Laws Lines

Wilma, Julene, Dorthea, Geneva and Rhea Laws, abt. 1958

2012-01-19T08:51:00.000-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Wilma, Julene
Dorthea, Geneva
Rhea

June and Helen Laws

2012-01-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Julian Asa Laws and second wife Helen. Photo taken in 1953 at June's daughter Fern Laws Palmer's home.

Harry Laws, Robert Laws about 1958

2012-01-19T08:44:00.000-08:00

Harry Laws holding son Robert Laws .

Harry Laws.

Photoscontributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Geneva, Wilma, Dorthea, Julene and Rhea Laws

2012-01-19T08:30:00.000-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Clockwise, l to r: Geneva, Wilma, Dorthea, Julene, and Rhea Laws

Dwight, Hart, Val, Kleston and Asa Laws

2012-01-19T08:27:00.000-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Back row, l to r: Dwight, Hart, Val, Kleston Laws
Front: Asa Laws

Boyd, Asa, Hart and Val Laws

2012-01-19T08:25:00.000-08:00

Photos contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Back: Boyd, Asa
Front: Hart, Val

Boyd Laws, 1958

2012-01-19T08:22:00.001-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Laws Family Photo

2012-01-19T08:16:00.000-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Back, l to r: Riddell Barton, Bill Laws, Dot Laws, Lu Laws, June Laws, Marva Laws holding Lou Ann Laws, Parley Laws, Miriam Laws holding Jamie Laws
2nd row: Kay Barton
Front row, l to r: Shirley Laws, Bill Barton, Clark Barton

Keed Laws, 1936

2012-01-19T08:11:00.001-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Larry Keed Laws was born on 19 May 1936 and died 10 Oct 1936 (see death certificate on this blog).

Bill and Dot Laws Family

2012-01-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Back row: Bill, Julene, Kleston, Wilma
2nd row: Rhea, Dorthea, Geneva, Dot
Front row: Val, Asa, Hart

Asa, Kleston, Val and Hart Laws about 1958

2012-01-19T08:00:00.001-08:00

Kleston in back with Asa, Val and Hart Laws.

L to R: Asa, Kleston, Val and Hart Laws

Photos contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Laws men group photo

2012-01-19T07:54:00.000-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

L to r: Bill Laws, June Laws, Harry Laws, Clark Barton, Kay Barton, Riddell Barton, Parley Laws

Front: Bill Barton

Riddell Barton holding Dawn 1940

2012-01-19T07:47:00.003-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Lucy Cordelia Laws 1939

2012-01-19T07:47:00.001-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Harry Laws holding Lynda Lu Palmer

2012-01-19T07:45:00.000-08:00

Photo contributed by Mary Vuyk/Lou Ann Grover

Harry Boyd Laws History

2011-11-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

Life Sketch of Julian Asa Laws by Wayne Laws

2011-11-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

Listening in on our pioneer past

2011-09-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

Pioneer Songs

By clicking on the link above you will be treated to several songs sung by the pioneers as they carved civilization out of the West, as sung by their descendants in 1947, when they were recorded for the Library of Congress's Archive of Folk Culture. These examples were recorded in 1946 and 1947 by Austin Fife and his wife Alta as they gethered songs passed on in the folk tradition—either learned firsthand from the writer or passed down in families and communities.

Of particular interest to the Laws family is a song written about the railroad. William Hart Laws, who was in his 20s, was present at the laying of the last rail at Promontory, Utah. He wrote that he was near the back, not close enough to see the actual driving of the spikes. Directly after the Transcontinental Railroad was finished, he worked on the Utah Central Railway from Ogden to Salt Lake.

Abia William Brown, Sr.

2011-08-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

This link takes you to the fascinating story of William Derby Johnson's father-in-law, William Abia Brown, Sr. The man was a stowaway on a ship, became a sailor, was shipwrecked three times, rescued by pirates, sold as a slave in Turkey, escaped and returned to America and became a doctor before marrying his sweetheart, Abigail Cadwalader.
http://johnson.naflod.com/abia_william_brown/index.html

Ezekiel and Julia Hills Johnson

2011-08-15T01:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to a blog covering the histories of Ezekiel and Julia Hills Johnson:
http://ilovefamilyhistory22.blogspot.com/

Ezekiel was considered one of the first martyrs of the Church, and he wasn't even a member!

35th ANNUAL RAILROADER’S FESTIVAL - Aug. 13, 2011

2011-07-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Since Wm. Hart Laws, our ancestor, was present at the driving of this nationally historic event, the following festival might be of interested to his descendants:

GOLDEN SPIKE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

ANNOUNCES THE

35thANNUAL RAILROADER’S FESTIVAL

August 13, 2011

Cab tours of the Jupiter and 119 will be conducted throughout the day by volunteers and park personnel. Re-enactments of the Last Spike Ceremony will occur at 11:00 am and 1:30 pm. Visitors can test their skill at a variety of activities such as buffalo chip throwing, wood stoking, relay races, checkers, triangle tough of rope. Other activities include Operation Life Saver (Railroad safety education program), musical entertainment throughout the day, also the speeder and handcar will be returning by popular demand.

This year we are adding a game called Trivi Rail (this is similar to the board game trivial pursuit) as there can only be 6 players at a time you are welcome to sign up in advance by contacting the visitor center desk (435) 471-2209 ext 29, times will be provided. You can also sign up that day.

The Visitor Center will open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m. No entrance fees will be charged on this special day and all games, activities, and entertainment are free. Food will be available to purchase through Culinary Concepts or bring your own picnic.

Come on out for some relaxing fun and fresh air, and learn a little more about this great park! Just some reminders the weather in August is usually hot and sunny so water and sun screen are a must. Animals must be kept on leash, picked up after and also will need water. With the extra moisture we have had this year the insect population it up so bug spray is suggested.

Special Note: As there will be raw eggs for some of the relays this year you may want to bring some extra clothing to change.

Golden Spike National Historic Site is located 32 miles west of Brigham City via State Highway 13 and 83. Take exit 365 off Interstate 15.

Additional information can be obtained by calling the visitor center at 435-471-2209, ext. 29 or by checking the park’s website at www.nps.gov/gosp.

Golden Spike NHS

35th ANNUAL

RAILROADER’S FESTIVAL

Saturday, August 13, 2011

ALL DAY LONG:

Relay Games: Water Transfer, Egg & Spoon, Egg Toss, Three Legged Race, Three Man Tough of War, Buffalo Chip Throwing, and Boiler Stoking

Board Games: Checkers, Ring Toss, Snakes and Ladders, and others.

Handcar Rides / Speeder Rides

Operation Lifesaver: inside the visitor center

Golden Spike Movie: Visitor Center main auditorium

Starting times

09:00 a.m. Visitor Center Opens

09:30 a.m. Arrival of Jupiter & No. 119

10:00 a.m. Trivi Rail game

Musical Entertainment

11:00 a.m. Re-enactment of Last Spike Ceremony

12:00 p.m. Trivi Railroad game

Musical Entertainment

01:00 p.m. Locomotive Demonstration

01:30 p.m. Re-enactment of Last Spike Ceremony

02:00 p.m. Trivi Railroad game

Musical Entertainment

03:30 p.m. Locomotive Demonstration

04:30 p.m. Departure of Jupiter & No. 119

05:00 p.m. Visitor Center Closes

11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Food Vendor: will be Culinary Concepts

Life Sketch of Jane Cadwallader Brown

2011-06-12T23:20:00.000-07:00

1832-1908 (75 Years)


SOURCE: http://johnson.naflod.com/jane_cadwallader_brown/index.html

Jane Cadwallader Brown was born 5 June 1832 at Birmingham, (southeast of Sandusky) Erie, Ohio to Abia William Brown and Abby Cadwallader Brown. There is very little known of her early childhood life. Her parents were Quakers, and she was a quaint sweet little Quaker girl, very small with real dark hair and eyes. In 1847 or 1848 William Derby Johnson Sr. fell in love with her and they were married on 9 November 1848 in Nauvoo. She was just 16 years of age and he was 24.

