Plate 32
(This plate is still under construction.)

PreviousNextContentsAboutSitemapHome


Donald Benjamin Johnson & Marjory Nellie Johnson
(Donald and his sister)

Top left: Donald Benjamin Johnson (October 21, 1913 - March 17, 1982) was 7 weeks old when Bennie held him for this photo. Donald was Bennie and Amelia's second child (of three), and their only son. There are no photos of their first-born daughter, Laura, (November 22, 1912 - December 12, 1912). Amelia's post card to Bennie's sister Inga proudly refers to Donald as "...our little man. He is a real good baby and grows every day. He has outgrown nearly all his clothes so I am busy sewing for him."

Top right: Donald, age 5 months.

Bottom left: Donald, age one year (1914).

Bottom right: Marjory Nellie Johnson (August 18, 1916 - 2000), at age 7 weeks and big brother Donald. (Photo made October 1916 in Hawken Rohn's picture gallery).


Excerpt from Donald B. Johnson manuscript:

"My memory dates back to when I was 3 years old (1916). The earliest thing I remember is sitting in my highchair by the big, round, hard coal, self-feeding heater with all the isinglass in the door and Pa saying, 'You've got a new baby sister,' early on the morning of August 18, 1916. [4.8-1]

"I also vaguely remember being put in bed with the hired girl (Judith Hoff) either that night or the night after, but I caught on to where I was, and it didn't work. I kicked and screamed until they took me out again. I don't know where I spent that night -- probably with Pa in the spare bedroom." [4.8-2]

"I had a sister, Laura, born about 11 months before I was, but she only lived about three weeks. I never heard any details about what was wrong with her, but I always gathered that there was something." [According to the death certificate, it was congenital heart disease.] [4.7-2]

"I also remember having the measles that winter or spring. I can remember lying on my back and looking at my big, speckled stomach. I always heard that I had had the measles real hard and was real red." [4.8-3]

"I was born upstairs in the same house and room as Marjory, October 21, 1913, and Doc Randall came up in the night to get me officially born. His bill was $10. [4.8-5]

"As far as I know, that was my only medical expense until probably the year Marj was born. Then one night I was apparently in great pain and screamed bloody murder unless Pa walked up and down the stairs with me, or let me stir with the dipper in the water pail. [4.8-6]

"Pa thought I must have a terrible bellyache, so he called Doc Randall about 2 or 3 in the morning. Doc walked up and checked me all over and said, 'I can't find a thing wrong with him. Maybe a spanking would help.' [4.8-8]

"I remember playing with the dipper, but I don't remember getting a spanking; maybe I was just tired enough to go back to sleep by that time." [4.9-1]

PreviousNextContentsAboutSitemapHome