William Edward Johnson was born in Washington County, Iowa, on September 13, 1871 to Milton Young and Kaeturah (Reddich) Johnson. Soon after, the Milton Johnsons moved to the new town of Billings, Missouri in the panhandle of Christian County. They settled on a 120-acre farm about two miles south of Billings. By 1877, Will's father was the first teacher when Billings established a tax-supported school, but Will, most likely, attended the Tell School, a one-room rural school just south of the farm.
All of Will's family were members of the First Baptist Church of Billings. The Billings Centennial, 1871-1971 book pictures Will as a member of the Mollie Brown Sunday School class in 1890 at age 19, and when the building burned in 1915, and a new building built, Will was on the building committee.
William Edward Johnson married Della Elizabeth Shaeffer on September 13, 1900. Her occupation is listed on the marriage certificate as "houseworker" and his as "City Marshall." He was responsible for keeping peace in Billings and attending the needs of the prisoners in the little two-cell stone jail building across the alley from their home. His duties also including turning off the town's electricity at the little brick powerhouse next to the jail every night at 10:00.
Will's second daughter, Elizabeth, died in 1906, his mother in 1912 and his father in 1917. Two years later, Will went to big city of Springfield, Missouri, about 15 miles northeast of Billings, and bought a new Dodge. They were preparing to take a trip to Washington State with the idea of settling there. Will and Della, along with daughters Nelle and Josephine, and his brothers Allen and Fred, took Route 66 west to California and then north to Washington—and that was before the highway was paved! They camped along the way in desert heat and mountain blizzards, but arrived at Prosser, Washington to visit Della's sister, Louise Olivia "Leva." They continued on to visit another sister in Bremerton, Bertha Ann "Birdie," and then went on to sister Hattie's farm in the Big Bend Country of Washington, north of Waterville. There they helped with the wheat harvest.
Will's brother, Fred, settled in the Tacoma, Washington area, where he died just a few years later. Allen stayed in the Spokane, Washington area, and Will's family returned to Billings.
Two years later, Will and Della sold their home and left Billings to settle in Washington. They rented a home in Waterville the first year, and Will helped with harvest again. After harvest, Will went to Spokane to help Allen build a home for himself and his new wife, Ella (Turner). In 1923, Will moved his family to Wenatchee, Washington, where he was employed as an upholsterer.
Will contracted what the doctors called at the time, tuberculosis of the larynx in 1934 and became unable to work. Daughter, Nelle, worked at the Farmer's Exchange Telephone Company in Wenatchee, and she was the sole support for the family for a while. She later got her sister, Jo, a job there, and together they kept the family together.
Will died at home at the Cain Apartments in Wenatchee on January 25, 1936. His wife, Della, and daughter, Josephine, continued to live there until Jo and her fiancé, Charles Barnhart, were married in June that year. Della moved in with them and kept house while Chuck and Jo worked. Daughter, Nelle, had moved to a job in Enumclaw, Washington.
All of Will's family were members of the First Baptist Church of Billings. The Billings Centennial, 1871-1971 book pictures Will as a member of the Mollie Brown Sunday School class in 1890 at age 19, and when the building burned in 1915, and a new building built, Will was on the building committee.
William Edward Johnson married Della Elizabeth Shaeffer on September 13, 1900. Her occupation is listed on the marriage certificate as "houseworker" and his as "City Marshall." He was responsible for keeping peace in Billings and attending the needs of the prisoners in the little two-cell stone jail building across the alley from their home. His duties also including turning off the town's electricity at the little brick powerhouse next to the jail every night at 10:00.
Will's second daughter, Elizabeth, died in 1906, his mother in 1912 and his father in 1917. Two years later, Will went to big city of Springfield, Missouri, about 15 miles northeast of Billings, and bought a new Dodge. They were preparing to take a trip to Washington State with the idea of settling there. Will and Della, along with daughters Nelle and Josephine, and his brothers Allen and Fred, took Route 66 west to California and then north to Washington—and that was before the highway was paved! They camped along the way in desert heat and mountain blizzards, but arrived at Prosser, Washington to visit Della's sister, Louise Olivia "Leva." They continued on to visit another sister in Bremerton, Bertha Ann "Birdie," and then went on to sister Hattie's farm in the Big Bend Country of Washington, north of Waterville. There they helped with the wheat harvest.
Will's brother, Fred, settled in the Tacoma, Washington area, where he died just a few years later. Allen stayed in the Spokane, Washington area, and Will's family returned to Billings.
Two years later, Will and Della sold their home and left Billings to settle in Washington. They rented a home in Waterville the first year, and Will helped with harvest again. After harvest, Will went to Spokane to help Allen build a home for himself and his new wife, Ella (Turner). In 1923, Will moved his family to Wenatchee, Washington, where he was employed as an upholsterer.
Will contracted what the doctors called at the time, tuberculosis of the larynx in 1934 and became unable to work. Daughter, Nelle, worked at the Farmer's Exchange Telephone Company in Wenatchee, and she was the sole support for the family for a while. She later got her sister, Jo, a job there, and together they kept the family together.
Will died at home at the Cain Apartments in Wenatchee on January 25, 1936. His wife, Della, and daughter, Josephine, continued to live there until Jo and her fiancé, Charles Barnhart, were married in June that year. Della moved in with them and kept house while Chuck and Jo worked. Daughter, Nelle, had moved to a job in Enumclaw, Washington.
