JOHNSON, Sarah A. (1840-1936)

JOHNSON

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 11/28/2018 at 23:43:24

Sarah Angelina Johnson
(June 18, 1840 – July 29, 1936)

Sarah A. Johnson – Pioneer Since 1853
Sarah Angelina Mosher was born in Morrow County, Ohio, June 18, 1840 and died at her home near Liberty Center, Iowa, July 29, 1936, age 96 years, one month and ten days. She came to Warren County, Iowa with her parents in 1853. On December 25, 1858 she was united in marriage to Jesse Johnson. To this union were born five children: Elmer E. Johnson, Flora E. Kemper, of Alma, Nebraska; Jessie Bethiah Bledso, Indianola, Iowa, Nannie Pearl, who died in infancy, and Clara Angelina Hess, of Indianola, Iowa. She has lived in her present home for seventy-two years.
A birthright member of the Friends church, she remained true to her faith throughout her life. She took a keen interest in the affairs of her county, state, nation and church until the last. She was a devoted wife and mother. Many of her nieces and nephews thought of her as their second mother. The influence of her life will ever be fresh in our memory and the results of her labor will follow on after her. The following poem, written by her many years ago, shows the kind of life she lived.
What I Want
I want to live happy, be just and be kind,
Enjoy the rich blessing of a pure tranquil mind.
To lay up that treasure while’st here I may dwell
and sing when I’m dying – all is now well.
I want pure religion to abound in the land
and give to each other sweet fellowship’s hand.
That in love and union the work may go on
till here as in heaven God’s will may be done.
I want my way clearer, I want it so plain
that I may be freer from sorrow and pain
That I may know truly the right and it do
and through this dark valley may safely pass through.
I want to know Jesus and speak of His name,
to speak of His virtues and act out the same.
His life, it was lowly and freighted with good.
He swept off corruption as with a great flood.
I want pure affection to reign in my heart,
that in my endeavors some good may impart;
That I in my weakness the wrong my o’ercome
and pass into heaven when laid in the tomb.
I want to live happy and die the same way
to sing with the angels while passing away;
I want my companion to meet with me there,
and with my dear children my bliss I would share.
I want the Great Giver, the Father of all
to guide and protect us for fear we should fall.
Throw round Thy weak children they arms of Thy love,
unfold to them wisdom from heaven above.
I want that forgiveness, that freedom from sin,
that knowledge from heaven, that pureness within.
That knowledge revealed from day unto day
our lamps are all burning, we are on the right way.
I want to land safely o’er Jordan’s dark tide,
where troubles are ended and wants are supplied.

Funeral services were conducted at the home, by Rev Agnes Fry, on Friday afternoon, July 30, 1936, at 2:30. Interment was in the I.O.O.F. cemetery at Liberty Center, Iowa. [copied from a scrapbook of newspaper articles at the Warren County Historical Society Library, Indianola, IA]