Leonard’s cremated remains were never taken after his death and are still available at the Oregon State Hospital to be claimed by anyone who is related. More information about unclaimed cremains at OSH is available at http://www.oregon.gov/oha/osh/Pages/cremains.aspx A book by David Maisel and a short documentary film by Ondi Timoner & Robert James, both entitled "Library of Dust" also provide more information.
It is believed Leonard Johnston’s given name was Oren Turner His death notices posted in the newspapers of Salem, Oregon referred to him as Leonard Johnston and reported he was “survived by brother Oral Turner of Fresno and a sister Mrs. Onda Brown of Long Beach California.” Because Leonard is the name on his death certificate that name will be used in this biography.
Leonard was born about 1906 in Kansas. His mother, Bertha Burger, was born in Indiana in 1882. His father, William Allen Turner, was born in Ohio in 1879. They were married in Wells County, Indiana on 12/12/1900. It was the first marriage for each of them. Their children included: Onda (born in Indiana about 1901), Oral (Indiana about 1903), and Oren (aka Leonard in 1906 in Kansas).
At the time of the 1910 census Leonard was 4 years old. He was listed as Oren, living with his parents and older siblings in Tioga, Neosho County, Kansas. His father was a laborer in the oil fields. The family moved from Kansas to California in 1915. Leonard’s father died of tuberculosis on 2/9/1916 at the age of 36. Leonard was 9 or 10 years old.
During the 1920 census, Oren was 14 with his mother and brother in Hanford, King County, California. He was attending school and working as a telegrapher for Western Union. His brother, Oral, was 17 and working as a garage mechanic. His widowed mother was not employed. In the 1920 census Leonard’s sister Onda was living in Long Beach, California with her husband Joseph V. Brown, a theater worker
At some point between 1920 and 1922, Leonard’s mother married John Nelson Crye. Leonard’s mother died on 8/14/1922 at the age of 40 in Los Angeles. Leonard was about 16. Although his step-father was alive and could have become Leonard’s guardian, it is suspected Leonard went into foster care, moved in with a sibling, or was left to his own devises. His name may have been changed in the foster care system or Leonard Johnston may have simply been an alias.
Leonard has not been found in the census of 1930. During that census his sister Onda Brown, was in Long Beach with her husband and two children, Bettie and Arthur. At the same time brother Oral was in Fresno County with his wife and first child. Oral was a truck driver.
On 8/10/1932 in San Jose, California, Leonard was arrested with another young man. They were charged with armed robbery of a service station. They stole $12.50. He was sentenced to 5 to life for 1st degree robbery. Leonard had no previous criminal record. On 8/19/1932 he entered Folsom Prison. It was reported he was 26, born in Kansas, 5 feet 10 inches tall with grey eyes and light brown hair. His occupation was listed as a cook. He was released in October 1936. He was then living in Grass Valley, California where he was an unemployed restaurant cook. On 9/10/1937 in Portland, Oregon he was arrested for robbing $105 from the Employees Finance Company. He confessed to an attempted robbery of a grocery store and a robbery of a service station for $9.50. It was said the gun he was carrying was a toy.
On 9/17/1937 Leonard was admitted to the Oregon State Penitentiary. On 8/18/1939 after having been an inmate for almost 2 years, he died there of tuberculosis with profuse bleeding. His death certificate indicated he was married. No other record of that has been found.
His sister Onda Brown had 2 children (Bettie & Arthur) and he died on 6/28/1956 in Los Angeles. His brother Oral had three children (Oral, Jr., Donald, & Marilyn) and he died in Fresno County, California on 6/28/1960.
It is believed Leonard Johnston’s given name was Oren Turner His death notices posted in the newspapers of Salem, Oregon referred to him as Leonard Johnston and reported he was “survived by brother Oral Turner of Fresno and a sister Mrs. Onda Brown of Long Beach California.” Because Leonard is the name on his death certificate that name will be used in this biography.
Leonard was born about 1906 in Kansas. His mother, Bertha Burger, was born in Indiana in 1882. His father, William Allen Turner, was born in Ohio in 1879. They were married in Wells County, Indiana on 12/12/1900. It was the first marriage for each of them. Their children included: Onda (born in Indiana about 1901), Oral (Indiana about 1903), and Oren (aka Leonard in 1906 in Kansas).
At the time of the 1910 census Leonard was 4 years old. He was listed as Oren, living with his parents and older siblings in Tioga, Neosho County, Kansas. His father was a laborer in the oil fields. The family moved from Kansas to California in 1915. Leonard’s father died of tuberculosis on 2/9/1916 at the age of 36. Leonard was 9 or 10 years old.