William adored Jane, she was his queen all his life. Nothing was ever too good for her, he got her the best of everything, the finest most convenient homes that money could buy and the best that could be built at that time, and nearly always had hired help for her.

Though they had a large family of 12 children, she always took much interest in her neatness in dress and appearance. She did all kinds of lovely handwork and sewing, and especially making many beautiful quilts. Her work was the neatest and of the very best. Much of the time she wore a neat black taffeta dress and bonnet.

In 1861 they came to Salt Lake and built a nice home which was located on the spot where the Union Pacific Depot now stands. Wherever they went they had a store and sold all sorts of merchandise. In William’s merchandising business they often sold bakery goods, pies, cakes and bread that were made by Jane.

While in Salt Lake they owned a large herd of dairy cows, which they milked by hand. It was the duty of two of their children (girls) to milk and make the 50 pounds of cheese each day. They did not do all the work themselves; but oversaw it all. They often had Indians working for them.

In the fall of 1870 they sold the Salt Lake place and moved to St. George, Utah, and from there moved east to what was to become Johnson, Utah (near Kanab). This town was named for William Derby and his brothers who came later to settle there. They were the first family to arrive there 22 April 1871.

They were comfortable and happy with a good home, fine garden, flowers, orchard, park and fishpond.

Jane served as the Relief Society President of the Johnson ward for several years.

Jane’s wish that William not go into polygamy was granted. He did have one other woman sealed to him but he never lived with anyone except his beloved wife Jane.

Wilma Fillerup Turley, her first great-grandchild, who was eight years old at the time of her death, remembers her well. She writes, "Our home was next to hers and we loved going over to visit her. Honeysuckle grew about the pillars of her porch and scented the air when in bloom which I dearly loved. Her house was a big stuccoed two-story building, well built with a cellar also, and a bath tub, the only one in Diaz at that time (they carried water by hand to it). Grandma Great was small, neat, with sparkly black eyes and kind to us and we loved to go and see her and her interesting house with the up-stairs and cellar and her parrot "Loro" and cage of canaries. How happy I am to remember my great-grandmother, just wish I could have known my great-grandfather."

Jane died twelve years after her husband’s death on 19 January 1908 in Colonia Diaz, and is buried there with him.

Compiled January 1994 by Joyce Whiting Packard from the following records:

1. "Wilma’s Family Life Sketches," by Wilma Fillerup Turley.
2. "The Johnson Informer," Johnson Family Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 3, August 1954.

2011-06-12T23:15:00.000-07:00

SOURCE: http://johnson.naflod.com/william_d_johnson_sr/lifestory.html

Life Story of William Derby Johnson Sr.

1824-1896 (71 Years)

William Derby Johnson was born 27 October 1824, in Pomfret township (near Fredonia), Chautauqua County, New York, a son of Ezekiel and Julia Hills Johnson. He was the fourteenth child born into that family of sixteen children. When the Mormon Church was founded in 1830, he was six years of age. Two years later, in the spring of 1832, his mother, Julia Hills Johnson, "left Pomfret with her family of fifteen children to join the Prophet Joseph Smith at Kirtland, Ohio, in defiance of the wishes of her absent husband, Ezekiel." Julia’s oldest son, Joel Hills Johnson, had already joined the Mormon Church and had been instrumental in his mother’s joining. At the time of her baptism, the Prophet laid his hands upon Julia’s head and gave her a blessing for bringing such a large family into the Church. Julia’s family, including her married children’s families, is represented as being one of the largest families ever to join the Church and move West. Ezekiel, her husband, never joined the Church. He remained quite bitter until the time of the martyrdom. The death of the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum Smith impressed Ezekiel as being so unjust that his feelings mellowed greatly toward the Mormons. He died in Nauvoo in 1848, as a result of a beating administered to him in reprisal of his defense of the saints in Nauvoo against mobs.

William Derby Johnson was baptized while the family was living in Kirtland, according to Church records, 9 April 1836, by Samuel Bent. They moved to Springfield, Illinois for several years before moving to Nauvoo.

They started west with the Exodus in 1846, but returned and came later in 1849. Because his father did not join the church at the time his mother did, there was quite a bit of confusion and difficulties in the home, and a large family to support.

On 9 November 1848, William Derby Johnson married Jane Cadwallader Brown, (born 5 June 1832 in Birmingham (southeast of Sandusky), Erie, Ohio the daughter of Abia William Brown and Abby Cadwallader), in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, where they remained until the exodus in 1849.

The family stopped in Kanesville, Iowa, (Council Bluff area) for several years before coming on to Utah. In 1848, he signed a petition in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, to secure a Post Office in that county. He served as deputy postmaster in Kanesville, as well as in Florence (now Omaha), Nebraska for a period of two years.

William was employed by his older brother, Joseph Ellis. Joseph Ellis Johnson owned and operated a general merchandise and drugstore along with his printing business in Kanesville. While he was away on pioneering explorations, business with the Indians, or other journeys, William was left in charge of sales and medicine making. From that time forward, wherever William Derby Johnson settled, he carried on with merchandising and the making of medicines with herbs; in Florence (now Omaha), Nebraska; Council Bluffs, Iowa; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Johnson, Kane County.

Concerning his use of herbs for medicines, a granddaughter, Jane Cadwallader Johnson Parry, wrote of him many years later.

"My grandfather, William Derby Johnson, Sr., was a pharmacist and he made a medicine we called ‘essence of life.’ It was good for fevers, intestinal inflammation, etc. In fact, he told us it was a cure for cholera. He also made a stomach powder that was just wonderful and a salve we called ‘Johnson salve.’ Of course the recipes were kept very "hush-hush." I have the one for the salve. It is good, but it is hard to get the ingredients to make it with."

After arriving in Kanesville, Iowa, their first child, William Derby Johnson Jr., was born. Years later he wrote in his diary,

"April 1852 we moved to Traders Point, about six miles from Council Bluffs. I had small pox soon after we moved and came near dying. In April 1853 we moved to Council Bluffs. Early in the spring of 1855, my father went into the woods and cut his own timber and build a store one and one-half stories high; finished it in forepart of summer. Father had saved from his wages, (as clerk in Uncle Joseph’s Drug Store), $250.00 in cash; this he took to St. Louis and bought fancy notions, candy, etc., and got credit for $50.00 and commenced merchandising..."

William Derby Johnson Sr. tells of an interesting experience he encountered one day while hauling a load of merchandise for his store in Council Bluffs. As he traveled along at about midday, he came across a man walking along the road. William stopped and the man climbed up beside him. The stranger said to him, "You are planning on camping at this certain spot tonight." He then told William not to camp there as he had planned, but to change his camping plans as there would be Indian trouble that night... He also gave him some other advice. The stranger then got down from the wagon and bid him good day. William turned to the stranger to inquire his name, where he had come from, and where he was going, but to his amazement the man was nowhere to be seen. He had disappeared as suddenly as he had come. However, William followed the stranger’s advice and changed his camping place... He learned later that the immigrants who had camped there that night were all slaughtered by the Indians.

The Johnson’s second son, Elmer Wood Johnson, who was also born in Council Bluffs, 18 May 1854, gives the following account of their next move.

"We moved to Florence, Nebraska, when I was nearly two years of age. At that time our family consisted of Father, Mother, my brother, William Derby Jr., my baby sister, Jennie Ann and myself. My father kept a store there of general merchandise and we lived in a two-story house.

"In 1861 we crossed the plains with ox team with an emigrant train of Mormons. Cousin Sixtus Johnson, son of Uncle Joel Hills Johnson, was captain of the company. Father had a wagon with four head of oxen and another with two; also a wagon with two horses.

"Our group now consisted of Father, Mother, Willie, eleven years old, myself 7, Jennie 5, Julia 3, and Etta Elmera 1 year, Father’s widowed sister, Almera Barton and her three daughters, Della, Alvira, and Julia, and my Mother’s brother, Abia William Brown. The horse team wagon was occupied by my mother and the children. When camping they formed a half circle to the left and one to the right. In the center they would make a big fire and spend the evening holding meetings, singing, dancing and having an enjoyable time...

