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ANNA PIXLEY JOHNSON (ANNIE)

Written by great-grandson James A. Ott

There is little information available concerning Anna Pixley Johnson, the first wife of Joel Hills Johnson. This information is taken from the journal of Joel Hills Johnson.

Anna Pixley Johnson, daughter of Timothy Johnson and Dimis Welch, was born at Canaan, Grafton County, New Hampshire August 7, 1800. She was married to Joel Hills Johnson on November 2, 1826 at Pomphret, Chatauqua County, New York. Her first child, Juliana Johnson, was born at Pomphret on October 2, 1827 and died in 1829. Her second child, Sixtus Ellis was also born at Pomphret on October 8, 1829. Her third child, Sariah Anna, was born at Amherst, Lorain County, Ohio on February 18, 1832. The fourth child, Nephi, was born December 12, 1833 at Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio. Susan Ellen, the fifth child, was born July 11, 1836 at the same place. Seth Guernsey, the sixth child, was born March 6, 1839 at Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois.

In January 1831, they moved to Amherst, Loraine County, Ohio. It was in Amherst, about 30 miles from Kirtland, that the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brought the Gospel to Annie P. Johnson and she was baptized May 10, 1831. Her husband Joel was baptized on the first day of June 1831. They moved to Kirtland in July 1833, where Joel operated a brickyard, with the intention of making bricks for the Kirtland Temple. When the Brethren decided to use stone instead of brick for the temple, Joel decided to use the brick to build a house for his family. Then he started a sawmill and furnished lumber for the temple. It is probably safe to say that Annie helped with the construction of the temple by donating some of her china to be crushed for making mortar for the temple stone.

Annie and her husband went with the camp of Saints called "The Kirtland Camp", leaving Kirtland on July 6, 1838, and arriving in Springfield, Illinois on September 15, 1838. This company consisted principally of the poor Saints of Kirtland, with the sick, poor, lame, blind, etc., with all that could not move without help. In Springfield, Joel "hired" a house for his family and rented a house for the comfort of the sick until they could travel on to join the Saints in Illinois.

On January 8, 1839, they moved to Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, where they rented an old vacant storehouse with several rooms. Their home became a stopping place for many of the Saints coming from Far West, Missouri.

On February 18, 1840, they moved to the west branch of Crooked Creek, where a Stake was organized and Joel was set apart as President of the Stake by Hyrum Smith.

The following concerning Annie is copied from the daily diary of her husband, Joel Hills Johnson:

"From this time I began to make arrangements to build me a house in town (Ramus), so as to move into before fall. But before this was accomplished--sometime in August--my wife was taken sick with the Nervous Fever (Ague) and my family, one after the other, was taken sick with chills and fever, until they were all sick but myself. My wife lingered about 5 weeks and expired. In the fore part of her sickness, she manifested some uneasiness about her future state, until one morning she awoke with a smile on her countenance and said to me that the Lord had spoken to her that night and said to her, 'Go daughter, sleep in peace and rest'. From that time, her mind was at rest about her future state.

"But she said that she should not live, her greatest anxiety was about her friends that had not received the Gospel, for which she almost constantly prayed. She also manifested much anxiety about her family; she talked to, and about, her children much. She would often throw her arms around my neck and exclaim, 'Oh, Joel, how I feel for you. It will be well with me, but what will you do with the children when I am gone?' A few days before she died, she clasped her arms around my neck and said, 'I have been all night thinking about you and the children. I know that you cannot take care of them alone. When I am gone, you must get you another companion. I have been trying to think of one for you, but you must select one for yourself. I now feel satisfied to leave my children, for the Lord has told me that they will be well cared for as they would be if I had the care of them myself.' After this, she manifested no more uneasiness about her family and fell asleep on the 11th day of September 1840, rejoicing in the hope of a glorious resurrection among the just. She was a kind and attentive companion, and a tender and affectionate mother. She was interred in the graveyard at Ramus (Macedonia and now Webster), Hancock County, Illinois."

The following epitaph was inscribed on her tombstone:

She heard the Lord unto her say

Go daughter sleep in peace and rest

Until the morning of that day

When Michael's trumpet awakes the blest.

Lines written by Joel Hills Johnson following her death:

Lo, the shrouded form before me,

White as in the evening tide,

When, with marriage vow upon me,

I then took her for my bride.

While I look thus on my loved one

Soon to moulder in the dust,

I can say with a clear conscience

I have kept my vow and trust.

Though I now must wander mournful,

'Round my lone and silent home,

Ever listening for my loved one,

Which to me no more can come.

Still in those dear babes she left me

I can see her smile and form,

Which shall bring to sweet remembrance,

Her fond heart so kind and warm.

Short the time my Father gave me,

To be blest with her sweet love.

Yet the golden link thus severed

Shall unite again above.

Another poem written to Annie by her husband, Joel:

O lovely one and hast thou gone

While in life's early bloom,

And left me here to weep alone

My loved one in the tomb.

Must I in life ne'er see thee more?

Thou lovely one so dear.

Has death thee from my bosom tore

No more my heart to cheer?

Yes, death has chilled thy loving heart,

And thou art from me torn;

Yet we shall meet, no more to part

Where none are left to mourn.

Then I shall cease my grief and woe

Nor let my heart repine.

The loving gem I've lost below

Shall soon again be mine.

Shine on, thou lovely gem so dear.

In yon sweet world of light,

I soon shall come to meet thee there

And claim thee as my right.