Kentucky Historical Society
KHS to Dedicate Historical Marker in Georgetown

FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 26, 2012) — The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) will dedicate a historical marker to honor Robert Johnson and Jemima Suggett Johnson at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 2, at Elkhorn Crossing School, 2001 Frankfort Road in Georgetown. The marker will be installed later at 2089 Frankfort Road.

Robert Johnson (1745-1815) moved from Beargrass, Ky., to Bryan’s Station in 1780, where he founded Johnson’s Station at Great Crossing three years later. He represented Fayette County in the Virginia Assembly, was a surveyor of Kentucky and led defense against Native Americans. He was also a member of the Kentucky Constitutional Conventions of 1792 and 1799 and the Kentucky Legislature in 1802.

According to tradition, Jemima Suggett Johnson (1753-1814) successfully led women of Bryan’s Station to a nearby spring for water just as the area came under siege by the British in 1782. Three of her sons served in Congress in 1825: Rep. James Johnson, Rep. John T. Johnson and Sen. Richard M. Johnson. Richard M. Johnson later became U.S. vice president in 1837. Mrs. Johnson was a charter member and land donor for nearby Great Crossing Baptist Church, and is buried in the church’s cemetery with five of her 11 children.

The Kentucky Historical Marker Program, administered by KHS in cooperation with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, commemorates historical sites, events and personalities throughout the state. Through the program, the wealth of Kentucky history is made accessible to the public on markers along the state’s roadways. The markers are on-the-spot history lessons that add drama and interest to the countryside for Kentuckians and tourists. They are also available in an online database at www.history.ky.gov.

For more information about the program, contact Becky Riddle, Kentucky Historical Marker program coordinator, at 502-564-1792, ext. 4474 or becky.riddle@ky.gov.

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