CLINE JOHNSON

Cline Johnson Theories

(UPDATE: 09/10/2008): DNA tests confirm that William Cline Johnson's father was a Cline.  Therefore, his mother was a Johnson.  See DNA PROJECT page for more information.  The DNA test confirms, without any doubt, that theories five and six below are correct - that William's father was a Cline, that his mother was a Johnson, and that he was illegitimate.  This conclusion is also supported by all of the available evidence.

********************************************************* 

Who are the Johnsons and Clines involved with William's birth and childhood?  Are these families related?  Was William orphaned?  Was there a marriage, or was William illegitimate?  To answer these questions, we must first start with the family's oral history. 

The Cline/Johnson story, as passed down through several generations to the various branches of the Cline Johnson family, states that we are "Johnsons raised by Clines."  The story is sometimes, "we are Clines raised by Johnsons," but this version is not nearly as common as the "Johnsons raised by Clines" version.  What does it mean, "we are Johnsons" or "we are Clines"? 

Additional stories passed down through various family members provide that William was illegitimate or that he was orphaned.  These stories imply that William was related to both the Clines and the Johnsons.  Others argue that William was a Johnson and was raised by an unrelated Cline family.

From the available evidence, it appears that the Johnson family involved is the family of Isaac

Johns(t)on of Tazewell County and the Cline family involved is the family of Peter Cline of the Tug River Region of VA/WV/KY. 

If one looks at all of the realistic variations of these stories, there appear to be twelve possible theories which are set forth below. 

TWELVE THEORIES

Cline and Johnson Get Married 

Theory 1:  William's father is a Cline, his mother is a Johnson.  They are married and therefore, William is legitimate.  William's father dies or leaves.  His mother and her Johnson family raise William.

Theory 2:  William's father is a Cline, his mother is a Johnson.  They are married and therefore, William is legitimate.  William's mother dies or leaves.  His father and his Cline family raise William.

Theory 3:  William's father is a Johnson, his mother is a Cline.  They are married and therefore, William is legitimate.  William's father dies or leaves.  His mother and her Cline family raise William.

Theory 4:  William's father is a Johnson, his mother is a Cline.  They are married and therefore, William is legitimate.  William's mother dies or leaves.  His father and his Johnson family raise William.

Cline and Johnson Do Not Marry - William is Illegitimate 

Theory 5:  William's father is a Cline, his mother is a Johnson.  They never marry.  William is illegitimate.  William's father dies or leaves.  His mother and her Johnson family raise William.  According to the laws of the time, William is legally a Johnson through his mother, even though his father is a Cline.

Theory 6:  William's father is a Cline, his mother is a Johnson.  They never marry.  William is illegitimate.  William's mother dies or leaves.  His father and his Cline family raise William.  According to the laws of the time, William is legally a Johnson through his mother, even though his father is a Cline. 

Theory 7:  William's father is a Johnson, his mother is a Cline.  William is illegitimate.  William's father dies or leaves.  His mother and her Cline family raise William.  According to the laws of the time, William is legally a Cline through his mother, even though his father is a Johnson.

Theory 8: William's father is a Johnson, his mother is a Cline.  William is illegitimate.  William's mother dies or leaves.  His father and his Johnson family raise William.  According to the laws of the time, William is legally a Cline through his mother, even though his father is a Johnson.

William is Orphaned or Abandoned by Both Parents; Family of One Parent Raises William

Theory 9:  Both of William's parents die, whether married or not.  He is orphaned.  The Clines (could be his mother or father's family) raise him.  The other parent's last name would be Johnson.

Theory 10:  Both of William's parents die, whether married or not.  He is orphaned.  The Johnsons (could be his mother's or father's family) raise him.  The other parent's last name would be Cline.

William is Orphaned or Abandoned by Both Parents; Unrelated Family Raises William

Theory 11:  William's father is a Johnson, his mother's name is irrelevant.  Wlliam is orphaned or abandoned.  William is raised by an unrelated (or distantly related) Cline family.

Theory 12:  William's father is a Cline, his mother's name is irrelevant.  William is orphaned or abandoned.  William is raised by an unrelated (or distantly related) Johnson family. 

What evidence is there to support one or more of these theories?  Theories 1-4 have no supporting evidence.  Thus far, no marriage record between a Cline and a Johnson has been found.  Theories 6 and 8 seem improbable.   

