This writer believes that the birth year for Stephen Johnson on his tombstone is incorrect. If he was born in 1857, he would have been listed in the 1860 census with his parents and siblings, but he was not listed in that census. The youngest two children listed in that census were Benj 4 and Charles 1. In the 1870 census, Stephen was listed as 8 years old, making him born in 1862. His brothers Benj and Charles were ages 14 and 12 in this census. Stephen cannot be found in the 1880 census, but in 1900, he was 38, again showing he was born in about 1862. The same for the 1910 census when he was 48. In 1930, he was shown as 69.
Stephen Johnson was the son of William Monroe Johnson (1822-1895) and Jaley (Asbell) Johnson (1825-1893), both of whom were born in Kentucky and died in Oklahoma.
Stephen had the following known siblings:
Alexander Johnson 1844-
Younger Johnson 1845-
Ruth E. Johnson 1848-
Felix Johnson 1850-
James Monroe Johnson 1852-
Jane A. Johnson 1854-
Benjamin Franklin Johnson 1855-1926
Charles Johnson 1858-
Susan Ann Johnson 1870-
When Stephen was in his early 20s, he began courting a school teacher names Josephine/Josie Bennett presumbably in Crawford County, Arkansas. The story has been told of how Josie's father, Amos Bennett, did not approve. To prevent them from seeing each other or to keep Josie from possibly running away, Amos would lock her in her room at night. But, Stephen and Josie were secretly meeting during the day before and after school.
It is unknown why Amos objected to Stephen Johnson as a suitor for his daughter, but it may have been because Stephen and Josie were related. They were 3rd cousins. Amos Bennett and Stephen's mother were 1st cousins. Stephen's mother Jaylee (Asbell) Johnson's father Ross Asbill was a brother to Amos Bennett's mother Lydia (Asbell) Bennett.
But this did not deter Stephen and Josie who decided to elope. Josie started sneaking clothes and personal items out of her house every morning and taking them to the school where she taught. Before long, she had assembled everything she needed, and she and Stephen ran off to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and got married. This was in about 1883, although a record of their marriage has not been found. After getting married, they caught the ferry across the Arkansas River into Indian Territory. They made their home in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, for several years. Later, they lived in the Nicut area and also in Jay, Oklahoma. Josephine became a nurse and mid-wife, and these vocations are printed on her tombstone.
Josie and Stephen had the following known children:
Jessie Johnson 1886-
Margaret Johnson 1893-1943
Amos Johnson 1898-
William Johnson 1903-
Annie Johnson 1907-
This writer has a letter written by Josie's sister Etta (Bennett) Brown in the 1890s which states in part, "sister Josie, she lives in Tehlequah in the Indian Territory. She is the mother of 6 children and they are dead, but one." Obviously, the living child was Margaret, listed above, but the names of all the other children are not known to this writer.
Stephen Johnson was a carpenter and also worked for the railroad laying ties. He served as a U.S. Deputy Marshal for Judge Isaac Parker in 1880 and was also a Church of Christ minister. These latter two occupations are inscribed on his tombstone. There is also a family story that Stephen was a coffin maker. He once made a coffin for his cousin at the cousin's request while he was still living. This was when both Stephen and his cousin were Deputy Marshals during a dangerous time, and the cousin wanted to be prepared.
- Written by Blytha (Dennis) Ellis, cousin to both Josie and Stephen.
Stephen Johnson was the son of William Monroe Johnson (1822-1895) and Jaley (Asbell) Johnson (1825-1893), both of whom were born in Kentucky and died in Oklahoma.
Stephen had the following known siblings:
Alexander Johnson 1844-
Younger Johnson 1845-
Ruth E. Johnson 1848-
Felix Johnson 1850-
James Monroe Johnson 1852-
Jane A. Johnson 1854-
Benjamin Franklin Johnson 1855-1926
Charles Johnson 1858-
Susan Ann Johnson 1870-
When Stephen was in his early 20s, he began courting a school teacher names Josephine/Josie Bennett presumbably in Crawford County, Arkansas. The story has been told of how Josie's father, Amos Bennett, did not approve. To prevent them from seeing each other or to keep Josie from possibly running away, Amos would lock her in her room at night. But, Stephen and Josie were secretly meeting during the day before and after school.