"My brother Willie drove one of the ox teams. He loved to read and would often ride along reading, paying no attention to the gait of the oxen until they would get far behind and father would send me back to punch them up so Willie could catch up with the company.

"We arrived in Salt Lake in the fall of 1861. Father bought a house on South Temple about the center of the present Union Pacific Depot. He improved the house and built onto the building until we had a six-room house, three rooms on the ground floor and three bedrooms upstairs. His store was in one of the lower rooms facing north. Our lot of one and one-fourth acres was all planted to orchard, berries, and garden. It was good to have fresh fruit and vegetables again.

"In November, 1870, we were advised by President Brigham Young to move to Southern Utah. My father’s family now consisted of myself, Jennie, Julia, Etta, Abia, Byron and Josey. My brother Willie was married and my sister, Nancy, who was born in Salt Lake City, had died in infancy. We lived that winter in the town of Washington, five miles from St. George and in the spring went to Kanab country and settled in what is now known as Johnson (previously called Hay Canyon). We built a four-room house and commenced tilling the soil. There we had numerous Indian troubles and they were so insulting we were advised to spend the following winter, 1872-1873 in Kanab. By spring the Indian trouble had settled down and it was apparently safe, so we moved back to Johnson.

"At Johnson, father built a house, adobe, four rooms above and five below, with a big porch and a store. Father always had a stock of goods on hand to sell. He had a shop where he made trunks, household furniture and harnesses. His motto was, "Always have something to sell and sooner or later someone will buy it."

From William Derby Johnson Jr’s. diary we read of this period.

"The last of April we moved all the folks to Johnson. We all worked hard, plowing, planting, etc., but in July the grasshoppers came and ate up nearly everything. Uncle Benjamin got discouraged and went back to Spring Lake. That left only Father, Nephi, and Sixtus to hold the place. On account of Indian uprisings and difficulties we were counseled to leave and move into the larger settlements. Therefore, we went to Kanab in September and got rooms in the old Fort."

Three other children were born to Jane and William while living in Johnson. They were Carlos Smith, Hannah Zelnora, and Lodemia Viola. Carlos and Lodemia both died in infancy and are buried in the Johnson cemetery.

W.D. and his family made many fine improvements in Johnson. They had a good garden, orchard, flowers, park, fishponds, and they raised chickens, ducks, and other farm animals. He was a very humble man and never wanted his good deeds to be talked about. He never wanted to be called upon to speak in Church. He was very strict about being on time, and was always in the lead when it came to helping with Church buildings. He stood five-feet-six inches tall, and weighed 160 pounds, had dark complexion and dark hair. He paid his tithing and Church donations faithfully and taught his children to be strictly honest.

Many years later, his children said that one of his peculiarities was at mealtime, when he insisted on eating his dessert, pie or cake, at the beginning of the meal, as he always said if he had to leave off anything it would be the potatoes and gravy and not the cake.

His family also told that he always gave a long sincere prayer at mealtime. When the children were hungry, it seemed long indeed. But they always knew that when he came to the part of asking the blessing on the potatoes and gravy that the prayer was almost over.

W.D. Johnson Sr. dammed up the stream and made a pond in the center of the valley, also one on the west side under the ledges, in which he raised fish and kept ducks. His family later said that he was so fond of his fish, he even had names for many of them; that when he’d feed them, he’d call them by name and they’d swim up to get the food.

His granddaughter, Jane Cadwallader Johnson Parry, says that her father, William Derby Johnson, Jr., told her the following story about her grandfather while he was living in Johnson.

Jane’s Story

"One day some little ducklings got away from the pond and their mother. Grandpa saw them and heard their squawking. He tried to drive them to the pond, but they wouldn’t go. So he caught them one by one and put their heads between his fingers and started toward the pond.

"The ducks kept squawking, of course, so he ran with them, afraid that they would die before he got them there. He was going so fast that when he neared the pond he couldn’t slow down enough, and into the pond he went with the ducks.

"Getting out, he looked all around to see if anyone had seen him take the plunge. Not seeing anyone, he went on about his work. By noon when Grandma called him to dinner, his clothing was dry. Grandma asked him, ‘William, why didn’t you come in and change your clothes when they were wet?’

"How did you know that I got wet?" he asked.

"I saw you fall into the pond with the ducks."

"Fine thing," Grandpa bristled, "you would let me stay out there and catch my death of cold, instead of calling me in to change my clothes."

"But Grandma just said, "William, after all, I thought you were old enough to KNOW."

The Johnson ward was not fully organized until 7 August 1877, as part of the Kanab Stake. William Derby was the presiding priest but had no counselors. His wife Jane served as Relief Society President. It was a small ward and when most of the Johnson brothers and their families went to Mexico the little ward soon fell apart and was disorganized on 8 June 1901.

William Derby Johnson went to Arizona about 1888 and a little later in 1889 or 1890 he moved on to Colonia Diaz, Mexico where his son William Derby Jr. was living. (His notes say Diaz, Mexico, 21 September 1890.) They sold their property in Utah for $50,000 and were able to build a very fine home, the finest house in the colony.

A letter appearing in the Deseret News (15 Jan 1889) says: Bishop Peter A. Lofgreen of St. David Ward in Graham County, Arizona, in the St. Joseph Stake had called William Derby Johnson as one of his counselors. A note in church history related that William Derby Johnson Sr. was re-baptized 13 Aug 1881, by his son William Derby Johnson Jr. and was re-confirmed the same day by him.

William Derby was ordained a High Priest in Diaz, Mexico, on 27 March 1894. He was ordained a Patriarch on 22 December 1895, by Francis M. Lyman in Colonia Diaz, Mexico.

He was a quiet, stern man and complied with his wife’s every wish, one of which was that he did not go into polygamy, though he did have one other woman sealed to him, he never lived with anyone except his beloved wife Jane. They were a very energetic couple and very generous. No one ever went hungry or without a bed around him. Both he and his wife were very kind and conservative. He was a leader in building up the communities in which he lived, and tended strictly to his own business, and kept his word good always. When he told his children to do a thing, they knew he really meant it.

He died in Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico on 13 April 1896, of stoppage of the kidneys and old age, at the age of 71, leaving his wife "well fixed" and near loved ones. Everyone in the town was at his funeral. He was buried in Colonia Diaz, as was his wife, Jane, who died 19 January 1908, twelve years after his husband. William Derby expressed the desire that he did not want to be buried in a casket covered with cloth, as he wanted a stained wood casket. But when he died they were unable to find such a casket or a wood to take a stain; so they covered it with a black velvet.

Zeno Martel Johnson drove the team on a spring delivery wagon, with William Derby Johnson Sr’s. body to the cemetery in Colonia Diaz. He said the wind was blowing terrible that day in April.

William Derby Johnson Sr. and his wife Jane Cadwallader Brown were a very kind couple and a remarkable one, long to be remembered by their many relatives and friends who knew them.The posterity of William Derby Sr. and Jane Cadwallader Brown numbered 12 children and 107 grandchildren. There children are:

Name	Born	Died
William Derby Johnson Jr.	2 May 1850	17 Oct 1923
Elmer Wood Johnson	18 May 1854	6 May 1936
Jennie Ann Johnson	31 Mar 1856	2 Aug 1925
Julia Abby Johnson	22 Apr 1858	8 Nov 1919
Ester Almera Johnson	2 May 1860	13 Jan 1919
Mary Maria Johnson	28 Jan 1863	6 Oct 1863
Abia Ezekiel Johnson	29 Jan 1865	7 Nov 1932
Byron Elwood Johnson	13 Jan 1867	16 Apr 1904
Joseph Hills Johnson	28 Jan 1869	27 Nov 1927
Carlos Smith Johnson	6 May 1871	20 June 1872
Hannah Zelnora Johnson	12 Aug 1873	6 Mar 1920
Lodemia Viola Johnson	14 Jun 1876	2 Aug 1877

Compiled January 1994 by Joyce Whiting Packard from the following records:

1. "Romance of a Church Farmhouse," by Adonis Findley Robinson.
2. "Wilma’s Family Life Sketches," by Wilma Fillerup Turley.
3. "The Johnson Informer," Johnson Family Newsletter, Vol. 1, No. 3, August 1954.