Oral history appears to strongly favor Theories 9 and 11 - that we are Johnsons raised by either a related or unrelated Cline family.  However, the evidence obtained thus far appears to support Theory 5, that William's father was a Cline, his mother was a Johnson, William was illegitimate and was raised by his mother and/or his mother's Johnson family.  However, William could have been raised in part by both sides of his family, further complicating issues.

I.  WILLIAM IS A JOHNSON RAISED BY AN UNRELATED CLINE FAMILY (THEORY 11)

Kirby Johnson's Story 

In or around 2000, we attended a Cline Johnson reunion in Tazewell County.  In attendance was Kirby Johnson.  Kirby is descended from John Henry Cline Johnson through his son Robert.  Kirby was in his 70's at the time and, unfortunately, has since pasted away. 

Kirby served in the Army from about 1946 until about 1966.  I think he served in intelligence, because he recounted that he was required to undergo a thorough background search for his high level "crypto-clearance."  Kirby had difficulty getting this clearance because of his, or his father's, use of both Cline and Johnson surnames.  Kirby was instructed to clear up this matter so he hired an attorney who performed some research and submitted some documents that purportedly solved the Cline/Johnson mystery.  According to these documents, William Cline Johnson was a Johnson raised by a Cline, spelled, "Kline."  

After the reunion, I investigated Kirby's story.  A letter was sent to the government agency responsible for maintaining crypto-clearance records.  The Agency wrote back and indicated that whatever research that may have been done for Kirby's crypto-clearance may have been destroyed. 

Aunt Minnie Cline Johnson Street 

Our Aunt Minnie (sister of Tom Cline), many years ago told us that we were Johnsons raised by Clines and that the Clines were "good people."  We're not sure what this means, but it appears to support Kirby's story of an unrelated, but charitable Cline family who took William in and raised him. 

Various Cline Johnson Family Members - "Johnson raised by Cline" (Theories 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, & 11)

Throughout our research, which began around 1990, we have spoken to several dozen Cline Johnson descendants and other related family members.  The story is nearly always, "we are Johnsons raised by Clines." 

II.  WILLIAM IS ORPHANED (THEORIES 9, 10, 11, 12)

Jason Cline's Story - William was Orphaned (Theories 9, 10, 11 & 12)

 Jason Cline (William; John Henry; George), told us several years ago that the story he heard was that William was orphaned as a child.

Harold Richardson Story- William was Orphaned (Theories 9 & 10)

William and his brothers and sisters were orphaned and were raised by their Cline grandparents.   

III.  WILLIAM IS ILLEGITIMATE; HIS FATHER IS AN AS OF YET UNKNOWN CLINE; HIS MOTHER IS ELEANOR JOHNS(T)ON HARPER (THEORY 5)

This theory posits that William was illegitimate and that his father was a Cline, probably of either Peter, Nicholas or David Cline's family and that his mother was Eleanor "Nelly" Johnson Harper, daughter of Isaac Johnston.  However, because of the personal property tax evidence, it appears that the Cline involved was part of Peter Cline's family.

First, in the 1850 Tazewell County census, William is found literally living next to several direct descendants of Isaac Johnson family.  There are no Clines living around William.  These descendants of Isaac Johnson, as well as William Cline Johnson, are also living next to a "George Harper."  This George Harper appears to be the son of Eleanor "Nelly" Johnson Harper.   Eleanor "Nelly" Johnson married an "Asa Harper" at some point in the 1820's.  The 1850 census also lists a "James Harper" age 6 living with William and Sophia Cline Johnson.  Finally, a "William Johnson of Nelly" appears next to Isaac Johnston's heirs in the 1840-1844 Tazewell County Personal Property Tax records.  We also know that William Cline Johnson was living in Tazewell County in and around these same Johnsons by the year 1848 through marriage, court and personal property tax records.

The closest Clines to William (from the standpoint of the 1850 census) are the Clines of the Peter Cline family.  In fact, according to the Logan County personal property tax records from 1845 through 1847, our William Cline is living very close to several Cline descendants of Peter Cline.  It is entirely possible, although not proven, that William Cline Johnson lived for a time with these Clines during the 1820's and 1830's.  He may also have lived from time to time with his grandmother, Sarah Johnson, in Tazewell County as well and may have lived with her from at least 1840 to 1844 according to the personal property tax records and the 1840 Tazewell County census.