A chapter from “An Artist’s Story,” the life story Lee wrote in his eighties. In his words, as he wrote them.

I want to tell you about my grandpa Goggie as I called him when I was little. He was a tall thin man and I always remember him in a dark suit and felt hat. He had a mustache that made him look old, and he was old to me. He must have been in his late 60’s when I was born.

Elmer A. Johnson was born in Breckenridge, Michigan, in April of 1851.

Goggie was his name; everyone in our family called him that. He was a harness maker and learned his trade when he was very young around 16 or17, in the town of Holly, Michigan. He was close to 10 when the civil war took place and this must have been a very tremulous time for a small boy. I am sure that he was not old enough to enter the war as a soldier, but he wanted to be a drummer boy anyway because he had the drum, where it came from no one knows.

He went to Pontiac, Michigan to enlist but he was too young and they sent him home. He still used his

drum that he somehow acquired.

When I was small he gave this drum to me and I had it for many years. I even played it at Pine Lake scout camp marching in the drum and bugle corps when I was 13 years old in the boy scouts.

He came to Bad Axe, Michigan in 1879 and opened a shop on Main Street. He handmade most of the large harnesses that were needed for the big draft horses of that day. The thumb area of Michigan needed clearing of all the left over pine stumps that could be seen for miles, a teamster could make 25 cents a stump. Many heavy harnesses were needed for these teams.

He later became prosperous enough to be able to buy out Harvey Paton and he consolidated the two stocks. He enjoyed a large and growing trade for many years. He also was into politics and was a member of the county council many times. He was clerk of Colfax Township as well as the fire warden of the village. He was a member of the Odd Fellows and Maccabees all of his adult life.

Transcription

Original spelling preserved; [brackets] mark uncertain or editorial readings.

Elmer A. Johnson.

Elmer A. Johnson is a native of the Wolverine state, having been born at Pontiac, April 5, 1851. When a mere boy he began the trade of harness-maker at Holly, and he has followed the occupation continuously ever since. He came to Bad Axe in 1879, and opened a shop and from then until now he has been a prominent factor in his trade throughout this section. A year ago he bought out Harvey Paton and consolidated the two stocks. His line today embraces everything in ready-made harness, collars, whips, blankets, robes and horse goods in general, including harness oil and stock food, as well as superior hand made harness of his own manufacture. In consequence he enjoys a large and growing trade. Mr. Johnson owns one of the neatest houses in town and enjoys the confidence and esteem of the entire community. He has been a member of the common council two or three times, was clerk of Colfax township six years, and for the past four years has been fire warden of the village. He is also a member of the Odd Fellows and Maccabees.

My mother said that he was a very prominent figure and very well liked by everyone in town. They had a very pretty home on Macon St. just east of the business district. In those days if you were prosperous enough you had a fine carriage with a good horse. Grandpa had a cow and chickens along with a big garden, he also was the proud owner of a huge hog that was made fat with the table scraps. He enjoyed his small farm and what is surprising is the fact it was only two blocks from downtown Bad Axe.

Grandpa made several trips to Bad Axe. He related a story of one eventful trip by Stage Coach from Pontiac that was made before the turn of the century around 1884. He was riding with the driver heading east toward Lapeer.

Lapeer Rd. in those days was a state turnpike. This road was laid out for future use as a railroad bed but was never developed for that. It had long straight a ways and gradual curves that went quite straight toward Lapeer. It was a well-used highway back then and the stage made few stops until it reached Drydan then it traveled north into the thumb of Michigan to reach Bad Axe. It was a long trip in 1875.

Grandpa said this particular day was in the spring of the year and there were still a few patches of snow here and there. They had just reached the crossroad called Irish Rd. and were slowing down to give the horses a breather and had proceeded about a 10th of a mile past Irish Rd on Lapeer.

All of a sudden they were all startled to hear a loud scream off to the south coming, they thought, from a woman near the edge of the woods. They stopped the stage and Gog - Gie (my grandfather) climbed down to the ground. Another passenger got out of the stage and he had a shotgun. The two of them proceeded across the field toward the woods to see who had screamed for help.

There was a six-foot split rail fence running east and west at the edge of the forest. They soon found out what had caused such a piercing scream as they saw a large bobcat running the top of the split rail fence. The other passenger raised his shotgun to shoot and pulled the trigger but there was only a small, click, as the gun did not fire. It was only a second and the bobcat disappeared into the woods.

This happened 118 years ago and it took place less than two miles west of where we now live. It’s hard to believe that so much has happened since then. We drove by this very spot quite often and it always reminds me of his story of the bob cat.