It is unknown why Amos objected to Stephen Johnson as a suitor for his daughter, but it may have been because Stephen and Josie were related. They were 3rd cousins. Amos Bennett and Stephen's mother were 1st cousins. Stephen's mother Jaylee (Asbell) Johnson's father Ross Asbill was a brother to Amos Bennett's mother Lydia (Asbell) Bennett.
But this did not deter Stephen and Josie who decided to elope. Josie started sneaking clothes and personal items out of her house every morning and taking them to the school where she taught. Before long, she had assembled everything she needed, and she and Stephen ran off to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and got married. This was in about 1883, although a record of their marriage has not been found. After getting married, they caught the ferry across the Arkansas River into Indian Territory. They made their home in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, for several years. Later, they lived in the Nicut area and also in Jay, Oklahoma. Josephine became a nurse and mid-wife, and these vocations are printed on her tombstone.
Josie and Stephen had the following known children:
Jessie Johnson 1886-
Margaret Johnson 1893-1943
Amos Johnson 1898-
William Johnson 1903-
Annie Johnson 1907-
This writer has a letter written by Josie's sister Etta (Bennett) Brown in the 1890s which states in part, "sister Josie, she lives in Tehlequah in the Indian Territory. She is the mother of 6 children and they are dead, but one." Obviously, the living child was Margaret, listed above, but the names of all the other children are not known to this writer.
Stephen Johnson was a carpenter and also worked for the railroad laying ties. He served as a U.S. Deputy Marshal for Judge Isaac Parker in 1880 and was also a Church of Christ minister. These latter two occupations are inscribed on his tombstone. There is also a family story that Stephen was a coffin maker. He once made a coffin for his cousin at the cousin's request while he was still living. This was when both Stephen and his cousin were Deputy Marshals during a dangerous time, and the cousin wanted to be prepared.
- Written by Blytha (Dennis) Ellis, cousin to both Josie and Stephen.
This writer believes that the birth year for Stephen Johnson on his tombstone is incorrect. If he was born in 1857, he would have been listed in the 1860 census with his parents and siblings, but he was not listed in that census. The youngest two children listed in that census were Benj 4 and Charles 1. In the 1870 census, Stephen was listed as 8 years old, making him born in 1862. His brothers Benj and Charles were ages 14 and 12 in this census. Stephen cannot be found in the 1880 census, but in 1900, he was 38, again showing he was born in about 1862. The same for the 1910 census when he was 48. In 1930, he was shown as 69.
Stephen Johnson was the son of William Monroe Johnson (1822-1895) and Jaley (Asbell) Johnson (1825-1893), both of whom were born in Kentucky and died in Oklahoma.
Stephen had the following known siblings:
Alexander Johnson 1844-
Younger Johnson 1845-
Ruth E. Johnson 1848-
Felix Johnson 1850-
James Monroe Johnson 1852-
Jane A. Johnson 1854-
Benjamin Franklin Johnson 1855-1926
Charles Johnson 1858-
Susan Ann Johnson 1870-
When Stephen was in his early 20s, he began courting a school teacher names Josephine/Josie Bennett presumbably in Crawford County, Arkansas. The story has been told of how Josie's father, Amos Bennett, did not approve. To prevent them from seeing each other or to keep Josie from possibly running away, Amos would lock her in her room at night. But, Stephen and Josie were secretly meeting during the day before and after school.
It is unknown why Amos objected to Stephen Johnson as a suitor for his daughter, but it may have been because Stephen and Josie were related. They were 3rd cousins. Amos Bennett and Stephen's mother were 1st cousins. Stephen's mother Jaylee (Asbell) Johnson's father Ross Asbill was a brother to Amos Bennett's mother Lydia (Asbell) Bennett.