2011-06-12T23:10:00.000-07:00

Source: http://johnson.naflod.com/pictures

2011-06-12T23:08:00.001-07:00

William Derby Johnson, Sr. and wife Jane Cadwallader Brown.
Source: http://johnson.naflod.com/pictures/full/wdj&jane.jpg

Jean Laws Obituary

2011-06-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

Lola Jean Kartchner Laws

HUNTINGTON - On Dec. 6, 2009, Lola Jean Kartchner Laws departed this life into the waiting arms of Wayne, her sweetheart of more than 50 years on this Earth.

Jean was born on May 29, 1925, the fourth child of Nora Black and Henry Z. Kartchner, on the Carlyle Ranch, a few miles north of Monticello. At the age of 1.5 years, the family moved to Huntington, where Jean lived until she met Wayne. On Sept. 4, 1942, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Wayne and Jean lived in Blanding, for a couple of years after Wayne returned from WWII. In 1948 Wayne and Jean moved to Carbonville, Carbon County, where they built their home and raised their family. They lived there except for the three years they spent in England on a building mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wayne passed away in Sept 1992. Jean continued to live in the home Wayne built for them until Aug. 2008, when she moved to The Seville Retirement Residence in Orem, where she made many friends.

As an active member of her church, Jean served in many positions including Relief Society President, Young Women's President, teacher, secretary, music director, librarian, stake missionary and Manti Temple ordinance worker. She was also active in the community as president of the College of Eastern Utah Women's Faculty Association, PTA President, and Captain of the Rim Rock Camp of Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.

Jean was talented in many ways. She was an excellent homemaker, a wonderful seamstress, did beautiful embroidery, and made lovely quilts for her family. But her talents extended far beyond her home. She wrote poetry, short stories, songs and lyrics for musicals and road show skits, and a lullaby for her granddaughter. She organized and sang with choirs, quartets, and double trios. One group was invited by U.S. Senator Jake Garn to accompany him on his state-wide campaign tour. Jean enjoyed giving readings and was a fine actress, at one time a protege of Elmo Geary, for whom CEU's Geary Theatre was named.

More than anything, Jean loved her husband, her children and grandchildren, the Lord and her church. She will be deeply missed.

Jean is survived by her children; Linden (Kathleen) Laws, Spring Glen, Utah, Kaye (Lynn) Manhart, Orem, and Grant (Janet) Laws, Carbonville, seven grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren and was looking forward to one more. Two sister-in-laws, Dottie Laws, Blanding; Darlene Kartchner, Price. She was preceded in death by her eternal companion Elwood Wayne Laws, her brother Lamont, her sisters Guila and Glenna, her parents and one great grandson. Her funeral service will be held on Saturday Dec. 12, 2009 at the Carbonville Ward church in Spring Glen at 10 a.m. A viewing will be held at Mitchell's Funeral home Friday, Dec. 11, 2009 from 5 to 7 p.m. and at the Spring Glen church an hour prior to the funeral. She will be interred at the Huntington City Cemetery.

*From the Sun Advocate, December 8, 2009.

Letter from Lurlene Barton to her mother, 1940

2011-06-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

This letter was found in Fern Laws Palmer's things. (Fern had traced over the original writing because it was very faint which is why you may be seeing double.) The letter is from her sister, Lurlene Laws Barton, to their mother, Lucy Cordelia Johnson Laws, in 1940. To me it shows Lurlene's love for her mother, her fun personality, and an example of how to do the washing for your mother without her taking offense! Great Aunt Lurlene in this letter reminds me of my own mother, Lurlene Palmer Gutke, Fern's daughter. - Deniane Kartchner :)

"My most honorable and Dearly Beloved Mother Seeing as how it looks like Snow methinks I shall wash this day beginning as soon as possible. And as I haven't so much washing and were not going to be very busy will you please and kindly be for sending me yours. (Don't worry I have got an ax to grind and I'll give you plenty of chances to get even.) I'd like it bright and early on this the 10th day of June in the year of our Lord 1940 --

Yours Resp
Lurlene"

Asa Laws in Blue Mountain Shadows

2011-06-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

2011-06-12T16:18:00.000-07:00

Back row: Hester and Mary Evalyn Fillerup
Front row: Elliza, Mary Ann Rowley

Photo contributed by Mary Jane Vuyk

Johnson family photo

2011-06-12T16:16:00.001-07:00

Left to right: Gladys Adair Wilson, Nellie Jane Johnson Harvey, James Leroy Johnson, Eva Johnson Fillerup, Glen R Johnson, Etta E. Johnson Lunt. (Captioned by Mary Jane Vuyk)

Shirley Laws, Dawn & Mary Jane Barton

2011-06-12T16:03:00.000-07:00

Shirley Laws, Dawn and Mary Jane Barton (photo contributed by Mary Jane Barton Vuyk)

Laws cousins about 1942

2011-06-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

L to R: Lynda with Wilma in front, Kleston with Kent in front. Julene is the baby in back. (This caption is from Mary Jane Vuyk. She thinks the caption is right... although she checked with several of the cousins and no one is 100% positive. Mary Jane says, ""If any of you have a knowledge of who took the picture, where and who it would be fun to know.")

William Hart Laws by Wayne Laws

2010-06-06T18:27:00.001-07:00

Submitted by Kaye Laws Manhart. Thanks, Kaye!

Wayne Laws school song

2010-06-06T18:24:00.001-07:00

Wayne and Jean Laws wedding anniversary

2010-06-06T18:17:00.001-07:00

Thanks, Kaye, for submitting these about your parents.

Wayne Laws Obituary and Funeral Program

2010-06-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kaye, Wayne's daughter.

Where we are from

2010-05-24T23:13:00.000-07:00

The following map records where those of us are from who click on this site. It'll be fun to see how far flung we who are interested in the Laws Family have become.

Fern and quilts

2010-04-07T12:52:00.000-07:00

Jane Cadwallader Brown Johnson photo

2010-03-22T11:44:00.000-07:00

This photo was reproduced from a pedigree chart belonging to Fern Laws Palmer.

Cadwallader name origins

2010-03-22T11:41:00.001-07:00

This is a page from Fern Laws' Book of Remembrance concerning the origin of the Cadwallader name.

Johnson brothers photo needs identification

2010-03-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

I have tried so hard to list the sources of photos and documents - yet I have this photo in my files with no identification but "Johnson brothers." Anyone know anything else?

Emma James photo

2010-03-22T11:25:00.001-07:00

This photo is from one of Fern's pedigree charts.

History of James Parley Johnson

2010-03-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

Written by his daughter, Eva Johnson Fillerup

Born: September 2, 1860 in Springville, Utah

Parents: Lorenzo and Emma James Johnson

Died: 1924

James Parley Johnson was the son of Lorenzo and Emma James Johnson whose ancestors were from

England

. He was born in Springville, Utah on September 2^nd, 1860 . . . . that was 100 years ago yesterday.* (September 3, 1960)

When he was about eleven years old his father died leaving his mother with seven children. There was Ozelle, then himself, Orissa, Martha, Sarah, Viola, and George. His mother later remarried and two more girls were added to the family, Rose and Lilly.

When he was 22 years old he was married to my mother, Eliza Jane Rowley in the St. George Temple. They traveled there by team and wagon and then back to Nephi, Utah where they made there home until after the birth of their first two children. Then they moved to Central, Arizona.

At the time of this, their first move, the people were being troubled by the warring Apache Indians and Father and Mother had many frightening experiences. They noticed as they were traveling from Nephi to Central that the Indians kept following them day after day. Finally one day they came into camp to do some bartering. They had some colored glass beads they tried to give mother to buy me. Of course she refused, they left but came back the next day and tried again but finally they gave up and left. My mother was very frightened and was worried that the Indians would return and try to take me by force, but no further incidence happened at that time.

