Elmer Wood Johnson
Elmer Wood Johnson was the son of William Derby Johnson and Jane Cadwallader Brown. He was born on May 18, 1854 in Kanesville (now Council Bluffs), Pottawattamie County, Iowa.
His parents, before coming to Iowa, lived at Nauvoo, Illinois and personally knew the Prophet Joseph Smith. When Elmer was two years old the family moved 6 miles above Omaha, Nebraska on the Missouri River to Old Winter Quarters (now Florence, Nebraska). It was here he spent his first school year. He often related an incident told him by his mother, that when he was a very small child he stood with his mother and watched the first handcart company go by on their way to Salt Lake City. In that company was Anna Matilda Baldwin, his future mother-in-law.
In the year 1861 when Elmer was seven years old, they trekked to Salt Lake City with other pioneers. They traveled with a company of pioneers under the direction of Sixtus Johnson, a cousin. There were a good many ox teams and a lot of people, and as near as he could remember, they were about three months on the road and traveled about 1,500 miles. His father had his own outfit and brought his family, who were seven in number, his sister Almera and her two daughters, his brother-in-law Alva W. Brown and a teamster. They had four teams, one with four yoke of oxen, on with two yoke, one with one yoke, and a single horse and wagon. This horse and wagon were used especially for Elmer’s mother and the smaller children. He remembered well the way they camped at night. The would form their wagons in a half circle to the right, and a half circle to the left; in the center a large fire was made to keep them warm and give them light. After singing, reciting, telling stories, sometimes dancing and sometimes holding formal meetings. Evening and morning prayers were never neglected. Elmer was too young to remember much himself, but as he grew older his parents often told him about the trip. He did remember Indians coming into camp several times but no serious trouble with them and also seeing small herds of buffalo. His brother Willie, four years older, drove the one yoke wagon.
One incident taught Elmer a great lesson. One morning while the camp was preparing to start, and all fo the grownups were busy getting ready, he and his cousin Della climbed into the wagon they were going to ride in. She was sitting up front; he was to the reare end hanging on some wagon bows. On one of the bows was an old pistol. Elmer was sure the pistol would misfire more that it would fire and recalling that his father warned Willie not to leave it loaded, Elmer took it down to Della and suggested to her that they play “hold up,” each taking turns demanding something from the other. They had been planning for some time this way when Della grabbed Elmer’s straw hat from his head and stuck it on her head. Elmer, whose turn it was to be the bandit, demanded to have his hat back. Della of course refused, so hin fun he said, “Give me my hat or I’ll blow your brains out.” She said, “I’ll not do it.” He took aim at the back of her head and pulled the trigger. To his horror it went off. Della jumped out of the wagon, her hand clasped to the back of her head and blood running down her neck. Running and screaming she cried, “Elmer had killed me.” Elmer’s mother came running to the wagon where Elmer sat frozen stiff with horror. They understandable why Elmer was always opposed to both young and old pointing a toy or real gun at anyone.
Enduring the usual hardships of pioneers the Johnsons arrived in Salt Lake City in the early part of 1862. Elmer’s father bought a house on South Temple Street between 3rd and 2nd West. While living here Elmer attended the first school in Utah and during that winter he was baptized. When 12 years old he was ordained a Deacon. He sant alto in the 15th Ward choir for about four years and he took part in in the first local play at the Sale Lake Theatre. When he was 17 years old, President Brigham Young advised Elmer’s father to move to southern Utah. They stayed one winter in Washington near St. George, then settled at Johnson 15 miles east of Kanab. During the winter of 1872-1873, Elmer, in his late teens, attended school three months; that was the last of his formal schooling.
While going to school that winter he met Mary Jane Little. He tells the good one. We just didn’t how impressed he was with her and could describe the color and kind of dress she wore; she was only 12 or 13 years old. About three years later Elmer persuaded Mary Jane to marry him. She was not quite 16 and he was 21. On November 5th they left now for Salt Lake City by team and wagon, with his sister-in-law Lucy Johnson as a chaperone. After traveling two and a half weeks, camping at night and cooking over a campfire, they arrived. They were married November 22, 1875 by Daniel H. Wells in the Endowment House at Salt Lake City and they arrived back home December 22.
It was during this time that men in the Church were advised by the Authorities to take more than one wife, and so on November 22, 1879 Elmer married his second cousin, Julia Anna Orton.
In the fall of 1880 Elmer was sent on a church mission. He bought each of his two wives enough material for two grasses and left them in the same house, with $.25 cash. Elmer had been gone only 18 months when he became ill with chills and fever. Because they couldn’t get., He was given an honorable release and sent home. His wife met him, dressed alike, white Leghorn hats with black ribbon bands, and streamers at their waists, black shoes and white stockings. Elmer was surprised to find all debts paid and much more in the house then when he left.
When their babies were born about a year later, there was only a month difference in birthdates. The wives lived in the same house and plan and made their baby clothes alike. Two years later the stork again visited mother and Aunt Julia. On 20 February, 1885, another little girl was born to and Julia. They called her Anna. About three weeks later on March 13, 1885, a son was born to Mary Jane. This was Elmer Wood Johnson, Jr.
