Alexander L Johnson ^{1 2 3 4 5}

   Cause of his death was Heart attack resulting from ptomaine poisoning.

   Other names for Alexander were Alex Johnson and Alexander Johnson.

  General Notes:

Occupation: Carpenter. From obituary in Newman Grove, Nebraska newspaper: "...They established their home in Newman Grove [in 1912] and have resided her continuously ever since. During these years he has built many of the buildings in both the town and vicinity and was considered a thorough conscientious workman, of pleasant and kindly disposition of whom only good was spoken."

From DeWayne B. Johnson's book "I Have Met a Lot of Generals," 2007:

"(The 'L' in my father's name was not an initial because that was the 'name' and hence takes no period.)...

"Today the mini-park near downtown [Newman Grove] includes the bandstand where my father played oboe in the town band...

"That is the man I tagged along with to his woodshop down near the granary. From that woodshop I still smell the gragrant homemade glues in their heating pots, I see the wood grains from rare specimens that went into carefully crafted table tops, bowls, cabinetry, and hear the scrabbling of tiny rodent feet fleeing for cover when the doors we opened.

"I tagged along as he walked the streets in town, greeted heartily by everyone he met. I know now that as a carpenter he built many of the buildings, homes, in town and surrounding vicinities."

DeWayne B. Johnson wrote of him on 8/17/1986:

"His hands were heavily wrinkled, tanned, scarred; his fingernails were ragged and never seemed quite rid of the residue of the day's labors. The brown, blood-clot areas under the nails were evidence of the beating the hands took as he hammered, pried, used his sinewy strength to build homes, schools, churches, and his artistic touch on fine cabinetry, delicate inlaid wooden trays, a variety of carved or lathe-turned items that would today be labeled 'examples of wood artisans, Early American Primitive to Post-World War I.'

"This carpenter's hands were gentle. To a small boy's hands they were tremendous, warm and snug retreats during proud walks on the streets of Newman Grove, Nebraska, where Alexander L Johnson was known far and wide as 'Alex.' (The 'L' had no period' it stood for nothing. To those who insisted it had to stand for 'something,' a concession was made: Lloyd, or possibly Loyd. One 'L' or two, it made no difference because truly it stood for nothing.

"I remember those hands as he warmly shook hands of others during those prized walks: Alex was clearly loved, respected by everyone, those townfolks with the funny foreign-sounding names...

"It flits through my mind to recall his hands, the dancing fingers as he played the oboe in the town band during its summertime concerts in the park band shell. And the strong, mascuiline right hand and the convincingly feminine left hand as 'Alex' costumed himself half male and half female for some annual celebration and parade down Main Street.

"Alex and his skills were in great demand; it is likely that some of the rural schools he built -- some of them single-handedly -- still stand today in some corners of Nebraska where Alex Johnson has long been forgotten. And Alex Johnson's houses absolutely remain, with their fashionable gingerbread of the time, and the curved staircases with their fancy railings, the hardwood floors, the weighted window sashes, and the trademark cabinetry.

"Alex had a hand in building the brick schools of Newman Grove, primary grads and high school For a short period he even taught wood shop at the high school (probably as a substitute teacher)...

"The lights went out for a 10-year-old boy on a spring day in 1930 when his father died in a farm house at North Platte, Nebraska.

"The bewilderment remains to this day -- one day so much alive, so much enjoying the fishing, the catching, the eating, and the next day quiet whispers, somber tip-toeing so as not to disturb. (The doctor surmised the death was caused by ingesting spoiled fish.) The return to Newman Grove on a bright Sunday morning, the church bells ringing, and still the 10-year-old could not understand."

  Research Notes:

Middle initial L does not stand for anything. It is simply L without a period. It may not be on his birth certificate.

Excerpts from obituary in Newman Grove weekly newspaper, fully quoted in a letter to daughter Janine Johnson 8/17/1986, p. 4:

Alexander L. Johnson was born in Seward county, Nebraska September 28, 1885 and and passed away at the home of relatives at North Platte May 30, 1930 at the age of 44 years and 8 months.

At the age of 11 he went to Iowa with his parents where he lived for ten years. In 1907 he went to the new town of Polk, Nebraska where he worked at his trade as a carpenter for five years. On february 12, 1912 [actually Feb. 14, Valentine's Day] he was married at Grand Island to Lulu [Lula Mae] Talbot of Polk. They established their home in Newman Grove [occupying the house recently vacated by Conrad Erickson and known forever as 'the Erickson House'] and have resided here continuously ever since. During these years he has built many of the buildings in both the town and vicinity and was considered a thorough, conscientious workman, of pleasant and kindly disposition of whom only good was spoken.

Surviving him are his wife, three children, Clifford, DeWayne and Dorothy Maude; his aged mother, Mrs. Mary Johnson of Paton, Iowa; three brothers and four sisters John C., Chas. J. and Mrs. G. S. Shriner all of Long Beach, California; William J. of Plover, Iowa; Mrs. Lena Klinge of Curlew, Iowa; Mrs. Dan Urquhart of Rodman, Iowa; Mrs. Oscar Pearson of Paton, Iowa.

The remains were brought here from North Platte on Sunday and funeral services were held Tuesday morning from the Methodist church with the pastor, Rev. Walter H. Jackson officiating. Interment was made in Hope cemetery beside his daughter Marjory who passed away a few years ago.