In Central, Arizona my father worked in the freighting business. In 1887 he married my mother’s sister, Zina Cordelia Rowley. They took up a homestead there and he acted as 2^nd Counselor in the Bishopric. After working the homestead for some time he had it taken from him by claim jumpers and shortly thereafter they were forced to move to Old Mexico because of the law against polygamy.

The trip to Diaz, Old Mexico was a hard one. On route the whole company came down with an epidemic of measles. We were not allowed into the town of Diaz until it was certain that the epidemic was over. Two days after reaching

Mexico

my father’s second wife died leaving two children, Etta and Eliza Ann, whom my mother took and cared for as her own. By this time father’s children numbered six. There was myself Eva, John, Delbert, Etta, Suzy, who died at the age of 4, and Eliza Ann.

Little Eliza Ann, the baby of the second wife, died on her first birthday.

Father worked early and late until he had cleared land and built a home for his family. About this time he contracted chills and fever which hung on for months. After he recovered from this he leased a herd of sheep and we moved into the mountains for two years. When these two years were up we moved again to Diaz and my father built a beautiful house. He owned a shoe and harness shop. He made all our shoes, it was years before we ever owned a pair of shoes our father had not made.

There were many happy times spent here in Diaz at this time. The family had grown even larger with the births of Lucy, Bertha, LeRoy, Nellie, Glen, Jesse, Gladys and Arthur. The family took an active part in the ward, father being 2^nd Assistant in the Sunday School Superintendency and also a member of the old folks committee for many years. Father loved the old songs and was very fond of singing them either alone or with his family. His favorite meal was cheese and crackers, and he was fond of hard tack candy. The whole family enjoyed a watermelon bust. He loved to chase we children around and wash our faces with watermelon rinds. Also there was a ditch of water running down the sidewalk all summer and he loved to water fight with us and many a time we were soaking wet before he quit.

The happy times in Diaz were ended late one Saturday night when the old bell rang to waken the town with word from the Stake leaders that the Mexican Rebels had gotten out of hand and the people in Diaz were to leave at once. They were told to take only enough food and clothes for a few days and to leave as quickly as possible. The Stake Leaders felt sure that in a few days they would be able to return to their homes.

By Sunday at noon the town was deserted and soon the rebels came through destroying everything in their path. Beds were ripped apart with feathers and corn husks flying in all directions; the large storage cans the food was kept in were punctured and the food either taken or ruined and the rebels took a special delight in shooting out the eyes in all the family pictures and portraits we had hanging on our walls.

The

United States

government gave us tend [sic] shelter and food just over the border for three months. During these three months groups of men would return to Diaz to salvage anything they could from our homes as we finally realized that we would never be able to go back to them.

From this government shelter my father took his family and went to Thatcher, Arizona, where they spent the winter. My brother John had previously left

Mexico

and had married and settled in Blanding, Utah (Grayson). He urged us to come there. So after a long and hard journey of six weeks we reached Blanding where my father secured work and soon with the united efforts of the family he had a very comfortable home.

Here he spent the remainder of his life performing faithfully every duty required of him in the Church. In 1921 his health began to fail and after years of suffering he died in 1924. Mother followed him four years later.

Dad’s posterity at the present time, and they are still coming, is 14 children, 62 grand-children, and 223 great grand children, 93 great great grand children. Making a total of 378.

Source: Genealogy book of Fern Laws Palmer, copy of typed manuscript. Transferred to computer on October 26, 2005 by Deniane Kartchner.

James Parley Johnson photo

2010-03-22T11:16:00.001-07:00

Source: Fern Laws Palmer pedigree chart.

2010-03-22T11:12:00.000-07:00

I would like to find someone who has original photos, especially the photo of the Emma James Johnson and her daughters. (This page is a "copy of a copy of a copy" that I found in Fern Laws Palmer's Book of Remembrance.)

James Parley Johnson family

2010-03-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane, can you help me with the photo identification? You can email me and I'll post it. Thanks!

Eliza Jane Rowley Johnson

2010-03-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

Written by her daughter,

Nellie J. Harvey

Eliza Jane Rowley was born April 18, 1865 in Nephi, Utah, to John Rowley and Mary Ann Gadd Rowley. She was their first child out of 12 children; 5 girls and 7 boys. Her sisters’ names were Sarah Ann (who died as an infant), Zina Cordelia, Amy Elizabeth and Mary Luella. Her brothers were, John Sylvester, Jesse Noah, Heber Charles, James Albert, Samuel Issac, Leslie Jacob and Wilford Marion. They were a happy united family, living in harmony with the father's other wives and their children.

They were farmers and many are the stories they would tell about the father having to hide in a fake room under a bin of wheat in their store room when the marshalls would come to arrest him for living in pologomy [sic]. At one time they tried to take Eliza Jane away thinking she was one of the wives. My mother was Eliza Jane.

Mother spent a lot of her time during the winters after she turned 13 years old in going to the St. George Temple with her father and doing endowment work for the dead. She did hundreds of names for the dead. She also helped her father with his farming errands and at his gypsum mine on Mt. Nebo where he mined and made gypsum. Some of it was shipped to Manti and used in the Manti Temple.

Mother was baptized in 1875. She married James Parley Johnson from Springville, and was sealed to him the 12th of February 1882. He later married mother's sister Zina Cordelia.

About 1884 Mother and Father and family moved to Central in Arizona where they lived for four or five years. While in Central, Arizona two brothers John and Delbert and a sister Susan Emma were born.

They were always active in church work.

I am not sure about dates, I have no way of checking, only from family group sheets. About 1890 the family moved on into old

Mexico

, and stopped at Colonia Diaz. Here my sister Lucy was born and little Susan died of Mack measles, which made my mother very sad, off in a strange and lonely land.

They moved up to Colonia Pacheco in the mountains for a year or so and my sister Bertha was born there. They then came back to Diaz where the rest of us kids were all born.

Mother was a hard working woman, taking loving and wonderful care of her large family and teaching us the gospel, as well as to work and get along with each other. She loved fun too. One Valentine’s night, this was after we came to Blanding (Grayson it was then) it had been raining and us kids wanted to send some valentines. There were no sidewalks or roads, just mud. We were in our night clothes. Mother went with us, we waded in mud over our shoe tops. She giggled and laughed and got just as muddy as the rest of us She loved picnic's and was always willing to fix lunches. She kept home made beer in a keg nearly all the time without any ice to even cool it. One night she went to a dance with her dress on wrong side out. When she found it out, she was so embarrassed she came home and wouldn't go back to the dance.

It really hurt mother when we had to leave our new home, a lovely red brick home with 12 rooms, and as modern as it could be made at that time. She made wonderful cheese and we left about a dozen nice big cheese in our screen cupboard besides all her jams, fruit, etc. She made the best of everything that came to us. She could make a home in a tent or a covered wagon Where ever mother was, was home. When we came to Grayson (Blanding) her 10 year old son Jesse drove the big sheep wagon with mother to tend the brakes for him, loaded with us kids and about all we possessed in it. Dad drove a light buggy with a good team.

Roy my older brother, drove a wagon with my sister Eva and her little daughter in it and while in Hatchita Mother was doctor, nurse and comforter when Eva got her new baby boy. Eva was a second wife and her husband abandoned her at this time.

When we left Hatchita to come to Thatcher, Arizona, mother was riding in a header box with Douglas Harvey and Bertha and it tipped over on some rough road. It threw mother out and a big heavy trunk came down on her and really gave her a hard bump on her head. It knocked her out and left bad effects. It affected her mind.

About 1925 mother had a stroke. She was living alone at the time, her husband having passed on before. She lost her power of speech and her memory. She just walked the streets. We tried to take care of her but decided about 1926 to take her to the hospital in Provo for treatments. We left her there. She never got better and she died there on the 8th of June 1928. We went up to get her. Her brothers and a sister wanted a funeral for her in Provo, so we had a service for her there, then brought her home to Blanding where we had another funeral on June 12, 1928 and buried her by her husband in the Blanding City cemetary.

