Ivy was born 15 Sep 1877 in Webfoot, Linn, Oregon to Thomas Henderson Barnhart 1835 – 1921 and Mary Magdalene Letterman 1835 – 1902. Ivy was the youngest of 11 children that the couple had. Her mother was 42 when Ivy was born. Two of the preceding children born by Mary Magdalene Letterman, H.S. Barnhart and L G Barnhart, didn't survive for more than 1 year. This would be a sad precursor to Ivy's life.

Ivy's siblings:

William Frederick Barnhart 1856 – 1921
Francis Frank Cooke Barnhart 1858 – 1932
Mary C L Barnhart 1860 –
George Washington Barnhart 1862 – 1945
Hanah Hily Ann Delilah Barnhart 1864 – 1926
Adeline Charity"Addie" Barnhart 1866 – 1927
L G Barnhart 1867 – 1867
Schuyler C Barnhart 1869 – 1892
Sarah Jane Barnhart 1871 – 1934
H.S. Barnhart 1872 – 1873

Unfortunately, Ivy Martha Barnhart lived a very, very difficult life. There is simply no other way to describe it.

Major events in Ivy's life:

15 Sep 1877 Birth Webfoot, Linn, Oregon
1899- Jim is awarded a Land Patent of 160 acres of property East of the recently formed town of Twisp.
8 Jan 1896- Marriage to James Johnson, 18 years old
22 Nov 1896- Birth of James Aaron Age: 19
23 Jan 1898- Birth of Aaron Colfax Age: 20
7 Mar 1899= Birth of Mina Eldeen Age: 21
25 Jul 1900- Birth of Henry Birth Age: 22
25 Jul 1900- Birth pf Henry Age: 22
17 May 1901- Henry's death, the first of 5 children Age: 23
Buried in Beaver Creek Cemetery
13 Feb 1902- Birth of Mary Susan Age: 24
4 Apr 1903- Eastern Washington State Hospital Age: 25
Ordered by the Court, reason: Insanity
27 Jun 1905- Eastern Washington State Hospital RELEASE Age: 27 Reason: "Improved"
28 Apr 1906- Birth of Johnny Johnson Age: 28
20 May 1906- Johnny's death- Age: 28
Ivy's second child lost. Buried in Beaver Creek Cemetery
18 Jun 1907- Birth of Earl Ervin Arthur Johnson Age: 29
24 Dec 1908- Birth of William *Henery Johnson Age: 31
*- note the name similarity in the Henry that died. This infant is presumed to have passed also, all tho a grave site has not been found. He does not appear on the 1910 Census, giving ride to the belief that he has passed. A death certificate has never been found. Of interesting hote here is that the other four Johnson children that pass are found at the Beaver Creek Cemetery in Twisp. This is the only one that isn't. There have been family rumors that, on the homestead there was a location where the children were never allowed. Some believe it to be the burial site of a child and an adult.
24 Dec 1909- Birth of Orin E Johnson Age: 32
7 Jul 1911- Birth of TWINS Genevieve Ruth and Jerome Age: 33
9 Jun 1913- Birth of Elmer *William Birth Age: 35
*note the name similarity of the third child that passed
4 Jan 1915- Birth of Francis Geraldine Age: 37
28 Jul 1918- Birth of Annie Laura Age: 40
13 Apr 1920- Birth of Ione Pearl Age: 42
24 Jan 1922- Ione Pearl DEATH Age: 44
Buried in Beaver Creek Cemetery
2 Mar 1922- Annie Laura DEATH Age: 44
Buried in Beaver Creek Cemetery
27 Feb 1926- Eastern Washington State Hospital Age: 48
Committed for attempting to ingest carbonic acid
28 Mar 1926- Eastern Washington State Hospital RELEASED
25 Jun 1926- Eastern Washington State Hospital- Final and permanent commitment
Ineresting vitals: 5 ft 1 1/4 inches, 160 lbs 7th Day Adventist 2 brothers living/1 dead 3 sisters living/1 dead

28 Mar 1946- Death Age: 68
Medical Lake, Spokane, Washington, USA

RECORDS:

The first hard documentation we see of Ivy is the 1880 census, when she was 2; berth records at this time were nonexistent.

1880 United States Federal Census about Ivy Barnhart
Name: Ivy Barnhart
Age: 2
Birth Year: abt 1878
Birthplace: Oregon
Home in 1880: East Kittitass, Yakima, Washington
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: Thomas Barnhart
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Name: Mary Barnhart
Mother's Birthplace: Indiana
Neighbors: View others on page
Cannot read/write:
Blind:
Deaf and dumb:
Otherwise disabled:
Idiotic or insane:
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Barnhart 44
Mary Barnhart 45
George Barnhart 18
Hanah Barnhart 16
Addie Barnhart 14
Schuyly Barnhart 11
Sarah Barnhart 9
Ivy Barnhart 2


In this census, we see that the family has moved to what will become Ellensburg, WA and older brothers William Frederick Barnhart 1856 – 1921 and Francis Frank Cooke Barnhart 1858 – 1932 and aster Mary C L Barnhart 1860 – ? are not in the home. We know the life of Frank, AKA "Cookie", as it is well documented in our history. What became of Mary and William is a mystery still. Frank is rumored to have died in Iceland in 1921. Mary we see in the 1870 Census when she was 9. She would have been 19 here but we have found nothing for her past 1870.

