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Beaver Island History - Helen Collar Papers

 

Biographical Papers Letter J

(1 Page)

 

Franklin/Frank Johnson

 

Mormon

Mr. Johnson was a wealthy merchant from Baltimore whom Strang converted. They had a fine home on Font Lake, with a large ballroom with hardwood floors. According to Mrs. Whitney, you could see the Johnson home when sitting on the bank of Font Lake nearest Pagetown. (This must have been near the Leonard cottage.) The house was taken down and moved to a farm. (Could this have been the house Bid talked about as having a hardwood floor to dance on?) One of the daughters married Wentworth, who, with Bedford, shot Strang. Was it Phebe D., in '50 census, age 15?

 

According to Crown of Glory he was a business partner of McCulloch & his home at Page Town.

 

King of St. James - his name was Frank & he was a partner of McCulloch's.1

 

 

 

Capt. John Johnson

 

1851-1903 (stone)

P. 37

Married Hannah (Boyle?), 1864-1934 (death records); census says 1856 [for her birth date], I

think it is right. (Rosie, Pat Bonner's wife's aunt). I think this is Paganog's daughter with

whom he was living when he died - right. They were living at the " King Place" at that time.

Children:

Cornelius - died with McDonald

Nellie - married Shing Martin

Lizzie

Peter, 1879-1908

Alice, 1887-1962 - married Belfy

He had two boats - the "Rough & Ready" & later the "Nellie Johnson" after his daughter. He spoke with a Swedish accent.

 

Hannah & her son Cornelius bought the Johnny Strack O'Donnell house, #79. Later they built there the square house still there (apples).

 

Hannah was a wailer - she is the one Bid Sendenburg remembers so vividly - "Oh gora, oh mora."

 

These are Edna Mae's grandparents.

Belfy

 

Capt. Johnson's picture is in the museum.

 

The story about Patchynog's death -

He was living with his daughter at the King Place. He started home, making directly for the lights of his house, walked off McCann's dock & was drowned. I believe his body wasn't found until the next morning.

 

John Johnson died 8 p.m. July 21, 1903, "after operation!!!" Protar's diary.

 

Death records:

John Johnson, married, age 53, died in Peaine Twp on July 2, '03, cause brain affected.

Sailor, born in Canada; parents Cornelius & _essol2 Johnson.

Hannah Johnson, widowed, age 70-3-4, died in St. J. of "senility" on Sept. 12, 1934; born

Ire.; parents Patrick Boyle & Nellie Boyle, both born Ire.

 

 

Walter J. Johnson

 

1816

Wife - Caroline, 1823

 

1860 census:

Walter J. Johnson 44 carpenter b. N.Y.

Caroline Johnson 37 ---------- b. Vermont

Elizabeth Johnson 11 ----------- b. Mich.

Walter Johnson 3 -------------- b. Mich.

 

 

1 The author has inserted the citation, "Child of the Sea," with an arrow, but it is unclear whether the arrow points to this sentence or to the reference to Phebe Johnson Wentworth.

2 Unclear.