In the heartland of Utah, it is Autumn, and snow on Mt. Nebo. If we really look and search around, there is beauty with the people and the history here. Then if you drive up Nephi Canyon to Dad's and Sons, east from where the Johnsons lived, the hillsides look like Persian carpets in the gorgeous colors of red, orange, purple and gold, then accented by the green of the pines. It is better to see it than take it from me. I am blind in one eye and color blind in the other! We wanted to introduce you to the history of a great family that once upon a time lived up the street from Pioneer Park of Nephi City. George Johnson was born in 1912, the son of Christian Willard Johnson(born in 1879) and Ada Salisbury of Moroni. She was the sixth child of a family of three hellions(boys) and eight (pretty) girls, but all were real honest to goodness farmhands. Unlike kids of today, those kids had fun tromping the hay; feeding the chickens and helping do the chores on a family farm. Back in the day, youngins often found themselves dancing at the Bungalow, which my father had showed us when I was a kid. That was where George and Elsie matched up, dancing to their song of "I Love You Truly". And yes they did just that, then and now that they have passed through the Big Veil, not just the Sanpete/Juab County veil. Making sure they had their ducks in a row, they both sought permission from their folks, and got hitched to the same wagon on June 26, 1933. Together, they built a still beautiful home up 6th North, where the son of a "Killer' lives now. If you don't know who that would be, go back to Nephi High and learn it, as that is where the father of George taught and became the Principle, who was actually a lawyer by degree, but loved education, so he taught school for several years. More, about C.W. later. Like most families, everything outside the house may look fine and dandy, but most of us go though times of sorrow, misfortune and severe anguish. Same as the Johnson family, although they would always greet me with a smile when their son(Don) and I would walk to the Central School and back. Their first son was Robert, who served an LDS mission in Pennsylvania; got married, but was killed in an industrial accident when he was 23. George and Elsie lost their second son(Douglas) when three days old. Next born was Kip and died at four months old. Then came Don, whom I have been acquainted with his whole life. He now lives in downtown Pierce City, Missouri with wife Jeannette Allen. They had lived in Nephi at one time and did the same kind of work that C.R. Lomax once did(New York Life). George was a farmer and one of the first to raise turkeys in Nephi; cattleman; City Councilman; and worked for Nephi City. He was always active in LDS activities including in the Bishopric; Library Board and a Scouter. Elsie was not only active in her church, but kept busy being an LPN at the Juab County Hospital(now Laurel Groves), Mt Pleasant hospital and worked for Dr. Boston and at the Colonial Manor-when it was a nursing home. George and Elsie also served an LDS mission together in a country to our north/east, in the Winnipeg area. Now back to the father of George Johnson, who used to live in a house near the old hollow in Nephi. In the 1950's, he used to yell at us kids when we went over there to play "Cowboys and Indians". He didn't like us playing there as it was "Sacred Grounds" I had no idea what he was talking about until just a few years ago, when I was called by the Assist. State Archeologist, who I had worked with on some digs. He wanted my assistance, but I turned his offer down. A home builder had found the remains of several Native Indians who had been massacred in 1853. As my great grandfather had a Blacksmith shop just outside Salt Creek Fork, I didn't want to know anymore and at the time of 1853, police type affairs were overseen by the Mormon Battalion, and I knew Edward Jones may have been involved or knew of it as did the family of C.W. Johnson. First photo is a photo of Jeannette and Don Johnson and the small one is of Elsie and George, all of which this wanna be writer of history has enormous respect and admiration for.
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