H.S. Barnhart 1872 – 1873, whom was 6 years older than Ivy, passed before his first birthday. We are still looking for his burial location as we are also for L G Barnhart 1867 – 1867 whom appears to have been still born.

The next documentation is a Marriage Certificate to James Johnson which was awarded in Okanogan County on 8 Jan 1896.

Unfortunately there is no 1890 Federal census to provide us with some clues as to what has happened over the next decade. What we do know is that Ivy married James Johnson on 8 Jan 1896 at the age of 18 and presumably moved to the Methow Valley then.

In 1899, Jim Johnson is awarded a "Land Patent" from the Bureau of Land Management of 160 acres just east of Twisp. The couple would build a house and make their home on the "homestead". Jim would sell the property to son Aaron Colfax Johnson in 1943, at which time records show that the property has grown to just under 800 acres. Over time, a lake by the property would become Jim Johnson Lake.

But enough of that, this is Ivys' story. And Ivy has a difficult story to tell.

Between 1896 and 1920, the couple would produce 15 children. Sadly, only 10 will survive to adulthood.

1900 CENSUS-
1900 United States Federal Census about Ivy M Johnson
Name: Ivy M Johnson
Age: 22
Birth Date: Sep 1877
Birthplace: Oregon
Home in 1900: Brewster, Okanogan, Washington
[Okanogan]
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: James Johnson
Marriage Year: 1896
Years Married: 4
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Indiana
Mother: number of living children: 3
Mother: How many children: 3
Household Members:
Name Age
James Johnson 33
Ivy M Johnson 22
James A Johnson 3
Aaron C Johnson 2
Mina Johnson 1
Chas G Love 24

In the 1900 census, the James and Ivy Johnson family was just beginning and we have 3 young children and Ivy was expecting a forth, Henry, at the time of the census. Henry would live until 17 May 1901, less than one year, before passing. Henry is the first of what will become 5 Johnson children passing between 1901 and 1922.

Chase Love is believed to be a farm hand working for Jim at the time. This is a bit controversial tho. Their residence
in the census is listed as Brewster, Lower Methow, Silver Methow, Winthrop, and Squaw Creek Precincts, Okanogan, Washington. They obviously were not living on the "homestead" at this time.

1920 United States Federal Census about Ivy M Johnson
Name: Ivy M Johnson
Age: 42
Birth Year: abt 1878
Birthplace: Oregon
Home in 1920: Twisp, Okanogan, Washington
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: James Johnson
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Illinois
Able to Read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
James Johnson 52
Ivy M Johnson 42
James A Johnson 23
Earl Johnson 12
Orrin Johnson 11
Jerome Johnson 8
Genevieve Johnson 8
Elmer W Johnson 6
Frances G Johnson 5
Annie L Johnson 1
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In the 1920 Census much has changed. Aaron Colfax, Mina Eldeen and Mary Susan have left the family in pursuit of their own lives. Aaron will marry Emma Ellen Nelson (NIllson) in October and they will live in Kennewick until Jim asks his son to return in 1934 to help save the farm during the Great Depression. Mina is living and working as a "Servant" to the Nick Peters family in Twisp. She will marry William Kennedy on 21 DEC 1925 in Okanagon and live her life in the Valley close to home. Mary Susan will wed Alfred Lee Paul 12 Jun 1923 in Chelan County, Washington, and start her own family.

The Johnson's are about to enter into a very difficult time in their evolution. In 1922, the two youngest, Annie and Ione, will pass on in what must have been an incredibly difficult year for the clan. In 1926, Ivy is permanently relocated to Eastern Washington State Hospital where she too will pass in 1946. Jim will regularly visit Ivy in Medical Lake and will never marry another.

1930 United States Federal Census about Ivy Johnson
Name: Ivy Johnson
Birth Year: abt 1876
Birthplace: Oregon
Home in 1930: Espanola, Spokane, Washington
Relation to Head of House: Inmate
Occupation:
Education:
Military Service:
Rent/home value:
Age at first marriage:
Parents' birthplace:
Household Members:
Name Age
Ivy Johnson 54

This record is self explanatory. Ivy is an inmate at Eastern Washington State Hospital where she will live until she is 68 years old in 1946. Jim will himself pass in1949.