Those from a distance who were here to attend the funeral were his mother, Mrs. J.J. Johnson, Mrs. O.W. Pearson of Plover, Iowa; Mrs. Dan Urquhart of Rodman, Iowa; Anthony Johnson of Wauneta, Nebraska; Mr. and Mrs. Logan Dyghart and daughter of Beaver Crossing; Mrs. [Ralph] Talbot of North Platte; Mr. and Mrs. W. Green, Mr. and Mrs. B. Andreson and daughter of Polk; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Bedient and family of Bradshaw; Mr. and Mrs. Keith Green of Polk; Mr. and Mrs. B. E. Mulholland and son Owen of Valley and Mr. and Mrs. O. Hansen of Sioux City.

  Medical Notes:

Per DeWayne Johnson 8/17/86: "...my own father died at the North Platte farm house that had been [that of Absolom Owen Talbot, Jr. and his wife Margaret Burrows Talbot]." From obituary in Newman Grove newspaper around 5/31/1930: "Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and family left here on Saturday, May 24 for a visit with her sister and her family at North Platte. On Thursday Mr. Johnson was taken very sick with ptomanine [sic][ poisoning. A physician was called and he began to improve. Friday morning he was able to be up, but complained of a headache and was lying down. Mrs. Johnson had gone to another room to get some medicine for his headache and was gone only a very short time but when she returned he had passed away. Physicians were called, but could do nothing, death being due to a sudden heart attack."

  Death Notes:

From obituary in Newman Grove, Nebraska, newspaper: "The community was shocked and saddened Friday morning by the news of the sudden death of Alex Johnson while he was visiting relatives at North Platte. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and family left here on Saturday, May 24 for a visit with her sister and her family at North Platte. On Thursday Mr. Johnson was taken very sick with ptomanine [sic] poisoning. A physician was called and he began to improve. Friday morning he was able to be up, but complained of a headache and was lying down. Mrs. Johnson had gone to another room to get some medicine for his headache and was gone only a very short time but when she returned he had passed away. Physicians were called, but could do nothing, death being due to a sudden heart attack."

  Noted events in his life were:

• Moved: from Nebraska to Iowa, 1897, Iowa, United States. Moved with parents to Iowa at age 11. Lived there for 10 years.

• Census: U.S, 8 Jun 1900, Fern Valley, Palo Alto, Iowa, United States. ⁶ Household:
John J Johnson, head, W, M, Aug, 1844 [1854], 45, M, 16, Germany, Germany, Germany, imm. 1880 Na, farmer
Mary Johnson, wife, W, F, Mar 1854, 46, M, 16, Denmark, Denmark, Denmark, imm. 1880
Leena K Johnson, daughter, W, F, Sept 1884, 15, S, Illinois, Germany, Denmark, at school
Alexander Johnson, son, W, M, Sept 1885, 14, S, Nebraska, Germany, Denmark, at school
Hannah Johnson, daughter, W, F, Sept 1887, 12, S, Nebraska, Germany, Denmark, at school
William Johnson, son, W, M, Nov 1889, 10, S, Nebraska, Germany, Denmark, at school
Charles Johnson, son, W, M, Oct 1891, 8, S, Nebraska, Germany, Denmark, at school
Minnie Johnson, daughter, W, F, Oct 1894, 5, S, Nebraska, Germany, Denmark
Mary Johnson, daughter, W, F, Sept 1898, 3, S, Nebraska, Germany, Denmark

• Moved: from Iowa to Polk, Nebraska, 1907, Polk, Polk, Nebraska, United States. From obituary in Newman Grove, Nebraska, newspaper: "...[In 1907] he went to the new town of Polk, Nebraska where he worked at his trade as a carpenter for five years."

• Moved: from Polk, Nebraska to Newman Grove, Nebraska, 1912. After marriage, moved to Newman Grove, Nebraska and resided there until his death [in 1930].

• Census: U.S, 9 Jan 1920, Newman Grove, Madison, Nebraska, United States. ⁷ Elkhorn St., Newman Grove, Nebraska
Household:
Alex L Johnson, head, M, W, 34, M, Nebraska, Denmark, Denmark, Carpenter
Lula M Johnson, wife, F, W, 27, M, Nebraska, Illinois, Illinois
Clifford R Johnson, son, M, W, 6, S, Nebraska, Nebraska, Nebraska This event was shared with Clifford Raymond Johnson and Lula Mae Talbot.

• Completed: School Building in Platte Co. School District 61, 1927, [near Lindsay], Platte, Nebraska. From Platte County NEGenWeb Project Page (http:///www.rootsweb.com/~neplatte/61h.html):
"This building in which we are gathered this evening to dedicate to the use of educating the children of District 61 is a result of the activities of the foregoing committee. It is a building 26 by 40, with 12 foot ceiling, main part with grade entrance, full basement, modern heating and lighting, building by Alex Johnson and Harry Farrar with members of the district working when they could, at an approximate cost of $4,500.

"School was held for the first day in the new building Jan. 31, [1927]..."

Alexander married Lula Mae Talbot, daughter of Absolom Owen Talbot Jr. and Margaret Burrows, on 14 Feb 1912 in Grand Island, Hall, Nebraska, United States. (Lula Mae Talbot was born on 30 Aug 1892 in Stromsburg, Polk, Nebraska, United States, died on 29 Jun 1942 in Long Beach, Los Angeles, California, United States ⁸ and was buried on 2 Jul 1942 in Grand View Memorial Park, Glendale, Los Angeles, California, United States.). The cause of her death was Starvation diet.

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Alt. Marriage, 14 Feb 1911.

  Marriage Notes:

According to their son DeWayne, they were married on Valentine's Day. Alex's obituary gives the year as 1912.