She was a wonderful wife and mother. So patient, sweet, gentle and kind. A "gentle woman" all her life is what a wonderful friend said of her to me. And she was.

We loved her dearly but certainly didn't tell her so often enough.

Written by her daughter,

Nellie J. Harvey

Lorenzo Johnson photo link

2010-03-21T15:21:00.001-07:00

The following link provides a picture/drawing of Lorenzo Johnson. http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/USHS_Class&CISOPTR=1998&CISOBOX=1&REC=2

It appears to be from the same photograph I have in my files:

2009-11-01T07:32:00.001-08:00

San Juan High School Junior Prom, 1936.

2009-11-01T07:30:00.001-08:00

Fern Laws - I don't have a date for this photo or any other caption.

Fern Laws

2009-11-01T07:29:00.000-08:00

This photo reminds me of those taken in a photo booth at the mall!

'Behind' the photos ...

2009-10-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

Fern is on the left. Now, for those of you who wonder why it has taken me so long to post photos from Fern's books ... I have been stalling, thinking that I'd fix the photos first, identify them, make them all pretty and "printable" ... But, I have changed my mind. This photo and the photos below are typical of Fern and her friends: a funny, crazy lot. And the fact that Fern wrote all over her photos (I don't know who doctored the eyes on this one), and even cut herself out of photos when she didn't like her picture is Grandma and therefore, history, too.

I interviewed Marva, Georgan and Fern many years ago about some of the "capers" they got into. They all were in their late 60s at the time, and they were all laughing so hard I thought Grandma was going to pee her pants. (Which, as you know, we wouldn't put past Grandma.) I'll post that interview sometime soon! It is great fun. I am hoping to find the audio in my stuff to post, too; if not, I hope Blue Mountain Shadows has it in their archives.

Marva, Fern and friends

2009-10-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

Marva, Georgan, Fern and Harry?

The above photos are of Marva and Fern during their school years. They were always really good friends and later became sisters-in-law. I don't know who the other girls are other than Georgan Hurst Burtenshaw. These three were "The Three Musketeers."

2009-10-21T21:32:00.000-07:00

This page of photos was in Fern's Book of Remembrance. Top row, l to r: William Hart Laws + Jennie Ann Johnson, June Laws + Lucy Cordelia Johnson, Fern Laws. Bottom row, l to r: Lorenzo Johnson (son of Didymus Johnson and Ruhama Stevens), Emma James (daughter of William James and Jane Haynes), Mary Ann Gadd, James Parley Johnson + Eliza Jane Rowley. (Thanks, Mary, for the corrections.)

A. J. Russell photo of laying of last rail at Promontory

2009-10-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

William Hart Laws was here at the laying of the last rail at Promontory, Utah, although he said he was near the back, not close enough to see the actual driving of the spikes. Directly after the Transcontinental Railroad was finished, he worked on the Utah Central Railway from Ogden to Salt Lake. He was in his 20's and not yet married.

The town of Johnson

2009-10-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

Did you know there was a town called Johnson in southern Utah, northeast of Kanab in Kane County?

"The town was settled in the spring of 1871 by four Johnson brothers: Joel Hills, Joseph Ellis, Benjamin Franklin, and William Derby."

Read more:
http://home.earthlink.net/~norm.mcclellan/FamilyHistory/FH/JohnsonUT.htm

William Derby Johnson history

2009-10-21T20:59:00.001-07:00

William Derby Johnson

Born: October 27, 1824

Died: April 13, 1896

History by Vivian Cram Knudsen*

William Derby Johnson, born October 27, 1824, in Pomphret, Chautaugua County, New York, was the eighth son and the fourteenth child of Ezekial and Julia Hills Johnson. When ten years old, William accompanied his mother to Kirtland, Ohio, where on April 9, 1836, he was baptized by Samuel Bent into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In about 1848, William met a little Quaker lass, with black hair and eyes, to whom he immediately lost his heart. Her name was Jane Cadwallader Brown, daughter of Abia and Abigail Cadwallader Brown. Her birth occurred June 5^th, 1832 in Birmington, Miami County, Ohio. She and William were married November 9^th, 1849, six months after her 17^th birthday when William was 24. They remained sweethearts throughout their entire lives.

In the spring of 1855, while flowers were perfuming the wildwoods, William decided to go into business for himself. He secured from the forests raw material from which he constructed a combination home and store. Then taking the $250.00 saved from wages earned in clerking in his brother, Joseph E.’s drugstore, he set out for St. Louis to purchase fancy notions, candy, etc. On his return, he began merchandising. Toward the close of the year, he moved to Winter Quarters, Nebraska, where in the spring of 1856, he witnessed the first company of handcarts as they passed through on their endless trek to Utah.

In May of 1857, he located in Florence, Nebraska, 12 miles from Council Bluffs, where opportunities were better for his business venture, and where he acted as postmaster, school trustee and alderman. Two daughters were born to them while they lived in Florence, Nebraska, Julia Abbey and Esther Almira.

In the spring of 1861, it was agreed that with his three wagons, six oxen and two horses, they would emigrate with a company then leaving for Utah. William’s nephew, Sixtus Johnson, son of Joel, was captain of the group and William’s widowed sister, Almera J. Smith Barton, and her three daughters, Della, Elvira, Julie, and Jane’s brother, Abia William Brown, accompanied them. En route, the two families experienced a terrifying experience, when in playing robbers with a supposedly empty gun, William’s son Elmer, shot Almera’s daughter, Della, in the back of the head. Although the child screamed loudly and blood flowed profusely, it was discovered to their relief the ball had lacked sufficient powder to do any real damage. Only the skin had been grazed.

On reaching Salt Lake City, William purchased a house and lot consisting of one and one-fourth acres from Elder Israel Ivins, on the location near the Union Pacific depot.

The following year, 1862, he was called with others to retrace the long trail to the states in the Capt. Miller Company, to aid in bringing in more emigrant saints. Returning home he was met at Fort Bridger by his son, W.D. Jr., and his brother, George W., who were transporting a load of fruits and vegetables. In April, 1862, accompanied by his son W.D. Jr., he made a second trip to the states, this time in the John Murdock train. The trip was made in 52 days, one of the quickest times on record in an ox team train. They renewed acquaintances with friends in Council Bluffs and Florence, and after an absence of four months, returned in September with the Capt. Alvirine Company to again take up life in Utah. On October 16, 1863, Jane and William suffered their first severe loss when their little daughter, Mary succumbed to whooping cough.

In the early spring of 1866, the Black Haws War became violent, and a call went out for more volunteer troops. William enlisted, but his son, W.D. Jr, 16, and large for his age, volunteered to go in his stead and after considerable persuasion, gained consent, leaving for Moroni, Sanpete County, Utah, June 5^th, serving three months.

A mission was next required of William, the call coming at the October Conference of 1869.

William operated stores throughout the greater part of his life. He made trunks, household furniture and harnesses which he sold along with medicine and drugs, mostly manufactured by himself. Jewelry and bakery goods were also handled in the store, and a small dairy was run in conjunction with it, two of William and Jane’s daughters having the responsibility of milking and making the cheese. Pies and cakes came from Jane’s kitchen.

In the autumn of 1870, the Johnsons disposed of the Salt Lake property and moved to Southern Utah as President Brigham Young had called them to settle in Hay Canyon east of Kanab, Utah. The name was changed to Johnson. Here they lived until they were called to help colonize Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico, where William built a large home. His yards and surroundings were landscaped beautifully, as he was an ardent lover of beauty; a charming park, lush gardens, fish ponds and flowers of all kinds had a part in his yard. William was ever solicitous for Jane’s comfort and welfare, providing her with numerous conveniences. In Mexico, Native labor was employed and the work merely overseen. Rather than to distress his wife, William acceded to her wishes to refrain from polygamy.

