Saphrona Thompson was born the second of 14 kids to Moses and Phatima Belle Burnham Thompson. She marries Luther Lee Tomlinson on November 25, 1876. They have 3 daughters that live to maturity, the youngest of which is born 3 months after her father's death in 1883. As a widow, Saphrona Tomlinson moves to Indiana. There she marries a second time to William A. Johnson on August 9, 1890. They move back to Iowa after the marriage and live there until about 1918, when they move to Minnesota. William Johnson dies in Minnesota in 1927. Saphrona Thompson Tomlinson Johnson lives another 13 years, dying in 1951 at age 93.
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Saphrona Thompson was born Feb. 16, 1858, near St. Louis, Michigan. She was a daughter of Phatima and Moses Thompson, the second of fourteen children. As a child she came to Iowa with her parents.
On Nov. 25, 1876, she was married to Luther Tomlinson. To this union, four daughters were born. On the death of her husband in 1883, she moved to Indiana, where she lived for nearly seven years. On Aug. 9, 1890 she was married to William A. Johnson and they returned to Iowa to make their home. To this union one daughter, Ruby, was born.
In 1918, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson moved to Minnesota where Mr. Johnson passed away in 1927. Two daughters, Laura Carter and Maude who died in infancy, preceded their mother in death.
Mrs. Johnson passed away August 18, 1951, at the age of 93 years, in a hospital at Mountain lake, where she had been a patient since June 5, when she fell and fractured her hip.
During her life Mrs. Johnson had been a member of the Presbyterian, Quaker, and Methodist churches and while in Mountain lake she attended the Christian Alliance Church. She was a devout student of the Bible and its teachings were practiced in her daily life.
She is survived by three daughters, Nora carter of Sheridan, Wyo.; Lulu carter Homer of University Park, Iowa; and Ruby Duncan of Jeffers, Minn., also 18 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and several great-great grandchildren. Two sisters, Mrs. Carrie Northey and Mrs. Jessie Webb also survive.