William Edward Johnson was born in Washington County, Iowa, on September 13, 1871 to Milton Young and Kaeturah (Reddich) Johnson. Soon after, the Milton Johnsons moved to the new town of Billings, Missouri in the panhandle of Christian County. They settled on a 120-acre farm about two miles south of Billings. By 1877, Will's father was the first teacher when Billings established a tax-supported school, but Will, most likely, attended the Tell School, a one-room rural school just south of the farm.
All of Will's family were members of the First Baptist Church of Billings. The Billings Centennial, 1871-1971 book pictures Will as a member of the Mollie Brown Sunday School class in 1890 at age 19, and when the building burned in 1915, and a new building built, Will was on the building committee.
William Edward Johnson married Della Elizabeth Shaeffer on September 13, 1900. Her occupation is listed on the marriage certificate as "houseworker" and his as "City Marshall." He was responsible for keeping peace in Billings and attending the needs of the prisoners in the little two-cell stone jail building across the alley from their home. His duties also including turning off the town's electricity at the little brick powerhouse next to the jail every night at 10:00.
Will's second daughter, Elizabeth, died in 1906, his mother in 1912 and his father in 1917. Two years later, Will went to big city of Springfield, Missouri, about 15 miles northeast of Billings, and bought a new Dodge. They were preparing to take a trip to Washington State with the idea of settling there. Will and Della, along with daughters Nelle and Josephine, and his brothers Allen and Fred, took Route 66 west to California and then north to Washington—and that was before the highway was paved! They camped along the way in desert heat and mountain blizzards, but arrived at Prosser, Washington to visit Della's sister, Louise Olivia "Leva." They continued on to visit another sister in Bremerton, Bertha Ann "Birdie," and then went on to sister Hattie's farm in the Big Bend Country of Washington, north of Waterville. There they helped with the wheat harvest.
Will's brother, Fred, settled in the Tacoma, Washington area, where he died just a few years later. Allen stayed in the Spokane, Washington area, and Will's family returned to Billings.
Two years later, Will and Della sold their home and left Billings to settle in Washington. They rented a home in Waterville the first year, and Will helped with harvest again. After harvest, Will went to Spokane to help Allen build a home for himself and his new wife, Ella (Turner). In 1923, Will moved his family to Wenatchee, Washington, where he was employed as an upholsterer.
Will contracted what the doctors called at the time, tuberculosis of the larynx in 1934 and became unable to work. Daughter, Nelle, worked at the Farmer's Exchange Telephone Company in Wenatchee, and she was the sole support for the family for a while. She later got her sister, Jo, a job there, and together they kept the family together.
Will died at home at the Cain Apartments in Wenatchee on January 25, 1936. His wife, Della, and daughter, Josephine, continued to live there until Jo and her fiancé, Charles Barnhart, were married in June that year. Della moved in with them and kept house while Chuck and Jo worked. Daughter, Nelle, had moved to a job in Enumclaw, Washington.
All of Will's family were members of the First Baptist Church of Billings. The Billings Centennial, 1871-1971 book pictures Will as a member of the Mollie Brown Sunday School class in 1890 at age 19, and when the building burned in 1915, and a new building built, Will was on the building committee.
William Edward Johnson married Della Elizabeth Shaeffer on September 13, 1900. Her occupation is listed on the marriage certificate as "houseworker" and his as "City Marshall." He was responsible for keeping peace in Billings and attending the needs of the prisoners in the little two-cell stone jail building across the alley from their home. His duties also including turning off the town's electricity at the little brick powerhouse next to the jail every night at 10:00.
Will's second daughter, Elizabeth, died in 1906, his mother in 1912 and his father in 1917. Two years later, Will went to big city of Springfield, Missouri, about 15 miles northeast of Billings, and bought a new Dodge. They were preparing to take a trip to Washington State with the idea of settling there. Will and Della, along with daughters Nelle and Josephine, and his brothers Allen and Fred, took Route 66 west to California and then north to Washington—and that was before the highway was paved! They camped along the way in desert heat and mountain blizzards, but arrived at Prosser, Washington to visit Della's sister, Louise Olivia "Leva." They continued on to visit another sister in Bremerton, Bertha Ann "Birdie," and then went on to sister Hattie's farm in the Big Bend Country of Washington, north of Waterville. There they helped with the wheat harvest.
Will's brother, Fred, settled in the Tacoma, Washington area, where he died just a few years later. Allen stayed in the Spokane, Washington area, and Will's family returned to Billings.
Two years later, Will and Della sold their home and left Billings to settle in Washington. They rented a home in Waterville the first year, and Will helped with harvest again. After harvest, Will went to Spokane to help Allen build a home for himself and his new wife, Ella (Turner). In 1923, Will moved his family to Wenatchee, Washington, where he was employed as an upholsterer.
Will contracted what the doctors called at the time, tuberculosis of the larynx in 1934 and became unable to work. Daughter, Nelle, worked at the Farmer's Exchange Telephone Company in Wenatchee, and she was the sole support for the family for a while. She later got her sister, Jo, a job there, and together they kept the family together.
Will died at home at the Cain Apartments in Wenatchee on January 25, 1936. His wife, Della, and daughter, Josephine, continued to live there until Jo and her fiancé, Charles Barnhart, were married in June that year. Della moved in with them and kept house while Chuck and Jo worked. Daughter, Nelle, had moved to a job in Enumclaw, Washington.
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