Lapeer Rd. is now a paved road. The wild woods and the split rail fence are gone, replaced with a 711 store and Shell gas station on the corner of Irish Rd., long row of apartments looking south to the “big woods“. The tremendous trees that lined the south side of Lapeer Rd. are gone except for one lonely tree still standing, like a sentinel. Instead of a stagecoach there are hundreds of cars speeding along this road and no one remembers the split rail fence and the screaming bobcat but me.

GogGie worked with his hands and most of the tools of his were handmade. Before his death in 1927 he whittled out a wooden fence that I still have. It was a collapsible picket fence made of oak that he whittled with his jackknife and it could be opened up to form a round fence with a gate.

GogGie gave it to me for a Christmas present and I have treasured it for many years. When GogGie came to live with us I think he had very little money, however he helped around the house and did odd jobs now and them.

As he became older he had a lot of problems with his urination and prostrate gland. For 2 or 3 years leading up to his death in 1927 he became withdrawn and did not associate with other people and spent much of his time in a private room that he made for himself above our two-car garage. I believe he was ashamed of the very unpleasant smell that came from his clothes and he kept mostly to himself.

My mother let me know in no uncertain terms that I was to accept his illness and make no comment of how unpleasant the odor might be. She brought to my attention the fact that if he was not around there would not have been ME. This gave me something to think about. As a person grows older and reaches that time in life it’s important to remember how small children might react to such as that which I encountered with my grandpa. I wish I had it all to do over again. I think I would have more understanding the next time around.

I have no record of Grandpa Johnson’s parents, (my great grandfather and grandmother). I have a few small remembrances of his wife, my mother’s mother. Her name was Mattie Elesworth and she was born in 1855, somewhere in Oakland County. She had a younger sister, (my great aunt) whose name was Nan Elesworth.

My grandmother died in 1920 when I was 2 years old. I have little remembrance of her however my mother told me that grandma Johnson was a devout Christian and held me in her lap to pray for me. The only good picture I have of her is the one shown here. It was taken when my mother Grace Johnson was 10 years old. The dress grandma is wearing is very striking and elegant with 18 pearl buttons down the front. Her hat was the best in town and she always wore leather gloves. I think the parasol she is holding was just a prop. This picture must have been taken in 1891 at a photo studio. Notice the waves on the water in the background.

Grandma Johnson was not a heavy weight as you can see; she must have weighted about 110 lbs. In this picture Grandma Johnson was 36 years old and Grandpa was 40. He looks very handsome in his black suit coat and vest with 3 button shoes, (under his coat and vest he always wore a pair of suspenders).

I believe the church she attended was the M.E. of Bad Axe because the pastor Rev. West for the M.E. church officiated at the wedding of my mother and father in 1910.

Transcription

Original spelling preserved; [brackets] mark uncertain or editorial readings.

JOHNSON-MICK.

Miss Grace, only child and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Johnson, of this city, were quietly married at 8:30 Tuesday evening to Mr. John D. Mick, of Des Moines, Iowa. The ceremony was performed by Rev. West, of the M. E. church, at the residence of the bride’s parents on Bacon street. Only immediate relatives and several close friends were present.

Mr. and Mrs. Mick left Wednesday morning for the groom’s home, where they will reside. The bride has been one of Bad Axe’s most popular young ladies and a musician of ability, and the best wishes of her hosts of friend follow to her western home.

Mr. Mick has been a student in the forestry course at Ann Arbor, and will return to the university next year to complete it.

Transcription

Original spelling preserved; [brackets] mark uncertain or editorial readings.

Mr. and Mrs. Elmer A. Johnson announce the marriage of their daughter Grace A. to Mr. John D. Mick — Tuesday, November fifteen, nineteen hundred ten. At Home: Des Moines, Iowa, after December 1.

Grandmother Johnson was an outstanding cook and Grandpa Johnson would invite all of the out of town salesman that came to his shop to, “come to dinner“. She must have been a very delightful hostess. The reason that I believe this to be true is the fact that these salesmen would always send her a teacup and server for her very fine collection. She had over one hundred cups and saucers in her home. These were passed on to my mother who kept them for years at our cottage on Saginaw Bay. They were passed down to grace Johnson and many were given to her daughter-in-laws. There are only 4 cup and saucers left of the huge collection and now they belong to Lois Mick.

When Grandpa Johnson came to Bad Axe in 1879 to start his harness business, it was only two years until the devastating fire swept across the thumb of Michigan. Here is an account of how it was in Bad Axe during the fire of 1881.

Grandpa Johnson never spoke much about the great fire that started on Sept 5, 1881, but there are many books that have been written about the “Great Fire“. What follows are some excerpts from a book called, “Michigan on Fire“.

