Josephine "Josie" (Bennett) Johnson was the oldest daughter of Amos Bennett (1834-1917) who was born in Kentucky, lived in Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, and died in Arkansas. Amos Bennett is believed to have had three wives, Sarah Jane Bookin, Elizabeth/Lizzy (maiden name unknown), and Rodhie Ellen Bryant. It is believed that Josie's mother was first wife Sarah Jane.
Josie's tombstone shows she was born in February, 1857 in Arkansas. Some census records show she was born in 1862. Amos Bennett married Sarah Jane Bookin in Putnam County, Missouri, on March 8, 1855. They apparently moved to Arkansas shortly after their marriage because census records show that Josie was born in Arkansas.
Amos Bennett had been living in Schuyler County, Missouri in the late 1850s at least. He was listed as a 28-year-old married man on the U. S. Civil War Draft Registration Record showing men subject for draft, dated July 1, 1863. However, Amos Bennett was no longer living in Missouri at this time, but was in Arkansas and had already enlisted in the Confederate Army in Arkansas. His pension papers show he served from 1861 to 1865.
Josie's known siblings or half-siblings from Amos Bennett's first and/or second marriage were:
Rosetta L. "Etta" (Bennett) Brown 1864-
Joseph Warren Bennett 1868-
Frances/Fannie Bennett 1869-
Dora Bennett 1871-
Rhoda May Bennett 1873-
Amos Bennett married again late in life when he was 65 to 26-year-old Rodhie Ellen (Bryant) Hamilton, a widow with one son named Charles Thomas Hamilton born about 1895. Amos and Rodhie had the following known children who were also Josie's half-siblings (all but one died young):
Perlina Bennett 1901-1917
James Amos Bennett 1905-1922
Letely Sebetha Bennett 1911-1911
Leonard Ezekiel Bennett 1913-2003
When Josie was in her teens or twenties, she became a school teacher, presumbably in Crawford County, Arkansas. The story has been told of how a young man named Stephen Johnson became interested in courting Josie, but her father Amos 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 was Jaylee (Asbell) Johnson whose 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 must not have harbored ill feelings against her father as she named one of her son's after him. Josie and Stephen had the following known children:
Jessie Johnson 1886-
Margaret Johnson 1893-1943
Amos Johnson 1898-
William Johnson 1903-
Annie Johnson 1907-
Stephen Johnson was a carpenter and also worked for the railroad laying ties. He served as a U. S. Marshall and became a Church of Christ minister. These latter two occupation are inscribed on his tombstone.
- Written by Blytha (Dennis) Ellis, cousin to both Josie and Stephen.
Josie's tombstone shows she was born in February, 1857 in Arkansas. Some census records show she was born in 1862. Amos Bennett married Sarah Jane Bookin in Putnam County, Missouri, on March 8, 1855. They apparently moved to Arkansas shortly after their marriage because census records show that Josie was born in Arkansas.
Amos Bennett had been living in Schuyler County, Missouri in the late 1850s at least. He was listed as a 28-year-old married man on the U. S. Civil War Draft Registration Record showing men subject for draft, dated July 1, 1863. However, Amos Bennett was no longer living in Missouri at this time, but was in Arkansas and had already enlisted in the Confederate Army in Arkansas. His pension papers show he served from 1861 to 1865.
Josie's known siblings or half-siblings from Amos Bennett's first and/or second marriage were:
Rosetta L. "Etta" (Bennett) Brown 1864-
Joseph Warren Bennett 1868-
Frances/Fannie Bennett 1869-
Dora Bennett 1871-
Rhoda May Bennett 1873-
Amos Bennett married again late in life when he was 65 to 26-year-old Rodhie Ellen (Bryant) Hamilton, a widow with one son named Charles Thomas Hamilton born about 1895. Amos and Rodhie had the following known children who were also Josie's half-siblings (all but one died young):
Perlina Bennett 1901-1917
James Amos Bennett 1905-1922
Letely Sebetha Bennett 1911-1911
Leonard Ezekiel Bennett 1913-2003
When Josie was in her teens or twenties, she became a school teacher, presumbably in Crawford County, Arkansas. The story has been told of how a young man named Stephen Johnson became interested in courting Josie, but her father Amos 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 was Jaylee (Asbell) Johnson whose 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 must not have harbored ill feelings against her father as she named one of her son's after him. Josie and Stephen had the following known children:
Jessie Johnson 1886-
Margaret Johnson 1893-1943
Amos Johnson 1898-
William Johnson 1903-
Annie Johnson 1907-
Stephen Johnson was a carpenter and also worked for the railroad laying ties. He served as a U. S. Marshall and became a Church of Christ minister. These latter two occupation are inscribed on his tombstone.
- Written by Blytha (Dennis) Ellis, cousin to both Josie and Stephen.
