| JOHN ELVIN JOHNSON
(Pages 396-403) In 1895, Franklin Johnson and Susan Deahuff's son John Elvin, born on August 26, 1873, married Nettie Caskey, born on April 24, 1876, in Orrville, Ohio, daughter of Finley and Elizabeth Caskey. John and Nettie made their home on the farm living in the home that John's father had built. John continued to work with his brother Monroe in
the operation of the farm. Nettie and John had no children. Monroe and John had difficulty making an adequate living for their families from the family farm so Monroe decided to withdraw from the farm leaving John to operate the farm by himself. John's wife Nettie died on June 18, 1950, and is buried in the Crown Hilt Cemetery in Orrville, Ohio. After Nettie's death, John continued to farm in Canaan. John died on August 16, 1956, and is buried with
Nettie. In 1908, Monroe Johnson and Bertha Pfeiffer decided to seek a new life for their family. They packed their belongings and with their children Wilbert Franklin, age 21; Cora Augusta, age 17; Laura Amelia, age 13: and Earl Monroe, age 10; traveled south to St. George, Georgia. The reason is unclear why Monroe and Bertha decided to migrate to St. George. During this period, St. George was being promoted widely in the newspapers of Indiana and Ohio
as a highly desirable location for those with an enterprising disposition. Monroe, endowed with the pioneer spirit common to his ancestors, probably was impressed by the colonization efforts that were taking place in the area. St. George was in the throws of being developed as a new city. In St. George a company called the "1904 Colony Company" was formed for the purpose of colonizing the area. This area had earlier been called Battenville and later Cutler. Stock
in the company was sold to many people who lived in the states of Indiana and Ohio. The area was a good location as it was on the main line of the railroad. Also at the time there were plans to construct a canal from the ocean to the gulf that would run through the area. The St. Marys River was navigable from the ocean to Traders Hill, located about fifteen miles from St. George. By constructing a canal westward for a short distance from Traders Hill, connecting with the Suwanee River, would
provide a water corridor from the ocean to the gulf. The area had the potential for becoming a dynamic community. The Georgia General Assembly in 1906 issued a charter establishing the city of St. George. The Monroe Johnson and Bertha Pfeiffer family arrived in the developing and dynamic community of St. George eager to start a new life. Shortly after their arrival in 1908, Monroe put his farming skills to work and developed a farm. Wilbert, their oldest son, was more
enterprising and started a grocery store. Almost every day the train brought new people and potential residents to St. George. Buildings were going up at a rate of one a day. Soon St. George reached a population of 1000 with 54 businesses of different types. St. George became one of the largest cities in southeast Georgia. Not long after the Johnson family's arrival in St. George, things started going wrong and the economy of the area developed some
serious problems. Congress failed to appropriate the money for the canal project, plans to build two new railroads that were to pass through St. George failed to get the needed financial backing and the "1904 Colony Company" refused to make the promised improvements. Many of the settlers became discouraged and returned to their old homes while others stayed, determined to be successful. Each day the trains brought new settlers to the city. The citizens of St.
George organized and an election was held to establish a city government. The new city started to make the improvements promised by the company, streets were graded, bridges were constructed, drainage ditches dug and trees planted. A school was started, a large community union hall constructed, a bank was opened, a newspaper was published and businesses prospered. 
THE JOHNSON BURIAL PLOT IN ST. GEORGE CEMETERY
(Page 399)
During the 1910s, life was good for the Johnson family members and they became pillars of the St. George community. Wilbert's business became very successful. Monroe had developed a market for the products from his productive farm. However, the family suffered a great loss with the death of Bertha Pfeiffer on July 11, 1926. She is buried in the Johnson plot in the St. George Cemetery. 