“The Great fires of 1871 were horrible. Yet this devastation was to virtually repeat itself in just a scant ten years time.”

“The 1871 conflagration was termed a “tree-top fire” which left a tanglement of downed and broken trees that littered the forest floor. This provided just the right fuel for the next blaze because the stage was properly set with just the right conditions. While the 1871 blaze took in more territory, the 1881 fire proved to be far more intense, with a greater toll in lives and human suffering than it’s earlier fury counterpart“.

“The fire was spreading east toward the town of Bad Axe and at one o’clock a sudden windstorm came up and several houses became ignited. Men pumped water from the courthouse pump and tried carrying it to the roof of the courthouse throwing it on to the sanded wood surfaced of the building to cool it“.

“The many colors of the fire were caused by explosions of chemicals in the drug store, gun powder in the hardware, where 36 barrels of kerosene went up very quickly“.

” Probably the casualty list would have been extremely higher had that brick courthouse that housed the towns women and children had not been saved. Almost all of the population of Bad Axe were assembled at this one building“.

“If it had not been for the valiant efforts of the men, the courthouse would have been destroyed. This building was three stories tall and men were up on the roof with pails to keep it watered down. The wind was so strong that men carrying water buckets had to be helped ahead by others. This was a holocaust.”

As I have read these stories of the great fire I have often wondered where my Grandfather and Grandmother were during this time, because it was in July of 1881 that my mother was born two months before the town of Bad Axe was nearly destroyed by fire. The great fire of 1881 was the first time the Red Cross Society of America was used. The Michigan fire had given it an opportunity to prove it’s worth and it did.

While this holocaust forever ended the logging era in the Thumb, it opened up the land for farming.

This region today ranks as one of the most fertile crop producing areas in Michigan.

During the writing of my “life story” I often would write for an hour or two in the evening while Lois was watching TV. One eve I was looking through some old pictures that my mother had placed away in an old envelope with three letters. Suddenly I realized I had found my long lost Great Grandparents. I had never seen these pictures before or read the three letters and it was a strange feeling to meet them this way for the first time.

My Great Grandparents names were Justus and Abbie Ellsworth (not too sure of the name Abbie). In these letters it was obvious that he was residing in Effingham, Kansas in Atchison County. This was a very small place some 15 miles west of the Missouri River and north east of Kansas City.

Transcription

Original spelling preserved; [brackets] mark uncertain or editorial readings.

Thursday Morning — February 26th [18]80 — Effingham Kansas

My Dear Children — having accidently learned your whereabouts by your letter of the fifteenth Inst. Addressed to Charlie — I am Looking for Some New Place of Business or A Site for A Small grocery if I could get Some good location where I could get A little trade to begin with I could Maintain My Self Mutch easier than plowing or diging in the ground

Please tell what you can of your little town or Some other little place where there is not two Mutch competition and also Some prospect of being Better instead of worse

I see by the Michigan News there is quite A prospect of A Rail Road being Built up through your County which I think would be A great help to that Section of country this Road when built will pass through Dryden down the little Bell River between our old pace and Almont

perhaps you would like [to] hear A word or two from Kansas — Rite here let Me Say their is one thing I do like Kansas for and that is the Mild winters the weather here Now is more like May than February the frogs Robbins Blue Birds Larks in short all the little harbingers of Spring are Singing and Seem to feel happy

we had one little fall of Snow Just Enough to whiten the ground Some time in December it went off the Next Day and we have had none since

we have had but verry little Rain this winter the Roads are dry and dusty Some are ploughing and Sowing Spring wheat Making garden

two years this Spring peach and other fruit trees were all in Blossom by the 20th of March if no drawback takes place we shall be fully up to that time this Spring fall wheat is Sarting to grow though behind what it was two years ago) this is owing no doubt to the drauth this winter

as for My Self I ought to be thankful that I am well and can eat three times every day

Please write giving what information you can conveneently — Respectfully yours — Justus Ellsworth

I do not like to Send two mutch clean paper but Really I do not think of anything More that would be interesting to you

Abbie Says She will write Soon they are all well

Please when you write ask all the questions you con think of I wille try and answer them if I can if I cant I will honestly Say So — Justus Ellsworth

[Written across the top of the last page in another hand: “These were written by Grandfather Ellsworth to Mamma.”]

Transcription

Original spelling preserved; [brackets] mark uncertain or editorial readings.

