Letters Home

We interrupt the regularly scheduled program to bring to you some very special features: Letters Home.

I'm starting these in sort of an odd place,  Sept 1944, shortly before my father went overseas.  He enlisted in the Army in June 1942, was stationed at Camp. Carson with Btry "B" 914 F.A.Bn.until March 1943.  Then he was off to Btry "B" 872 F.A.Bn at Camp Blanding, Fla.  Aug 1943 Btry "B" 872nd F.A.Bn. transferred to Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Ark.   May 1944, the battalion was off to Camp Rucker, Ala.

Aug 1994 he was transferred to Co. D 1st Bn. 1st Regtr. Ft Meade, MD.  In a letter to his mother, he tells her that he will probably be shipping out before too much longer, but to not worry as he is a Battery Clerk again, and probably won't see much action.   One paragraph is very interesting:
" This is a pretty nice post and it has a lot of accomodations that most of the other posts I have been on don't have.  About two blocks from here there is an outdoor patio where they sell beer and girls come out from Wash., Baltimore or Annapolis about every night so we have quite a lot of fun right here on the Post.  They also have free movies about every night." He also mentions that he will probably be transferred to a different unit, as this one is infantry and he was artillery. 
As far as I can figure out, he probably met my mom while stationed at Ft. Meade.  One also has to consider what year it was, and the other places he had been.  He was also from a very small town in Co.  

Which brings us to Sept. 1944 Hq. Btry., 100th Div. Arty. Ft. Bragg, NC
(click on the letter to view it larger - be sure to look at the rest of this before doing so, as the notes don't get included in the pictures!)

The 100th Artillery Div shipped out Oct 1944, and the 1st V-mail letters to my mom.

On the boat to somewhere!

From somewhere in France.

My Aunt Laura was very lovely in her white satin wedding dress, she was a very lovely person. 

I will be posting these inbetween info on the Johnson, Hasenkamp family.  I have other WWII items that will also be posted at some point, off and on.

She did send him a picture.

Wishing you a fabulous day. 

1910 Census Johnson

Fort Lupton, Colorado

Alexander George Johson  43
Birth: Canada English
Immigrated 1877
Parents Birthplace: Canada English

Spouse:  Caroline M 42
Birthplace: New York
Parents Birthplace: Germany

Children           Age               Birthplace

Mabel M.(?)    21                Mi.
Lila M             18                Mi.
Glen H            16                Mi.
Lee  I              16                Mi.
John A            11                Mi
Friend E            9                Mi
Victor               6                 Co.

Mabel Anna  & Lila M. Johnson

1900 Census for Alexander Johnson

1900 Census Chippewa & Grant Township, Mecosta, Michigan

While looking at the census reports for 1880, 1900, and even later, there is frequently a difference in # of births and living children.   All three of the adult women listed here, have differences in births and living children. 

I'm not sure when this picture was taken,  what is interesting about it is that there are 7 children here.  I think  it was taken in Michigan, so it was probably between 1900 and 1910, (or sooner than 1910),  I don't know exactly when my family moved to Colorado.  To see the larger size, click on the picture. The orignal of this picture is at the bottom of this post.

Head of Household: Alexander Johnson
born: May 1866  
Place of birth: Canada English
Yrs married 12 est 1888
Immigrated: 1876

Spouse Carrie
Birth Oct 1867  New York
Place of Parents birth:  Germany
Mother of how many children: 6
Mother of living children: 5

Children
Mable  Mar1889
Lila       June 1890
Glen      Aug  1893
Lee       Aug 1893
John       Dec. 1898

Front left: Alexander G. Johnson , Wealthy Whiting (?)

back left: Margaret Johnson (?) & Carrie Peters Johnson (?)