Jane was fond of sewing and did exquisite needlework, especially in quilts. She was neat and took pride in her appearance, usually appearing gowned in becoming black taffeta with bonnet to match. William was a trifle stout and of medium height – a mild and fine looking man, and being naturally retiring, avoided the limelight as much as possible, as also did Jane. Speaking from the stand was not in their line, yet wherever they lived, they effected an influence for good. In giving and sharing, they played more than a full part.

On one occasion in William’s travels, loaded with merchandise, he met with a rather unusual experience. A pedestrian, somewhat under medium height, with black hair and beard, was given a ride and to William’s astonishment, seemed fully acquainted with his camping plans for the night, cautioning him against them, as the Indians would give trouble there that night. As the stranger alighted, William turned to inquire of him more specifically, but found he had literally disappeared. The warning was heeded, however, much to Williams’ advantage, for emigrants camping at that sot that night were massacred by the Indians.

William was ordained a High Priest in Diaz, Mexico, March 27, 1894, and on December 22, 1895, under the hands of Francis M. Lyman, was ordained a Patriarch of the Church. He and Jane were the parents of twelve children: William Derby, Jr., Elmer Wood, Jennie Ann, Julia Abby, Esther Almera, Mary Maria, Abia Ezekial, Bryon Elwood, Joseph Eills, Carlos Smith, Hannah Zelnora and Lodemia Viola. Three of their children: Nancy Maria, Carlos Smith and Lodemia Viola died in infancy. The remaining nine married and raised families.

William Derby Johnson, Sr.’s death took place April 13, 1896 at 72 years of age at his home in Colonia Diaz. His wife, Jane, died 12 years later on January 19, 1908.

Vivian Cram Knudsen

*Source: From the typewritten family history documents of Fern Laws Palmer, great granddaughter of William Derby Johnson. Word document entered on computer 1-27-06 by Deniane Gutke Kartchner, 3^rd great granddaughter of William Derby Johnson through Fern Laws.

William Derby Johnson Sr.

2009-10-21T20:56:00.001-07:00

William Derby Johnson family

2009-10-21T20:55:00.001-07:00

Lucy Johnson and sister Bertha

2009-10-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

This is Lucy Cordelia Johnson ("Mom" is written in Fern's handwriting) and her sister Bertha. At least my mom (Lurlene) and I are pretty sure that's who the other girl is ... Bertha is "Bertha Irene Johnson Harvey" married to James Douglas Harvey.

A little note for the "Fern Family": One of Bertha's daughters is Irene Harvey, who married Ivan Rogers "Punk" Watkins... Fern and Irene are first cousins.

Johnson family group sheet

2009-10-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

This old family group sheet shows Lucy Cordelia Johnson's family and where she fits as the daughter of James Parley Johnson and Eliza Jane Rowley. I'm going to have to do a completely different blog for the Johnson's and Rowley's! (And don't worry if you're confused, because it's confusing... But we'll get it all straight eventually, which Johnson goes with which ... )

Johnson family photo

2009-10-21T10:02:00.001-07:00

Can someone help me identify these members of the Johnson family in the photo? It was with the Johnson stuff in Fern's Book of Remembrance.

Comments from Mary Jane: l-r Gladys, Nellie?,unknown?, Mary Evalean, Male unknown?, female unknown ?. Any idea when and where the picture was taken? (NO) Could one of them be Etta Lunt McFarlane?

Johnson Pedigree Chart

2009-10-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

Our ancestor here is William Derby Johnson. June's mother is Jenny Ann Johnson Laws and her father is William Derby Johnson.

Laws Coat of Arms

2009-10-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

This is the Laws Coat of Arms page that Fern had tucked into her books. It's pretty generic; there is another version I posted that says "Laws of Norfolk."

Blanding cemetery records for Laws family

2009-10-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

Following are links to the Web site pages containing information

about Laws family members who have been laid to rest in the

Blanding City Cemetery.

This is where you will find Laws names:

http://files.usgwarchives.org/ut/sanjuan/cemeteries/blanding02.txt

And this is the main link if you want to look for more

(like Palmer or Barton)

http://www.usgwarchives.org/ut/sanjuan/sanjuan.htm

Tribute to Dwight Laws

2009-10-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

* The tribute below was sent to me by Lola Kaye last year via email. I loved reading about Dwight's life and thought it would be appropriate to post the tribute here. - Deniane

Note from Lola Kaye with the tribute: "I am sure that some of you were unable to attend Dwight's funeral. It was a wonderful tribute to him. Dwight was a giant in my eyes and I know that many others thought the same as I did of him. Dwight's son David gave this eulogy of his father in the funeral, I thought that you all might like to read it. I am going to put it in with my geneology stories. I am so thankful to be a "LAWS", what a blessing it is in my life. I love you all - Lola Kaye Laws Manhart"

Richard Dwight Laws

Our life as a dream, our time as a stream glide swiftly away

And the fugitive moment refuses to stay.

For the arrow is flown and the moments are gone.

The millennial year presses on to our view, and eternity’s here.

Oh, that each in the day of His coming may say,

“I have fought my way thru: I have finished the work thou didst give me to do

Oh, that each from his Lord may receive the glad word;

“Well and faithfully done: enter into my joy and sit down on my throne.”

Richard Dwight Laws was born on November 26, 1939 in a tiny hospital in Moab, Utah to Julian Asa Laws Jr. And Marie Black and spent the first 8 years of his life in Blanding. His father died in 1943 when he was only 4 years old.

Marie remarried Presley DuVall in 1947 and moved the family to Little Bear, Wyoming. It is there that he learned to ride a horse, rope a calf and stay out of the way of rattlesnakes. He also attended a tiny 1 room schoolhouse in Chugwater, Wyoming.

In 1950 Presley and Marie moved to the Avenues in Salt Lake. It is there he met almost immediately his lifelong friend Terry Summerhays and formed the loose group of friends known as “The Fellas”.

Although he lived in Salt Lake, he spent many summers in Blanding working with his Uncles, Frost Black and Bill Laws and also Kay Lyman and living with his cousin and dear friend Arvid Black.

He attended West High School where he participated in wrestling and band.

He served an honorable full-time mission in the North Central States in 1960-62. It is there that he once quipped to his companion during church in St. Paul, Minnesota that he had just met his future wife.

After returning from his mission he went to work for KSL delivering tapes of conference during marathon plane itineraries, and later installing radio systems for conference broadcasts around Europe and South America.

He married the love of his life, Linda Lorraine Heurkens (Pup) on Friday, July 13, 1962 in the Logan, Utah LDS temple. Yes, Friday the 13^th. It explains much.

He went to work in the Airline industry for KLM and Pan Am and in the course of the next 8 years traveled to nearly 100 countries all over the world including cold-war Russia, Polynesia and most of the South Pacific, Southeastern Asia, Africa, all of South America, all of Europe, and much of the Middle East.

He moved his family to Blanding in 1975 to raise his family in a small town environment. It was during his stay there that part of his Patriarchal Blessing was realized. He was promised that during his life he would find ways to get to know his deceased father. During his run as county commissioner, he met and spoke with many people who knew his father well and told him many stories about Asa. He left Blanding in 1984 to change careers once again. He was employed at BYU in the division of continuing education as Associate Director of Travel Study as well as Director of Conferences and Workshops and Director of Independent Study.

His hobbies were many and varied. He built his own house in its entirety in Blanding (and helped with scores of others), SCUBA dived all over the world (usually legally), had a private pilots license (and flew commercially for scenic aviation in Blanding), wrote several fictional novels and a few non-fictional biographies, owned a hot-air balloon, wrote remedial reading material that was used worldwide, sang in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (even commuting from Mesa, Az for more than 2 years and holds the record for longest commute and most logged miles by the member of the choir), played the piano and trombone (in the famous Francis Lyman band and in high school with the dance band Stardusters), was an excellent wrestler during college, rebuilt automotive engines, loved jeeping and 4-wheeling and Sunday rides into the mountains, and could hike for miles searching for Anasazi Indian ruins. He played competitively (and often fiercely) in basketball and softball leagues (although his favorite was playing in city league softball with his sons and grandsons). He would stand at the back door and lob long-distance hook shot after hook shot saying “Just one more, I’ve got the range” as we chased down all the misses until he made one at last and ducked into the house claiming victory. He loved horses and owned more than 14 over the years. He rarely missed the chance to act as tour guide through his beloved San Juan County to those who had never see its wonders.

