Captain Edward Johnson (1598–1672) was a leading figure in colonial

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, and is one of the founders of

Woburn, Massachusetts Woburn ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,876 at the 2020 census. Woburn is located north of Boston. Woburn uses Massachusetts' mayor-council form of governme ...

. Johnson probably came to America in the

Winthrop Fleet The Winthrop Fleet was a group of 11 ships led by John Winthrop out of a total of 16 funded by the Massachusetts Bay Company which together carried between 700 and 1,000 Puritans plus livestock and provisions from England to New England over the ...

in 1630. He returned to England in 1636 or 1637 to bring his wife and children to America. He was considered the "Father of Woburn," and served as its first town clerk (from 1640 until his death). He was selected as Deputy from Woburn to the

Massachusetts General Court The Massachusetts General Court (formally styled the General Court of Massachusetts) is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, ...

(the colonial legislature) almost every year from 1646 on. Johnson was the first military officer commissioned in Woburn, and was one of the founders of the

Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts is the oldest chartered military organization in North America and the third oldest chartered military organization in the world. Its charter was granted in March 1638 by the Great and Gen ...

. He served as an ensign in Cooke's Company in the

Pequot War The Pequot War was an armed conflict that took place between 1636 and 1638 in New England between the Pequot tribe and an alliance of the colonists from the Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Saybrook colonies and their allies from the Narragans ...

, served as lieutenant for the Middlesex County Troop in 1643, and was made captain in 1644. He served as Surveyor General of the military stores of the colony in 1659. Johnson is regarded as the author of the first printed history of New England, ''The Wonderworking Providence of Sion's Savior in New England,'' which was published in England in 1654. Johnson was selected by the General Court to make the first map of Massachusetts. He established the boundary between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and also laid out the boundaries of Woburn and other towns.Johnson, Edward Francis, ''Captain Edward Johnson of Woburn, Massachusetts, and Some of His Descendants,'' Press of David Clapp & Son, Boston, MA, 1905.

References

External links

Woburn Historical Society Web site

Wonder-working Providence of Sions Saviour in New England
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Edward People from Woburn, Massachusetts 1598 births 1672 deaths People of colonial Massachusetts Kingdom of England emigrants to Massachusetts Bay Colony