David Nelson Johnson

The 1940 U S Census was released in April 2012 and last week I found the listing for my paternal grandfather, David Nelson Johnson. My grandfather died when I was 4 years old and I do not remember him at all so locating him in the 1940 Census was especially exciting because I learned more about a man I crave to know.  Consequently, David Nelson Johnson is the first person I introduce in this blog, Family Beginnings.

David was born 11 April 1870 in Chuckey, Tennessee which was farm land near Johnson City, Tennessee. David was the second son of James Johnson and Betty Ford Johnson. In 1870 when David was born, he lived in a home with not only his parents, but his paternal grandmother, Cynthia West Johnson; his two uncles, William and Samuel and his older brother, Henderson. Henderson was named for his paternal grandfather who was deceased. Their home was built on land inherited from Elizabeth Sevier Johnston who freed the family from indenture and willed land to be divided between them.

In 1880, the family continued to farm the land in Chuckey. By this time, James and Betty had added two girls, Cora and Alice Mary, to the family. Their youngest child, Clara was born in 1881 and was named for James' grandmother, Clarissa Clair "Ary" West. Ary who was of Cherokee descent was purchased at action by Edward West when she was 10 years old.

In the 1900 U S Census, David Nelson Johnson was married to my paternal grandmother, Ellen Cox Johnson. They had four children, three of the children: Will, Nola and James, were still living. They lived on Red River Road, Johnson City, Tennessee in a home that was rented. The family no longer lived on a farm and  David worked as a day laborer. Both David and Ellen could read and write.

By April of 1910 the family had moved to Bristol, Virginia. David was employed as a laborer and Ellen was doing laundry in the home. Their oldest son, Willie, was employed as a painter. Ellen had given birth to 8 children by 1910 and 6 of the children where still living and resided in the home.  They were Willie, Nola, James, Hattie, Clarence and Annie.  In August of that year their youngest son, Jack, was born in Bristol, Virginia. Jack was my father.

In 1920, David Nelson had moved his family back to Johnson City, Tennessee and rented a home at 101 Fairview Avenue.  David was employed as a janitor at a church while Ellen continued to do laundry in the home. Clarence was 17 years old in 1920 and  worked as a laborer in a factory. In addition to Clarence, Hattie, Annie and Jack lived in the home.

In 1930 David Nelson Johnson owns his home at 412 Wilson Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee. The home was valued at $3000. David was employed as a janitor in a printing office while Ellen continued to do laundry from the home.  Three of their children lived in the home: Clarence who was employed as a janitor at the public library, Jack, and Hattie. Hattie's last name was McConnell and she was a widow. In 1922, Hattie's husband, Alvin McConnell, was killed by gunshot to the head while he worked as a hotel bell boy in Kentucky. As a result Hattie and her three children, Martha Ella, James, and Gwendolyn, were living with her parents in 1930. Martha was blind.

In Jan 1932 Ellen Johnson died and in 1940, David Nelson was a widow living with his sister Cora Johnson Brown who was also a widow. Cora owned the home on West Main Street, Johnson City, Tennessee and according to the Census Report, both David and Cora lived in the same home in 1935. Cora had an 8th grade education and David had completed 4th grade. David was employed as a janitor in an office building.

David Nelson Johnson died 29 Sep 1948 at the age of 78. He was buried in West Lawn Cemetery, Johnson City, Tennessee. His place of residence at the time of his death was his daughter, Hattie's home at 108 Water Street, Johnson City.