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Archiver > NYBROOKLYN > 1999-08 > 0935448768


From: "Peconic" <>
Subject: [NYBROOKLYN] William Johnson Brooklyn Eagle 1907
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 18:52:48 -0400


I am not sure if this is the William Johnson I am looking for ( as it seems strange the one I am looking for match the dates) but this is apparently some of Brooklyn's earlier history. It also refers to Canarsie Indian Cemetery (would anyone know where that is located) My descendants are suppose to be Canarsee Indian descended.






Uncle Billy Johnson Dead


Uncle Billy Johnson well known to every resident of Canarsie, and who in his almost 98 years died late Saturday night and this afternoon his body was buried at Canarsie Cemetery.
Born in Rahway N.J. on December 27, 1809 , William Johnson went when a boy to Canarsie, and there he spent the rest of his life. For fifty years he was a fisherman on Jamaica Bay. Before he became of age he went to work with his older brother john, who had a fishing shack on Barren Island.
On the night of November 28,1830 after the brothers had gone to bed, there was a pounding on the door and some one demanding admittance. The Johnson boys opened the door and found two men , one white the other malatto. both men of the sea and both carrying pistols. They wanted a horse and cart and John let them have this. They went away , refusing John's offer to go along and help them . Two hours later they returned with a boy asking for lodging for the night. The next morning the white man gave John a small sack of Mexican dollars telling him that for the money he could perhaps keep a close tongue in his head. John an William agreed to divide the dollars and they went together and buried the sack on the beach. Next morning when William visited the place the treasurer was gone and accusing his brother and sister in law of stealing his share. He left the shack and went to Canarsie. William suspected that the money came from pirates and one night at Leonard's Hotel at sheepsh!
ead Bay he saw at the bar the white man , the mulatto man , the boy and another man drinking rum. Young Johnson accused them of being pirates and there was a tremendous row. The boy was frightened and confessed. The white man was Pirate Gibbs on whose head a price had been set and the mulatto man was Wansley, one of his mates. The two pirates had shipped at New Orleans on the brig Vineyard which was carrying $54,000. in Mexican money for Stephen Girard, the Philadelphia banker . When the Vineyard was off Jersey coast Gibbs and Wansley murdered the captain and mate, compelled the four members of the crew to join them. tied the ship and putting the treasurer into a boat, pulled for Long Island shore. Gibbs, Warsley , the boy and a man named Daniels reached the shore but the rest , in another boat which was swamped were drowned. Gibbs and Wansley were men who got John Johnson's horse and cart. They buried their treasurer on Barren Island and it is there yet. Gibbs and Wansley we!
re convicted of piracy and their hanging on Bedlows Island on April 22, 1831 was the last execution of pirates in this city.
Yesterday afternoon many Canarsie folks went to the home of Mrs. Edwin L Rowland near the old Indian Cemetery in Canarsie for there in the front parlor lay the body of Uncle Billy and they wanted to have last look at the face of their dead friend.



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