The winter here has been extremely long and Severe the Cold Set in Early and continues late for this Country heretofore the Mild winters of Kansas has been A great inducement for me to Stay here with the Exceptation of Snow this winter here has been as Severe as Most anny thing I ever Experienced in the East

we have had one Snow Storm here this winter the only one for the last five years I have been here that Seemed to amount to any thing before the fall of Snow on the eve[r]age perhaps would not Exceed one foot in depth but the Severity of the wind was awful for three days and Nights with the Mercury down to 20 below zero thousands of poor animals perished for want of shelter

farmers are are trying to do A little Spring work but it is Slow the Nites are to Cold for vegitaton to get Mutch groth

I wish Now to Say A word in Repperence to My coming East the Prospect Now Seems to look favorabe that I Mite Start Some time in May

in the Mein time Please inform Me if Boats Make their trips from Detroit or Port huron and whether they touch at those Ports up the Lake alsoe the landing Nearest you I Sppose navigation will be open by the first of May

Respectfully — Justus Ellsworth

one word to Mattie — Miles was here About two weeks [and] has gone again But this time he went to Lawrence insted of Manhattan as formally I think he will get twelve Dollars per [word struck out] week in the Printing Establishment in Lawrence Above Named

Lawrence is Situate About 25 Miles South of Topeka or About 50 from here

Please do not forget the Big Jonny Cake accordng to promice My Appetite is Excellent I could eat A pritty large one every Day — Justus Ellsworth

Transcription

Original spelling preserved; [brackets] mark uncertain or editorial readings.

22, 8 sec 15 — Camp in the woods Ten miles from civellizeat[ion] 187[?] Dec 1st As it wer

Dear Brother and Burt — I recived your kind letter and was g[lad] to hear from you I am to work in the woods like it first rate work for a man by the name of darrah I am swamping for a skider and a good man to I hired out to chop and saw but the man I hired to has let the job to another man and I dont like him for pay so I told him I had rather swamp than load I have got a good job

I have jest been setting the table for our pretty little cook I will writ you the song cald the shantymans life when I get time it is a good song

you said in your letter if I had done any thin[g] [it] was a shame of I ha[d] better keep it to my self you have got the song I d[o] of it for I have not you will blame me for quiting my trad but would not if you knew all about it I have no time nor paper to tell you

I shall go to work at it again next summer if I live — I shall help driv the logs down in the spring to the mane river about 100 miles

I got a letter from buretts last night they are well got another from home they are well another from Em they are well

I am with in about forty miles of uncle bill Engles our forman is cosin to them Tompkins is that used to live with Garlkes folks

I haint got time to write any more write soon and tell me how Rosa gets a long I cant get a letter from he[r] now write first as soon as you get This — Melvin Johnson

Mira I haint got time to write much to you but I am going to write you a letter befour long

Mrs Bates [should] never send that money down to the shop unless she give it to dave or or his wife — brown paid 5.00 dollars and [that] leaves me in debt to to you 1.00 and I will send it as soon as the[y] comes up from big rapids — diner s ready — Melvin — to Mira: be a good girl

Direct To: Clam Lake, Wexford Co. Mich — Darrah’s Camp

the snow is a foot deep and has been for a week

[Written upside-down at the bottom of the address page in another hand: “Melvins last letter.”]

I believe that he was a farmer of sorts and looking forward to coming back to Michigan to set up some type of business venture, perhaps a store of some kind. Mattie, who he mentions in his letter, was his daughter and my Grandmother Mattie Johnson of Bad Axe, Michigan.

These letters I believe were written using a quill pen and his spelling is interesting.

Great Grandpa Justus

Ellsworth has written in his letter of 26 of Feb 1880 that he had learned of the whereabouts of his children in Bad Axe (this is a wonderment). He also tells of the possibility of a railroad going north from Drydan by “their old place” near Almont. I will always wonder what he means by “their old place” near Almont. I wonder if there is any connection in these facts because Great Aunt Nan Ellsworth had lived all her life in the Almont area taking care of Nettie Wales.

The third letter is signed Melvin Johnson and I believe that he was a brother to Grandpa Elmer Johnson of Bad Axe, Michigan.

There is little else that I can glean from these three letters of long ago. Perhaps I can some day look further into the past and find more information on my Great Grandparents. Until then I have only their pictures taken on these tin plate photos to remember them by.

This section that I am writing about my grandparents is an example of why I am writing this story at all. I want to understand and have a feeling of kinship with my heritage. During my lifetime this society has been on a headlong dash into the future and unlike many older cultures, which have been built on generations of traditions we have surely misplaced our past.

I think that our heritage is found in the everyday lives of our own family members who have gone before us. I don’t want the members of this family to slip into oblivion like my Great grandparents have. So keep your memories alive and write them down.