Leslie Benton Johnson 1877 - 1943

JOHNSON, VAN CLEAVE, LINDSAY, LOWE, WALLER, LINDSAY

Posted By: Rich Lowe (email)
Date: 9/27/2001 at 13:01:15

Leslie Benton Johnson, son of Joseph A. and Kate [Van Cleave] Johnson, was born Oct. 23, 1877, on the farm southwest of Bonaparte, Iowa, which was his home for the greater part of his life.

He attended district schools and being an apt student acquired a good fundamental education and a love of reading which was a great solace to him during the later years of his life.

Early in 1898, he went to Nebraska to work on the ranch of his uncle near Wilsonville. The next 29 years he spent in Nebraska mostly near Callaway. In 1902 he was married to May Lindsay of that place. To them were born seven children, all of whom are living except Paul, whose tragic death by drowning in 1928, was a source of great sorrow to his father.

In 1916 the family moved to Iowa to the home farm which has been their home since.

Leslie always enjoyed good health until February 1937 when he suffered a payalytic stroke since which he has been more or less incapacitated. Almost always at home he contented himself with his reading and his radio.

He passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Percy Lowe, of Bonaparte, early the morning of March 5, 1943, following a short illness, age 65 years, 4 months and 12 days.

The children are William Benton, and Mrs. Mary Lowe of Bonaparte, Joseph E. of Farmington, Leslie, Jr., of Petaluma, Calif., Mrs. Florence Waller of Portland, Oregon, and John Lindsay of the United States Marines, somewhere in the Pacific area. Besides these are eight grandchildren and two sisters, Mrs. Della Simmons of Farmington and Alice Johnson of Bonaparte.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock at the Methodist church in Bonaparte, the pastor, Rev. Walter Sieck officiating. Interment in Bonaparte cemetery.

Source: family clipping. [I would like to hear from anyone with connection to this family. - Rich]

2nd Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book G, Page 61, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA **Handwritten: REC. REP. 11 MAN. 1943