Individual Details
Emily Godschall Johnson
(2 Nov 1788 - 15 May 1841)
Emily, was born in 1788 in Bloomsbury, the second daughter of Godschall Johnson, Army Officer and Consul to Brussels and his wife Elizabeth Jane Hodges, of Oakley House, Bedfordshire. Her mother died shortly after her birth.
On her father’s second marriage to Mary Francis in 1792, the daughters by the first wife, Elizabeth Hodges, were brought up by their aunt, Sarah Hodges, formerly Eyre, neé Johnson, and their great aunt Mrs. Fullerton (Sarah Johnson, wife of Dr. Fullerton), who lived at Richmond.
A very entertaining series of letters, published in the Francis Letters from Elizabeth Johnson to Catherine and Elizabeth Francis, daughters of Sir Phillip Francis, were written from Boulney Court 1804, describing their aunt, Sarah Hodges, and her very lively young sister, Emily Johnson, then aged 15 years.
From these letters it was said that, when Emily was just 16 years, she fell in love with a handsome and dashing young officer stationed at Richmond.
He was Captain Edward Darvall. Her great aunt Mrs. Fullerton, was accused of fostering the romance.
Emily’s father was dead, and the consent of her stepmother and brothers was sought, but was refused, upon grounds of her extreme youth and irresponsibility, and that no one knew anything about Captain Darvall’s family. It was decided, therefore, to remove Emily to her brother Godschall’s house at Halliford-on-Thames, as Captain Darvall was stationed at Richmond where she had been staying with Mrs. Fullerton.
At the beginning of June, after staying at Halliford for a month, Emily eloped with Captain Darvall.
A vivid account is given of their pursuit by Emily’s brothers and a Rev. Runner. The runaway couple got a good start. They were accompanied by two of Captain Darvall’s fellow officers, and took the road to Oxford, changing horses at Henley. They were 16 hours ahead and were presumed to be heading for Holyhead and Ireland, but were eventually found several days later at Carlisle, where they were staying after what was called a mock ceremony at Gretna Green.
The young couple were quite unrepentant, and blamed Emily’s family for their opposition. There was a later marriage ceremony in London, at the end of June. After a time, Captain Darvall was accepted into the family, and was found to be a very desirable husband for the headstrong Emily.
Edward retired from the army in 1806.
He and his wife, Emily, resided at Nunnington Hall, Yorkshire, for many years and raised seven children, although three others died in infancy.
In 1839 the family decided to emigrate to the Colony of New South Wales, aboard the Alfred, where they purchased an estate at Ryde.
On her father’s second marriage to Mary Francis in 1792, the daughters by the first wife, Elizabeth Hodges, were brought up by their aunt, Sarah Hodges, formerly Eyre, neé Johnson, and their great aunt Mrs. Fullerton (Sarah Johnson, wife of Dr. Fullerton), who lived at Richmond.
A very entertaining series of letters, published in the Francis Letters from Elizabeth Johnson to Catherine and Elizabeth Francis, daughters of Sir Phillip Francis, were written from Boulney Court 1804, describing their aunt, Sarah Hodges, and her very lively young sister, Emily Johnson, then aged 15 years.
From these letters it was said that, when Emily was just 16 years, she fell in love with a handsome and dashing young officer stationed at Richmond.
He was Captain Edward Darvall. Her great aunt Mrs. Fullerton, was accused of fostering the romance.
Emily’s father was dead, and the consent of her stepmother and brothers was sought, but was refused, upon grounds of her extreme youth and irresponsibility, and that no one knew anything about Captain Darvall’s family. It was decided, therefore, to remove Emily to her brother Godschall’s house at Halliford-on-Thames, as Captain Darvall was stationed at Richmond where she had been staying with Mrs. Fullerton.
At the beginning of June, after staying at Halliford for a month, Emily eloped with Captain Darvall.
A vivid account is given of their pursuit by Emily’s brothers and a Rev. Runner. The runaway couple got a good start. They were accompanied by two of Captain Darvall’s fellow officers, and took the road to Oxford, changing horses at Henley. They were 16 hours ahead and were presumed to be heading for Holyhead and Ireland, but were eventually found several days later at Carlisle, where they were staying after what was called a mock ceremony at Gretna Green.
The young couple were quite unrepentant, and blamed Emily’s family for their opposition. There was a later marriage ceremony in London, at the end of June. After a time, Captain Darvall was accepted into the family, and was found to be a very desirable husband for the headstrong Emily.
Edward retired from the army in 1806.
He and his wife, Emily, resided at Nunnington Hall, Yorkshire, for many years and raised seven children, although three others died in infancy.
In 1839 the family decided to emigrate to the Colony of New South Wales, aboard the Alfred, where they purchased an estate at Ryde.
Events
| Birth | 2 Nov 1788 | Bloomsbury Square, Bloomsbury, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom | |||
| Christen | 24 Nov 1788 | Saint Dunstan in the West, London, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom | |||
| Marriage | 26 Jun 1805 | St Martin in the Field, Westminster, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom - Maj Edward Darvall | |||
| Arrival | 7 Jan 1840 | Port Jackson, New South Wales, Australia | |||
| Death | 15 May 1841 | Ryde, New South Wales, Australia | |||
| Death | 15 May 1841 | Ryde, New South Wales, Australia |
Families
| Spouse | Maj Edward Darvall (1776 - 1869) |
| Child | Major Gen George Edward Darvall (1805 - 1886) |
| Child | John Bayley Darvall (1809 - 1883) |
| Child | Philip Richard Darvall (1812 - 1813) |
| Child | Ralph Francis Darvall (1814 - 1815) |
| Child | Frederick Orme Darvall (1816 - 1886) |
| Child | Emily Mary Darvall (1817 - 1909) |
| Child | Eliza Charlotte Darvall (1819 - 1909) |
| Child | Rosamond Mary Darvall (1822 - 1909) |
| Child | Alexina Ellen Darvall (1825 - ) |
| Child | William Horace Darvall (1828 - ) |
| Father | Beau Godschall Johnson (1745 - 1800) |
| Mother | Elizabeth Jane Hodges (1757 - 1788) |