Yet his oldest and most beloved hobby was motorcycles. He won 14 different motorcycles and loved to ride them. During his trips he visited all but 2 of the 50 states, traveled through Mexico, Canada and even Alaska. It didn’t take much coaxing to get him to join a cross-country ride or even a day trip. At the conclusion of each long road trip he was barely recognizable in his full leathers, boots, helmet hair, 10 hays growth of beard and bandana. Yes the bandana, it was always with him. He was a member of the Temple Riders Association and loved to ride with them. Our best guess is that he logged nearly 200,000 miles on his motorcycles.

Next up the line was his firm belief in education. Even while raising several children he continued his dogged pursuit of a bachelors degree, which he earned in 1974 for the University of Utah at the age of 35. It took him many years but he never gave up. He served on the San Juan board of education for more than 7 years. Then in the early 80's he was given an opportunity that would alter the course of his life. He was offered the chance to get his Doctorate degree. It was technically not a difficult decision for him though the actions necessary would prove tough. In the end, he left his boyhood town, sold his truck for tuition money, turned over the house he built with his own hands to foreclosure, moved his family to Provo and finished his degree. Graduation day in 1985 with a degree in instructional science at the age of 46 was something else - what a great example to watch your dad fulfill a life-long dream. There are many in this audience that are the beneficiaries of his dedication to education. This is why Independent Study was such a dream job to him. It is where he finally found his niche in life and the culmination of his talents, abilities and passion. He could use HIS education to help others get THEIRS. It was a perfect fit.

Yet with all of his many professional accomplishments and awards, with all the marvelous trips and tours, with all his wonderful experiences, his family was his greatest passion and in his mind, his highest and most noble achievement. 56 directs descendants, and each of us thought we were his very favorite. He loved to spend time with his family. Many have been on motorcycle trips, jeep trips, 4-wheeling trips and hikes with him. Many others have helped write and edit his books. Yet others have participated in his favorite dialogue. “Guess what? What Granddad” “I love you, that’s what”. And each of us has had many opportunities to just sit and talk with him, to sit at his knee and learn from a master teacher. And there are literally hundreds of individuals that Dad ‘adopted’ into his family. If you walked in his home, you were treated as family and expected to act like it. You were welcome to anything in the fridge or pantry, but you were also expected to wipe the counter and sweep the floor. He fed thousands as part of pancake Sunday (but you had better stay out of the kitchen).

He passed away quietly and peacefully on March 10, 2008 of complications due to Thyroid cancer surrounded by his wife and all nine of his children. He is survived by his wife, Linda: his children Jodi, David Joseph, Roger Dwight, Richard Asa, Ryan Quin, Juli, Reed Arthur, Robert Dru, DuVall J and their respective spouses: His dear and beloved step-father and step-mother Presley and Evelyn DuVall: 36 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. He is pre-deceased by his father Asa, mother Marie and one grandchild Emma.

Dad was teaching, always teaching. It could be well said of him that his life reflected his words. They were never at odds. His life was his greatest teaching tool, and he used it to great effect. Way to go out at the top of your game Dad. Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

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This photo of the Laws siblings was taken on Christmas Day, 1967. L to R: Bill, Harry, Fern, Parley and Wayne. Lurlene and Asa were both deceased.

Christmas Day, 1967

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This photo was taken on Christmas Day, 1967. Back row, L to R: Fern and Lynn Palmer, Harry and Marva Laws. Front row, L to R: Jean and Wayne Laws, Dot and Bill Laws, Parley and Mariam Laws.

Keed Laws death certificate

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Larry Keed Laws was Uncle Bill and Aunt Dot's first child.

Zenos Marvin Laws death certificate

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William Hart Laws death certificate

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Wilma Laws Galbraith

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http://home.comcast.net/~channingg/laws/wilmahills.html

WILMA HILLS LAWS
Born: 18 May 1893, Colonia Diaz, Galeana, Chihuahua, Mexico
Married: 23 Aug 1912, Hatchita, Hidalgo, New Mexico to EDMUND POWELL GALBRAITH
Died: 20 Jun 1968, Blanding, San Juan, Utah
Buried: 24 Jun 1968, Blanding, San Juan, Utah

Ancestors

Life Sketch of Wilma Laws Galbraith Written by Wilma Laws Galbraith

I, Wilma Laws Galbraith, was born in Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico May 18, 1893 to William Hart Laws and Jennie Ann Johnson in a little adobe house, not many years after the Saints settled there. I went to school through the eighth grade. I lived in Mexico until I was 19 years old, leaving there July 28, 1912 when the Americans were driven out.
My parents taught me of the Gospel and I always attended the different organizations. I worked in the Primary for five years before leaving Mexico. After arriving in New Mexico, I married Edmund Powell Galbraith Aug. 23, 1912. We stayed in camp with the Saints until the 29th of August, going to Richfield, Sevier County, Utah, arriving in Richfield the 3rd of September, 1912. We lived in Richfield for four years and two sons were born to me there.
While living there I worked in the Religion Class as song leader for a year. I came to Blanding the 3rd of May 1916. I have had six children born here, two sons and four daughters. Two of my children have been called to the other side. My baby girl died when she was 16 months old and my son died when he was fourteen years old with heart troubles. I have worked in both the Primary and MIA and enjoyed it very much. My children hate all been very good and clean and so far have been ambitious both in church and every day life. The boys are all going to college and girls in High school trying to make something of the life I have given them. I am thankful for the teachings of my Parents and Teachers who have been over me. I am thankful to my Father in Heaven for all his blessings to me and mine.

Additional Files:

Resources: Heartbeats of Colonia Díaz by Annie R. Johnson
Available through LDS Family History Library on microfilm (1440903) or on the International Floor at the Main Library in Salt Lake City (972.16/D1 F2j).
A Story of William Hart and Jennie Ann Johnson Laws by Donna Laws Hemingway
Available through LDS Family History Library on microfilm (2055457 Item 5) or at the FamilySearch Center at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City (929.273 L44).

Lu Laws death certificate

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1981 Laws Reunion Invitation

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Harry and Fern.

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File says "Fern, Wayne at Carlisle Ranch"

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Bill, Dorthea, Lynn, Lurlene.

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Parley's family at Shirley's wedding.

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Lynn Palmer and Harry Laws.

The Three Musketeers

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L to R: Marva Jones, Fern Laws and Georgan Hurst. "The Three Musketeers" is what they called themselves! It fits!

Marva Jones Laws

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L to R: Marva Jones and Harry Laws (not married yet), Georgan Hurst (Burtenshaw) and Fern Laws.

Harry Laws

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Bills Laws obituary and funeral services

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Bill's hat

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This poem was written by Bill's wife Dot and given to Fern Laws Palmer.

Wayne Laws

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Wayne and his wife Jean.

Poem about Wayne by his sister, Fern

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Asa and Lurlene Laws during the time period they were leaving Mexico to come back into the United States. We had the date and where the photo was taken figured out but I am going to have to go back to my emails to get the right caption here. It will be forthcoming!

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Lurlene Laws Barton, Lucy Johnson Laws, Fern Laws Palmer. I love this photo! Isn't it great? Just something about the way they are all standing. Women power!!!

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Asa and Marie, Bill and Dot.

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Laws girls

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Lu Laws (center). Her daughters are sitting next to her - Lurlene left, Fern right. Daughters-in-law, from left to right, are: Marva Jones Laws, Marie Black Laws and Dot Black Laws.

Laws Four Generation Photo

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The baby in this photo is Bill Barton, held by his mother Lurlene Laws Barton. On Lurlene's left is her father June Laws, and on her right is her grandfather William Hart Laws.