Francis & Ella Johnson

JOHNSON BAPPE WALKER CUNDIFF

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/15/2010 at 20:49:20

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

F W and Ella (Bappe) Johnson
By Marian (Richardson) Becker

Francis Wayland Johnson (‘F W’ or ‘Waylie’) was born in Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana, January 3, 1861, the first child of Thomas Benton and Lucinda (Walker) Johnson. They had married March 31, 1859, at the home of her parents, Samuel and Nancy (Cundiff) Walker, in Van Buren County, Iowa. Their four children were: Francis Wayland, Flora Belle, George and Frank.

The paternal genealogy of ‘F W’ Johnson’s ancestors was: His father, Thomas B was born December 10, 1836, at Muskingum County, Ohio. He was the eldest of five brothers from Indiana who served their country during the Civil War; two lost their lives. After serving in the war, Thomas taught school and farmed. He died at the home of his son ‘F W’ Johnson in Moville, Iowa, on March 12, 1922.

The grandfather, Rev Abel Johnson, born February 6, 1814, in Harrison County, Ohio married Sarah Smith, April 2, 1835 in Muskingum County, Ohio. He was ordained a Baptist Minister in 1841; organized and preached in several churches in Ohio and Indiana during his lifetime. Abel, too, farmed. He died in Liberty Center, Wells County, Indiana on April 9, 1891.

His great-grandfather Isaac Johnson was among the first settlers of Harrison County, Ohio. The farm was n Stock Township. Isaac married Martha Wheeler of Montgomery County, Maryland, March 24, 1811 in Brooke County, Virginia. He died in the spring of 1817, from exposure, while caring for his hill family at their farm home.

The great-great-grandfather, Abel Johnson, born about 1740, married Anne Alexander in 1769. Abel was a Revolutionary War soldier and farmer, from Washington County, Pennsylvania. After the war, they moved into Ohio County and later into Brooke County, Virginia. (now West Virginia) Abel died 1820.

At the time the Thomas B Johnson family lived near Atlantic, Iowa, their son ‘F W’ worked for a George B Younglove. Younglove owned land in Woodbury County, Iowa, east of what is now Lawton.

In 1883, ‘F W’ helped Younglove drive cattle from Atlantic to the farm in Woodbury County, where Younglove’s son Clark lived. Atlantic was 133 miles from Sioux City. Imagine that cattle drive.

Johnson was twenty-two years old at the time. This how he happened to come to Woodbury County. He stayed and worked for Younglove for another year or two. Mr. Younglove had a farm at the east edge of what is now Lawton (known as the Sorenson place). After working for Younglove, ‘F W’ rented this Sorsenson place, farmed it and batched in the one-room house.

The Henry C Bappe family had also lived near Atlantic, Iowa; however ‘F W’ and Ella Bappe did not meet until the Bappes had moved to Woodbury County, Iowa and bought a farm half way between Lawton and Moville. Ella Reka was born February 26, 1869, near Atlantic, Iowa, the fourth child of Henry C and Sarah Jane (Porter) Bappe. The Bappe children were: Henry, William, Emma, Ella, Sarah, George, John, and Julia.

After Johnson had farmed a couple of years, he met Ella Reka Bappe and they were married September 25, 1886 in Sioux City, Iowa. He took his bride to that one-room house. Their first two children, Ralph and Lloyd were born there.

When the second baby, Lloyd, was two years old, Johnson bought 80 acres of land in Banner Township from Horace Gilkerson. ‘F W’s family moved there in 1890. Luella, Florence, Ethel, Xenon, Gertrude, Melvin, Isaac, Theodore and June were born in the little old house on that place. Ralph, Luella and Xenon passed away in it. Part of that old house was later a garage on the farm.

In 1906, a barn was built. A nice large house was built there in 1908. Arthur and Lyle were born in the new home.

Johnson bought another 160 acres of adjoining land in Section 10, in 1893. He traded sixteen horses for the land.

When they came to take the horses away, they had four in a row, tied the second row of four to the tails of the front four, the third row of four to the tails of those in the second row, and the fourth row to the tails of the ones in the third row, and led them away. Lloyd remembered it well – the horses led nicely.

Their first automobile was a Cadillac, purchased in 1914.

The Johnsons were parents of thirteen children: (1) Ralph Wayland, 1887-1892. (2) Lloyd Llewellyn, 1889-1958, married Elsie Bolton in 1914. Eight children: Leonard, Earnest, Armin, Noah, Darrell, Erma, Lela and Isaac. (3) Luella Belle, 1891-1905. (4) Florence Marian, 1893-1949, wed Edmund Richardson in 1910. Two children: Marian and Elmer. (5) Ethel Francis, 1895-1974, married Arthur Richardson in 1913. Three children: Geneva, Clifford and Eleanor. (6) Elmer Xenon, 1897-1903. (7) Gertrude Ione, 1899, married Ernest Ray Glover in 1917. Six children: Venona, Esther, Ernest ‘Bud’, ‘Jay’ Junior Ray, Richard and John Wayland ‘Bill’. (8) Melvin Ralls, 1900-1966, wed Leta Barth in 1923. One son, Francis William ‘Bill’. (9) Isaac Aenon, 1903-1977, wed Marie Widner in 1924. Five children: Shirley, twins- Harlan and Harold, Richard and Donna. (10) Theodore Roosevelt, 1905-1979, wed Elna Tevis in 1939. Three children: Lawrence, Duane, and Margaret. (11) June Rose, 1907, married Milo Kroeger in 1923. Two children: William and Arlene. (12) Arthur Manley, 1909-1969, never married. (13) Lyle Jeordon, 1911-1983, wed Georgia Baird in 1932. One son, Robert.

In 1920, ‘F W’ and Ella sold the farm to their oldest son, Lloyd, and moved to Moville, to retire from farming.

Ella was a wonderful example of a true Christian wife and mother. They were a caring, hard working couple – real pioneer stock.

‘F W’ was affiliated with the Woodman and Odd Fellow Lodges in Moville. He was the Justice of Peace in Moville for many years, and served as director of the Moville Telephone Company and the Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Company (after they were founded). He was an active member of the Board of Directors of the First Trust and Savings Bank in Moville, Iowa.

Ella passed away October 7, 1942 and ‘F W’ on May 27, 1944, in their home in Moville. Both are buried in their family plot in Graceland Park Cemetery, Sioux City, Iowa.

I most sincerely thank my dear Aunt Gertrude (Johnson) Glover for all of her information and help, in the writing of this story.