During the 1920 census, Oren was 14 with his mother and brother in Hanford, King County, California. He was attending school and working as a telegrapher for Western Union. His brother, Oral, was 17 and working as a garage mechanic. His widowed mother was not employed. In the 1920 census Leonard’s sister Onda was living in Long Beach, California with her husband Joseph V. Brown, a theater worker
At some point between 1920 and 1922, Leonard’s mother married John Nelson Crye. Leonard’s mother died on 8/14/1922 at the age of 40 in Los Angeles. Leonard was about 16. Although his step-father was alive and could have become Leonard’s guardian, it is suspected Leonard went into foster care, moved in with a sibling, or was left to his own devises. His name may have been changed in the foster care system or Leonard Johnston may have simply been an alias.
Leonard has not been found in the census of 1930. During that census his sister Onda Brown, was in Long Beach with her husband and two children, Bettie and Arthur. At the same time brother Oral was in Fresno County with his wife and first child. Oral was a truck driver.
On 8/10/1932 in San Jose, California, Leonard was arrested with another young man. They were charged with armed robbery of a service station. They stole $12.50. He was sentenced to 5 to life for 1st degree robbery. Leonard had no previous criminal record. On 8/19/1932 he entered Folsom Prison. It was reported he was 26, born in Kansas, 5 feet 10 inches tall with grey eyes and light brown hair. His occupation was listed as a cook. He was released in October 1936. He was then living in Grass Valley, California where he was an unemployed restaurant cook. On 9/10/1937 in Portland, Oregon he was arrested for robbing $105 from the Employees Finance Company. He confessed to an attempted robbery of a grocery store and a robbery of a service station for $9.50. It was said the gun he was carrying was a toy.
On 9/17/1937 Leonard was admitted to the Oregon State Penitentiary. On 8/18/1939 after having been an inmate for almost 2 years, he died there of tuberculosis with profuse bleeding. His death certificate indicated he was married. No other record of that has been found.
His sister Onda Brown had 2 children (Bettie & Arthur) and he died on 6/28/1956 in Los Angeles. His brother Oral had three children (Oral, Jr., Donald, & Marilyn) and he died in Fresno County, California on 6/28/1960.
Leonard’s cremated remains were never taken after his death and are still available at the Oregon State Hospital to be claimed by anyone who is related. More information about unclaimed cremains at OSH is available at http://www.oregon.gov/oha/osh/Pages/cremains.aspx A book by David Maisel and a short documentary film by Ondi Timoner & Robert James, both entitled "Library of Dust" also provide more information.
It is believed Leonard Johnston’s given name was Oren Turner His death notices posted in the newspapers of Salem, Oregon referred to him as Leonard Johnston and reported he was “survived by brother Oral Turner of Fresno and a sister Mrs. Onda Brown of Long Beach California.” Because Leonard is the name on his death certificate that name will be used in this biography.
Leonard was born about 1906 in Kansas. His mother, Bertha Burger, was born in Indiana in 1882. His father, William Allen Turner, was born in Ohio in 1879. They were married in Wells County, Indiana on 12/12/1900. It was the first marriage for each of them. Their children included: Onda (born in Indiana about 1901), Oral (Indiana about 1903), and Oren (aka Leonard in 1906 in Kansas).
At the time of the 1910 census Leonard was 4 years old. He was listed as Oren, living with his parents and older siblings in Tioga, Neosho County, Kansas. His father was a laborer in the oil fields. The family moved from Kansas to California in 1915. Leonard’s father died of tuberculosis on 2/9/1916 at the age of 36. Leonard was 9 or 10 years old.
During the 1920 census, Oren was 14 with his mother and brother in Hanford, King County, California. He was attending school and working as a telegrapher for Western Union. His brother, Oral, was 17 and working as a garage mechanic. His widowed mother was not employed. In the 1920 census Leonard’s sister Onda was living in Long Beach, California with her husband Joseph V. Brown, a theater worker
At some point between 1920 and 1922, Leonard’s mother married John Nelson Crye. Leonard’s mother died on 8/14/1922 at the age of 40 in Los Angeles. Leonard was about 16. Although his step-father was alive and could have become Leonard’s guardian, it is suspected Leonard went into foster care, moved in with a sibling, or was left to his own devises. His name may have been changed in the foster care system or Leonard Johnston may have simply been an alias.
Leonard has not been found in the census of 1930. During that census his sister Onda Brown, was in Long Beach with her husband and two children, Bettie and Arthur. At the same time brother Oral was in Fresno County with his wife and first child. Oral was a truck driver.
