Skip to content
CivicMapleEveryday answers, clearly mapped.
People

Anthony Johnson

What is anthony johnson?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Birth c. 1600[1]
Death 1670[1]
Arrival in Virginia 1621[1]
Landholding 250 acres by 1651[1]

Anthony Johnson was a 17th-century African-born man who became a free Black landowner and planter in colonial Virginia and Maryland, notable for a court case that recognized his ownership of a servant.

Context

Anthony Johnson was a 17th-century African-born man who became a free Black landowner and planter in colonial Virginia and Maryland [1]. He arrived in Virginia in 1621 as 'Antonio' and later gained freedom [1]. By 1651, he owned 250 acres of land [1]. He is historically significant for a court case that legally recognized his ownership of an African servant [1].

Documented claims

  • Anthony Johnson arrived in Virginia in 1621 as 'Antonio' and later gained freedom. [1]
  • He became a landowner and planter in colonial Virginia and Maryland. [1]
  • He is noted for a court case that legally recognized his ownership of an African servant. [1]

Questions and answers

What happened to Anthony Johnson?

Anthony Johnson gained freedom, acquired land, and became a planter in colonial Virginia and Maryland. He is known for a court case that recognized his ownership of a servant [1].

When did Anthony Johnson arrive in Virginia?

He arrived in Virginia in 1621 as 'Antonio' [1].

How much land did Anthony Johnson own?

By 1651, he owned 250 acres of land [1].

Sources

  1. Owner Profile: Anthony Johnson · Faces of Slavery ... - Digital Histories — digitalhistories.kennesaw.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in People