By this time, for safety reasons, the wives were not living in the same house. Elmer, along with other Mormon polygamist men, were being sought by U.S. Marshals. Eventually, with others, Elmer served his time in jail. Finally Pres. John Taylor advised those who wish to live in polygamy to go to Mexico. In the autumn of 1885, Elmer took a part of his brother Wille’s family south of the border. The next year he decided on a like move for his own family. Julia was expecting a baby in October and Mary Jan in January. Elmer left Julia at Johnson with his mother and in September 1887, with Mary Jane and their four small children, he left for Mexico. They traveled in covered wagons. Bed springs were put in the wagon box to serve as a bed for the mother and two younger children. Elmer and the older two youngsters slept under the stars except when it rained. Then all spent the night in the wagon. The trip took two months.
They arrived in Colonia Diaz latter part of November, 1887. Other families were already there. They pitch their tents and proceeded to prepare for winter. On January 22, 1888, another daughter was born while the family was living in a tent. The tent leaked and Elmer had to keep hands on the bed to keep mother and baby dry. Sometime in 1889, Julia and family went to Mexico. By this time Elmer had seven girls and one boy.
Mary Jane and her older girls decided to go into the candy business. They paid $100 for a pure sugar candy recipe, got a small hand mill, and started the business. As it grew they were unable to handle it in the home kitchen so Elmer built a little candy shop. He decided to help with the candy making and it became a major part of the family income. Candy was applied to all the Mormon colonies as well as to some of the Mexican communities nearby.
Elmer had good looks and a pleasing personality. Most everyone in the community referred him as “Uncle Elmer.” He served as chairman of the dance committee for about 12 years, was head of the old folks’ committee, and was in charge of the dramatic Association productions. He lost social dancing and with a clear voice called the quadrills and other public dances in Colonia Diaz. He imparted the first phonograph in the colony and put it to frequent use. He sold tunes to the young people. He had a little room in the front of the candy shop where he sold candy and soft drink made by Mary Jane. Elmer put the gramophone in their on dance nights. He had a large horn for it and earphones to serve for couples. It went over big. The gramophone was as thrilling then as TV is to us today.
He also sent back east for the first “store” Valentines, both comic and pretty, and sold them. He was always trying to promote the interests of young people in homemade entertainment. A favorite pastime was hayrack riding. “Uncle Elmer” could always be depended on to provide a team and rack, serve as chaperon, and have fun along with the young people.
After living in Mexico 25 years, going through many hardships, building their homes and pioneering a new country, the Elmer Johnsons left their homes in July 28, 1912, with the rest of the Saints. A few minutes before 10:00 a.m., 84 wagons, hacks, and buggies filled with people, bedding and lunches, pulled out of town with between 600 and 700 men, women, and children. We did not camp until we were on U.S. soil. We finally pitched camp at Hachita, New Mexico and were provided with tents and provisions by the U.S. Government, and from there the people scattered in all directions. Before all had gone, however, some 17 babies were born and several old folks had died whil waiting in the camps. When the colonists realized that they could not go back, word was sent all that the U.S. Government would provide free transportation to anywhere in the United States that the refugees wished to go. It was ironic that the same government that 25 years previously had compelled them to take their families to Mexico was now feeding them and providing them with refuge.
It was impossible for Elmer to take both families with him, because he was destitute. A daughter, Mary Heva, and her family lived in a dry farm near Idaho Falls. She and her husband invited her father and mother and any others who wish to join them and Homestead land in the area. Members of the family decided to go north to Idaho, take up homesteads of 340 acres with adjoining corners.
Elmer second wife Julia was not among those who settled in Idaho. She went to Oregon where her brother Joel Orton lived. She stayed there about year, then spent the next year in Salt Lake City. In the summer of 1914, she moved to St. Johns, Arizona where her daughter Caddie was living. She yet had two younger daughters with her. The rest of her children had married. She lived there the rest of her life, passing away in 1946.
Elmer and Mary Jane struggled on in Idaho, and endured enormous hardships. Eventually, they decided to sell their farm and moved to Salt Lake City where they could work in the temple. Mary Jane’s health was poor and Elmer spent increasing amounts of time caring for her. Despite great want, they were always faithful tithe payers. On November 22, 1925, they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at Heva’s home in Ogden. They had been married for 56 years on November 22, 1931. Mary Jane passed away January 12, 1932 in Salt Lake City. After this, Elmer seemed to lose interest in life and people. In the spring of 1936, after breaking his ankle and being sent to the hospital, Elmer began to slip rapidly. On May 6, 1936, he quietly passed away and was laid to rest by Mary Jane in the Salt Lake City cemetery. At his passing, Elmer Wood Johnson had between 80 and 90 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Abby Johnson Gooch, daughter
Stalwart’s South of the Border, Nelle Spillsbury Hatch page 351