Josephine "Josie" (Bennett) Johnson was the oldest daughter of Amos Bennett (1834-1917) who was born in Kentucky, lived in Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, and died in Arkansas. Amos Bennett is believed to have had three wives, Sarah Jane Bookin, Elizabeth/Lizzy (maiden name unknown), and Rodhie Ellen Bryant. It is believed that Josie's mother was first wife Sarah Jane.
Josie's tombstone shows she was born in February, 1857 in Arkansas. Some census records show she was born in 1862. Amos Bennett married Sarah Jane Bookin in Putnam County, Missouri, on March 8, 1855. They apparently moved to Arkansas shortly after their marriage because census records show that Josie was born in Arkansas.
Amos Bennett had been living in Schuyler County, Missouri in the late 1850s at least. He was listed as a 28-year-old married man on the U. S. Civil War Draft Registration Record showing men subject for draft, dated July 1, 1863. However, Amos Bennett was no longer living in Missouri at this time, but was in Arkansas and had already enlisted in the Confederate Army in Arkansas. His pension papers show he served from 1861 to 1865.
Josie's known siblings or half-siblings from Amos Bennett's first and/or second marriage were:
Rosetta L. "Etta" (Bennett) Brown 1864-
Joseph Warren Bennett 1868-
Frances/Fannie Bennett 1869-
Dora Bennett 1871-
Rhoda May Bennett 1873-
Amos Bennett married again late in life when he was 65 to 26-year-old Rodhie Ellen (Bryant) Hamilton, a widow with one son named Charles Thomas Hamilton born about 1895. Amos and Rodhie had the following known children who were also Josie's half-siblings (all but one died young):
Perlina Bennett 1901-1917
James Amos Bennett 1905-1922
Letely Sebetha Bennett 1911-1911
Leonard Ezekiel Bennett 1913-2003
When Josie was in her teens or twenties, she became a school teacher, presumbably in Crawford County, Arkansas. The story has been told of how a young man named Stephen Johnson became interested in courting Josie, but her father Amos 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 was Jaylee (Asbell) Johnson whose 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 must not have harbored ill feelings against her father as she named one of her son's after him. Josie and Stephen had the following known children:
Jessie Johnson 1886-
Margaret Johnson 1893-1943
Amos Johnson 1898-
William Johnson 1903-
Annie Johnson 1907-
Stephen Johnson was a carpenter and also worked for the railroad laying ties. He served as a U. S. Marshall and became a Church of Christ minister. These latter two occupation are inscribed on his tombstone.
- Written by Blytha (Dennis) Ellis, cousin to both Josie and Stephen.
Josie's tombstone shows she was born in February, 1857 in Arkansas. Some census records show she was born in 1862. Amos Bennett married Sarah Jane Bookin in Putnam County, Missouri, on March 8, 1855. They apparently moved to Arkansas shortly after their marriage because census records show that Josie was born in Arkansas.
Amos Bennett had been living in Schuyler County, Missouri in the late 1850s at least. He was listed as a 28-year-old married man on the U. S. Civil War Draft Registration Record showing men subject for draft, dated July 1, 1863. However, Amos Bennett was no longer living in Missouri at this time, but was in Arkansas and had already enlisted in the Confederate Army in Arkansas. His pension papers show he served from 1861 to 1865.
Josie's known siblings or half-siblings from Amos Bennett's first and/or second marriage were:
Rosetta L. "Etta" (Bennett) Brown 1864-
Joseph Warren Bennett 1868-
Frances/Fannie Bennett 1869-
Dora Bennett 1871-
Rhoda May Bennett 1873-
Amos Bennett married again late in life when he was 65 to 26-year-old Rodhie Ellen (Bryant) Hamilton, a widow with one son named Charles Thomas Hamilton born about 1895. Amos and Rodhie had the following known children who were also Josie's half-siblings (all but one died young):
Perlina Bennett 1901-1917
James Amos Bennett 1905-1922
Letely Sebetha Bennett 1911-1911
Leonard Ezekiel Bennett 1913-2003
When Josie was in her teens or twenties, she became a school teacher, presumbably in Crawford County, Arkansas. The story has been told of how a young man named Stephen Johnson became interested in courting Josie, but her father Amos 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 was Jaylee (Asbell) Johnson whose 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 must not have harbored ill feelings against her father as she named one of her son's after him. Josie and Stephen had the following known children:
Jessie Johnson 1886-
Margaret Johnson 1893-1943
Amos Johnson 1898-
William Johnson 1903-
Annie Johnson 1907-
Stephen Johnson was a carpenter and also worked for the railroad laying ties. He served as a U. S. Marshall and became a Church of Christ minister. These latter two occupation are inscribed on his tombstone.
- Written by Blytha (Dennis) Ellis, cousin to both Josie and Stephen.
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