MONROE MARION JOHNSON
(ca. 1938)
(Page 400)
Life began to become difficult for the Johnsons during the 1920s and 1930s. This was true not only for people in Charlton County but for people throughout the country due to the general economic conditions of the United States. Wilbert's business began to fail and there was little market for Monroe's farm products. As Monroe aged, his health began to fail and on May 30, 1940, at the age of eighty-four, he passed away. He is buried with Bertha in the St. George Cemetery. Cora Augusta Johnson
Monroe Johnson and Bertha Pfeiffer's daughter Cora Augusta, born on November 25, 1891, married Herbert P. Smith. They made their home in Ohio. Cora and Herbert had one son, Herbert P., Jr. Cora died in February 1977 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Laura Amelia Johnson
Monroe Johnson and Bertha Pfeiffer's daughter Laura Amelia, born on May 25, 1895, married William A. Messmer, on February 18, 1918. William was born in 1876 in Ohio. He had been previously married and had children by his first wife. He was employed as a railroad worker. William and Laura made their home at 64 Browne Avenue in Akron, Ohio and later in Lorain, Ohio. Laura and William were parents to two sons, Raymond,
born on November 15, 1919, and Donald, born on August 18, 1921, both born in Ohio. Raymond married and had two sons, Jimmy, born in 1942, and Bobby, born in 1947. William died about 1946 and is buried in Lorain. Later Laura married U. R. Craft. She died in Avon Park, Florida, on February 8, 1954, and was interred with William A. Messmer in Lorain, Ohio. William and Laura's son Donald died in October 1974 in Lorain, Ohio. Their son Raymond died in April 1978 in Colonial Heights, Virginia. Earl Monroe Johnson
Monroe Johnson and Bertha Pfeiffer's son, Earl Monroe, born June 11, 1898, worked with his father on the farm in St. George until 1918 when he, in search of his fortune, moved to Pomona Park, Florida. Shortly after arriving in Pomona Park, he met Helen Gertrude Tucker and about 1920 they were married. Helen was born on April 27, 1900, in Florida, the daughter of James Walton Tucker and Bessie Mae Platt. Earl and Helen
made their home in Pomona Park where Earl developed a farm. Earl and Helen were parents to Doris Gertrude, born on October 14, 1921; William "Bill" Guy, born on April 8, 1923; Norma Lillian, born on August 19, 1926; and Carolyn Eccles, born on June 16, 1929. All of the children were born in Pomona Park. In the early 1930s Earl and Helen's marriage broke down and they were divorced. On July 24, 1937, Earl married
Dorothy Main. Dorothy, born on June 28, 1914, in Welaka, located not far from Pomona Park, was the daughter of Dr. Daniel Carr Main and Edith Rebecca Maxson. Dorothy was educated as a teacher at Florida College for Women, presently named Florida State University. Dorothy became a very successful businesswoman serving for many years as assistant cashier at the Peoples Bank of Crescent City, which was located not far from their home in Pomona Park. For years, Earl worked his farm and did
carpentry work while Dorothy pursued her career with the bank. Although they never had any children, Earl and Dorothy found happiness. Earl Johnson and Dorothy Main were married for forty-six years before death took him on July 29, 1983. He is buried in Eden Cemetery in Crescent City, Florida. On November 22, 1986, Dorothy, missing the love of Earl, married Charles C. Bear. Dorothy and Charles made their home in Pomona
Park. This was a short but happy marriage as Charles died on December 14, 1988. On February 22, 1989, Dorothy moved to Bishop's Glen, a retirement home in Daytona Beach, Florida, where she enjoys her retirement years. Wilbert Franklin Johnson
Monroe Johnson and Bertha Pfeiffer's oldest son, Wilbert Franklin on April 10, 1924, married Amanda Johnson, born on May 16, 1897, in Hilliard, Florida. Amanda was the
daughter of John "Johnny" J. Johnson and Emily Tomlinson. The family story of John "Johnny" J. Johnson and Emily Tomlinson is the subject of Chapter Four. Wilbert and Amanda had the same family name but were unrelated. The family story of Wilbert Franklin Johnson and Amanda Johnson Johnson is the subject of the Chapter Six. This Chapter: NEXT:
CHAPTER SIX
THE WILBERT JOHNSON and AMANDA JOHNSON FAMILY 427 |