But this did not deter Stephen and Josie who decided to elope. Josie started sneaking clothes and personal items out of her house every morning and taking them to the school where she taught. Before long, she had assembled everything she needed, and she and Stephen ran off to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and got married. This was in about 1883, although a record of their marriage has not been found. After getting married, they caught the ferry across the Arkansas River into Indian Territory. They made their home in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, for several years. Later, they lived in the Nicut area and also in Jay, Oklahoma. Josephine became a nurse and mid-wife, and these vocations are printed on her tombstone.
Josie and Stephen had the following known children:
Jessie Johnson 1886-
Margaret Johnson 1893-1943
Amos Johnson 1898-
William Johnson 1903-
Annie Johnson 1907-
This writer has a letter written by Josie's sister Etta (Bennett) Brown in the 1890s which states in part, "sister Josie, she lives in Tehlequah in the Indian Territory. She is the mother of 6 children and they are dead, but one." Obviously, the living child was Margaret, listed above, but the names of all the other children are not known to this writer.
Stephen Johnson was a carpenter and also worked for the railroad laying ties. He served as a U.S. Deputy Marshal for Judge Isaac Parker in 1880 and was also a Church of Christ minister. These latter two occupations are inscribed on his tombstone. There is also a family story that Stephen was a coffin maker. He once made a coffin for his cousin at the cousin's request while he was still living. This was when both Stephen and his cousin were Deputy Marshals during a dangerous time, and the cousin wanted to be prepared.
- Written by Blytha (Dennis) Ellis, cousin to both Josie and Stephen.
Stephen Johnson was the son of William Monroe Johnson (1822-1895) and Jaley (Asbell) Johnson (1825-1893), both of whom were born in Kentucky and died in Oklahoma.
Stephen had the following known siblings:
Alexander Johnson 1844-
Younger Johnson 1845-
Ruth E. Johnson 1848-
Felix Johnson 1850-
James Monroe Johnson 1852-
Jane A. Johnson 1854-
Benjamin Franklin Johnson 1855-1926
Charles Johnson 1858-
Susan Ann Johnson 1870-
When Stephen was in his early 20s, he began courting a school teacher names Josephine/Josie Bennett presumbably in Crawford County, Arkansas. The story has been told of how Josie's father, Amos Bennett, did not approve. To prevent them from seeing each other or to keep Josie from possibly running away, Amos would lock her in her room at night. But, Stephen and Josie were secretly meeting during the day before and after school.
It is unknown why Amos objected to Stephen Johnson as a suitor for his daughter, but it may have been because Stephen and Josie were related. They were 3rd cousins. Amos Bennett and Stephen's mother were 1st cousins. Stephen's mother Jaylee (Asbell) Johnson's father Ross Asbill was a brother to Amos Bennett's mother Lydia (Asbell) Bennett.
But this did not deter Stephen and Josie who decided to elope. Josie started sneaking clothes and personal items out of her house every morning and taking them to the school where she taught. Before long, she had assembled everything she needed, and she and Stephen ran off to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and got married. This was in about 1883, although a record of their marriage has not been found. After getting married, they caught the ferry across the Arkansas River into Indian Territory. They made their home in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, for several years. Later, they lived in the Nicut area and also in Jay, Oklahoma. Josephine became a nurse and mid-wife, and these vocations are printed on her tombstone.
Josie and Stephen had the following known children:
Jessie Johnson 1886-
Margaret Johnson 1893-1943
Amos Johnson 1898-
William Johnson 1903-
Annie Johnson 1907-
This writer has a letter written by Josie's sister Etta (Bennett) Brown in the 1890s which states in part, "sister Josie, she lives in Tehlequah in the Indian Territory. She is the mother of 6 children and they are dead, but one." Obviously, the living child was Margaret, listed above, but the names of all the other children are not known to this writer.
Stephen Johnson was a carpenter and also worked for the railroad laying ties. He served as a U.S. Deputy Marshal for Judge Isaac Parker in 1880 and was also a Church of Christ minister. These latter two occupations are inscribed on his tombstone. There is also a family story that Stephen was a coffin maker. He once made a coffin for his cousin at the cousin's request while he was still living. This was when both Stephen and his cousin were Deputy Marshals during a dangerous time, and the cousin wanted to be prepared.
- Written by Blytha (Dennis) Ellis, cousin to both Josie and Stephen.
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