Paul R. Johnson 1907-1928

JOHNSON, NIXON, LINDSAY

Posted By: Rich Lowe (email)
Date: 2/26/2003 at 11:27:37

Paul R. Johnson, son of Leslie and May Johnson, was born in Callaway, Custer county, Nebraska, August 4th, 1907, and died June 18, 1928, being at the time of his death, 20 years, 10 months and 14 days of age.

Paul lived with his parents in Nebraska until the spring of 1916 when they moved to Iowa, to the farm which has been his home since. He passed the early grades of school in Nebraska, finished the eighth grade at White Oak school and in the fall of 1921 entered high school at Bonaparte, where he attended two years. Then, wishing to take the course in normal training he enrolled in the Farmington high school for the last two years of work. He was graduated with the class of 1925, from the Farmington high school.

During the year 1926-27 he taught the Bradford school, Henry twp., where he was well liked and he enjoyed the work. In fact Paul was a quiet, well behaved boy who was always well liked.

Paul was the third child of a family of seven children. The others are William, Mrs. Florence Nixon, Leslie, Jr., Joe, Mary and John. All are at home except Florence who also leaves (sic) near Bonaparte.

The first of a large family to be taken in death, Paul’s going comes as a great shock, being so wholly unexpected, due to accidental death by drowning. He will be missed a long time.

Besides his father and mother and other members of the immediate family he leaves his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J.P. Lindsay of Kearney, Neb., and Mrs. Kate Johnson of Bonaparte, Iowa, and many other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held from the house on Thursday afternoon in charge of Rev. J.C. Bruvold. Interment in Bonaparte cemetery.
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We desire to thank our neighbors and friends for their many expressions of sympathy and friendship shown us in our great bereavement.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and Children.
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PAUL JOHNSON
LOST HIS LIFE IN
CREEK FLOOD

WAS DROWNED LAST MONDAY WHILE SWIMMING IN INDIAN CREEK

Paul Johnson was drowned Monday about noon in Indian Creek about five miles southwest of Bonaparte. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Johnson and his age about twenty years.

He and several other young people had gone to see Indian Creek which was out of its banks because of the big rains of Saturday and Sunday nights and was as high as it had been for about twenty years. They had been wading and swimming near the wagon bridge and railroad trestle near the Fred Muntz place or about one mile east of Willit's Station.

Finally the question of swimming the creek was discussed, culminating in the decision of Johnson to drop off the bridge into the swift current. He was wearing shirt and overalls, left his shoes and contents of his pockets with friends, swung under the bridge and the water was so near the bridge that half of his body was submersed when he let loose and swam down stream.

He seemed to have no special difficulty and went around a bend in the creek about 100 feet from the bridge and out of sight of his friends. They were not alarmed as to his safety and thought he would soon return. In fact, they thought he might be hiding and did not give a general alarm for two hours or more.

Friends came during the afternoon and evening to assist but he could not be found. The search continued throughout the night and on the following morning, Tuesday, about eight-thirty o'clock, he was found by his uncle Mike Simmons lying in the creek about a quarter of a mile below the bridge.

Coroner H. A. Burnett of Keosauqua was called but no inquest was considered necessary. There was a slight cut on his forehead, but it did not seem to have been sufficient to have caused his death. He was considered a good swimmer.

Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at two o'clock at the late home. Interment in Bonaparte cemetery.

He is survived by his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Johnson; four brothers, Will, Leslie Jr., Joe and John and two sisters Mrs. Florence Nixon and Mary.

Leslie Jr. has been employed for some time in road work near Kearney, Nebraska and was at once notified.