Johnston was a woman possessed of unusual courage. In 1779, she rode to Charleston on horseback to recover her slaves whom the British and Tories had stolen after the Battle of Charleston. She made her way to Charleston through a wild country, almost completely in the hands of British and Tory allies. She secured her slaves and returned home safely on the Catabaw River. Present site of Lake Wylie SC. Tradition tells us that she would camp at night, sitting up half the night guarding and a trusty slave would sit up the other half. Her husband, David was serving in the Patriot army at this time. Another tradition which has been handed down is of her ride to the battlefield of Kings Mountain, and of her hunting among the dead and wounded for her relatives, and of her caring for the wounded. Sarah's father Thomas, and her brothers, Thomas, Andrew, and John all died as valiant soldiers in the American Revolutionary War. In the language of the cock-pit, "they were the blue hen's chickens". They all died game and with their heads in the right direction. Sarah's mother Jean Spratt Neel, after the war , moved with her daughter Mary and son in law Col. James Hawthorne, to Livingston Co.,Kentucky. Col. Hawthorne died abt.1809. In the spring of 1811 Mary and Jean moved to Arkansas, with Mary's daughter and son in law, Robert and Elizabeth Hawthorne Trimble, and Mary's sons Thomas and Andrew Hawthorne. Robert Trimble was a brother to William Trimble. Mary died at Des Arc, Arkansas and is buried on Trimble Island, which is now under water on the White River. Jean moved with grandsons, Thomas and Andrew to Izard Co. Arkansas circa 1812. (http://thelibrary.org/lochist/turnbo/v10/st342.html A Panter Attempts To Make A Horse Carry Double). She lived with Thomas and his wife on the Hawthorne family farm, which was located at the mouth of Moccasin Creek, next to the White River. Jean died here and is buried at this site. When this land was later purchased by Mr.I.H. Talley, the cemetery was given the name Talley Cemetery. In Doctor David Bigger's History of the Neel and Johnston Families of York Co. SC, Dr. Bigger states that Jean was killed by Shawnee Indians. But I believe that he may be confusing Jean with another of the Spratts, who had been scalped and killed by the Shawnees. Sarah Neel Johnston experienced a life borne with much tragedy. I have much admiration for her, and her spirit will be forever with me. NLGC Info.taken from the Lyman C. Draper Manuscripts and The Quarterly, York County (YCGHS) SC June 1999.
Sarah Neel Johnston was the daughter of Col. Thomas and Jean Spratt Neel. She was the wife of David Johnston, SR. Their children were, Jean, who married John Boyd, Mary who married John McGill, Elizabeth who married Joseph Wood, Sarah who married John Franklin Glenn ,and David Jr. "Big David" who married Mary "Polly" Glenn (sister of John Franklin Glenn. Sarah Neel Johnston was a woman possessed of unusual courage. In 1779, she rode to Charleston on horseback to recover her slaves whom the British and Tories had stolen after the Battle of Charleston. She made her way to Charleston through a wild country, almost completely in the hands of British and Tory allies. She secured her slaves and returned home safely on the Catabaw River. Present site of Lake Wylie SC. Tradition tells us that she would camp at night, sitting up half the night guarding and a trusty slave would sit up the other half. Her husband, David was serving in the Patriot army at this time. Another tradition which has been handed down is of her ride to the battlefield of Kings Mountain, and of her hunting among the dead and wounded for her relatives, and of her caring for the wounded. Sarah's father Thomas, and her brothers, Thomas, Andrew, and John all died as valiant soldiers in the American Revolutionary War. In the language of the cock-pit, "they were the blue hen's chickens". They all died game and with their heads in the right direction. Sarah's mother Jean Spratt Neel, after the war , moved with her daughter Mary and son in law Col. James Hawthorne, to Livingston Co.,Kentucky. Col. Hawthorne died abt.1809. In the spring of 1811 Mary and Jean moved to Arkansas, with Mary's daughter and son in law, Robert and Elizabeth Hawthorne Trimble, and Mary's sons Thomas and Andrew Hawthorne. Robert Trimble was a brother to William Trimble. Mary died at Des Arc, Arkansas and is buried on Trimble Island, which is now under water on the White River. Jean moved with grandsons, Thomas and Andrew to Izard Co. Arkansas circa 1812. (http://thelibrary.org/lochist/turnbo/v10/st342.html A Panter Attempts To Make A Horse Carry Double). She lived with Thomas and his wife on the Hawthorne family farm, which was located at the mouth of Moccasin Creek, next to the White River. Jean died here and is buried at this site. When this land was later purchased by Mr.I.H. Talley, the cemetery was given the name Talley Cemetery. In Doctor David Bigger's History of the Neel and Johnston Families of York Co. SC, Dr. Bigger states that Jean was killed by Shawnee Indians. But I believe that he may be confusing Jean with another of the Spratts, who had been scalped and killed by the Shawnees. Sarah Neel Johnston experienced a life borne with much tragedy. I have much admiration for her, and her spirit will be forever with me. NLGC Info.taken from the Lyman C. Draper Manuscripts and The Quarterly, York County (YCGHS) SC June 1999.
Gravesite Details
Died aged 77 years
Family Members
Siblings