On 8/10/1932 in San Jose, California, Leonard was arrested with another young man. They were charged with armed robbery of a service station. They stole $12.50. He was sentenced to 5 to life for 1st degree robbery. Leonard had no previous criminal record. On 8/19/1932 he entered Folsom Prison. It was reported he was 26, born in Kansas, 5 feet 10 inches tall with grey eyes and light brown hair. His occupation was listed as a cook. He was released in October 1936. He was then living in Grass Valley, California where he was an unemployed restaurant cook. On 9/10/1937 in Portland, Oregon he was arrested for robbing $105 from the Employees Finance Company. He confessed to an attempted robbery of a grocery store and a robbery of a service station for $9.50. It was said the gun he was carrying was a toy.
On 9/17/1937 Leonard was admitted to the Oregon State Penitentiary. On 8/18/1939 after having been an inmate for almost 2 years, he died there of tuberculosis with profuse bleeding. His death certificate indicated he was married. No other record of that has been found.
His sister Onda Brown had 2 children (Bettie & Arthur) and he died on 6/28/1956 in Los Angeles. His brother Oral had three children (Oral, Jr., Donald, & Marilyn) and he died in Fresno County, California on 6/28/1960.
It is believed Leonard Johnston’s given name was Oren Turner His death notices posted in the newspapers of Salem, Oregon referred to him as Leonard Johnston and reported he was “survived by brother Oral Turner of Fresno and a sister Mrs. Onda Brown of Long Beach California.” Because Leonard is the name on his death certificate that name will be used in this biography.
Leonard was born about 1906 in Kansas. His mother, Bertha Burger, was born in Indiana in 1882. His father, William Allen Turner, was born in Ohio in 1879. They were married in Wells County, Indiana on 12/12/1900. It was the first marriage for each of them. Their children included: Onda (born in Indiana about 1901), Oral (Indiana about 1903), and Oren (aka Leonard in 1906 in Kansas).
At the time of the 1910 census Leonard was 4 years old. He was listed as Oren, living with his parents and older siblings in Tioga, Neosho County, Kansas. His father was a laborer in the oil fields. The family moved from Kansas to California in 1915. Leonard’s father died of tuberculosis on 2/9/1916 at the age of 36. Leonard was 9 or 10 years old.
During the 1920 census, Oren was 14 with his mother and brother in Hanford, King County, California. He was attending school and working as a telegrapher for Western Union. His brother, Oral, was 17 and working as a garage mechanic. His widowed mother was not employed. In the 1920 census Leonard’s sister Onda was living in Long Beach, California with her husband Joseph V. Brown, a theater worker
At some point between 1920 and 1922, Leonard’s mother married John Nelson Crye. Leonard’s mother died on 8/14/1922 at the age of 40 in Los Angeles. Leonard was about 16. Although his step-father was alive and could have become Leonard’s guardian, it is suspected Leonard went into foster care, moved in with a sibling, or was left to his own devises. His name may have been changed in the foster care system or Leonard Johnston may have simply been an alias.
Leonard has not been found in the census of 1930. During that census his sister Onda Brown, was in Long Beach with her husband and two children, Bettie and Arthur. At the same time brother Oral was in Fresno County with his wife and first child. Oral was a truck driver.
On 8/10/1932 in San Jose, California, Leonard was arrested with another young man. They were charged with armed robbery of a service station. They stole $12.50. He was sentenced to 5 to life for 1st degree robbery. Leonard had no previous criminal record. On 8/19/1932 he entered Folsom Prison. It was reported he was 26, born in Kansas, 5 feet 10 inches tall with grey eyes and light brown hair. His occupation was listed as a cook. He was released in October 1936. He was then living in Grass Valley, California where he was an unemployed restaurant cook. On 9/10/1937 in Portland, Oregon he was arrested for robbing $105 from the Employees Finance Company. He confessed to an attempted robbery of a grocery store and a robbery of a service station for $9.50. It was said the gun he was carrying was a toy.
On 9/17/1937 Leonard was admitted to the Oregon State Penitentiary. On 8/18/1939 after having been an inmate for almost 2 years, he died there of tuberculosis with profuse bleeding. His death certificate indicated he was married. No other record of that has been found.
His sister Onda Brown had 2 children (Bettie & Arthur) and he died on 6/28/1956 in Los Angeles. His brother Oral had three children (Oral, Jr., Donald, & Marilyn) and he died in Fresno County, California on 6/28/1960.
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