Also in the household

Margaret Johnson
Born:  Sept. 1842 Canada  (58)
Relationship to head of household: Mother
Immigrated  1876
Marital Status:  Widowed
Mother of how many children:  6
Mother of how many living children:  3

Wealthy Whiting
Born 1812 New York (she was 88 years old!)
Relationship to head of household:  Grandmother
Father & Mothers birthplace:  Pennsylvania
Marital Status:  Widowed
Mother of how many children: 9
Mother of living children:  4

Donald Johnson
Born: July 1839 Canada English
Relationship to head of household:  Uncle
Father & Mothers birthplace Scotland
Marital Status: Single
Immigrated:  1882

Also found :

Marriage for Alexander & Carrie
Married June 27, 1888
His parents Hugh Johnson & Margaret Whiting
Her Parents:  John Peters

I was practically jumping up and down and squealing with joy when I found the marriage listing, I didn't know Alexander's parents name before that.

It is unfortunate that the wife's maiden name isn't listed anywhere in the census - trying to track down that info is a bit tricky.  I felt extremely fortunate to find his mother and grandmother listed in the census - leading me to one more maiden name!  and then finding the marriage listing, just confirmed it!  Which helped me narrow down the 1880 Census.
I admit some of this brought tears to my eyes - for several reasons. 
There are at times different spellings of names - not sure why - maybe the person recording the info from the census.

New Findings 1880 Census Johnson

It's been quite a while - I finally sat down and did some research - I was a bit frustrated with one site that will show you a little info - but wants to charge you for more, but then found this site https://familysearch.org/ that allows you to search using different criteria and it's free. 
I've been pondering how to put the info I came up with on here - I'm going to list what I found by Census dates starting with 1880!

1880
Hugh Johnson 47 yrs old
Res:  Chippewa, Mecosta, Michigan
Birth 1833 Canada
Parents place of birth: Scotland
Occupation: Farmer
Spouse: Margaret 36
Born in Canada
Occupation: Keeping house
Parents birthplace: Canada

Children
Amelia L. born 1862   18yrs old  born: Canada
Alexander G.    1866   14                     Canada
Maggie L          1879     1                     Michigan

Also in the household
John McLachlin   21, born 1859 Canada
Parents Birthplace:  Scotland
Occupation:  Farmer

Also found Hugh Johnson died July 3 1896
Parents listed as:  Alexandria (?) Johnson & Mary Johnson

ON HOLD

This Project is sort of on hold until I get settled - somewhere!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GRANDMOTHER

My grandmother, Mabel Anna Johnson was born March 15th 1889. Died March 9, 1976. In some ways, I feel as though I didn't know much about her. However, she was a big influence on me, she was probably one of my biggest supporters throughout my life. So today, I'd like to honor her by setting up this blog - it's going to be about our family - letters from her, to her, from my dad, from my Uncle Al, and my Aunt Mary, and letters to my mom during WWII. It's about trying to reconnect with some family.
Some of the background

Alexander George Johnson (b May 8 1866- Dec. 7 1961) & Caroline Mary Peters (b Oct 15th 1867 - Oct 12, 1948) children:
Mabel Anna March 15, 1889 - March 9, 1976
Lila May b June3 29, 1891
Hugh Glenn Aug 27 1893 - July 24, 1928
Jacob Lee Aug 27 1893 - Oct 2, 1953
Fred Albert Sept 9, 1894 - June 1, 1900
John Alexander Dec 11, 1898
Friend Elmer Apr 14, 1901
Victor Stephen Jan 14 1904

Mabel (L)& Lila (r)

Mabel married Charles Hasenkamp Dec 1914. Charles was born Aug 28, 1889 in North Platte, Nebraska, and died Oct 16 1954 in Platteville, Colorado.
Charles and Mabel Hasenkamp had 4 children:
Mary Elizabeth,   March 27, 1916

Charles Albert, Oct. 11, 1919 - March 1, 1992
Friend Arthur, Dec 31, 1920 - Jan 2, 2001

William Leroy July 5, 1922 died May 11 1923

I will update marriages and deaths at another time, I have to track them down again! For now, this is the start - I need to get busy as my daughter and 2 grandchildren will be here sometime tomorrow and I really need to get my apt cleaned up!

Happy Birthday Grandmother!