Father: James M. (Mallard or Mallory) Johnson
Mother: Sarah Ann Thompson

Spouse: Cynthia Ann Bailey - b: 25/Dec/1858 - Piatt Co., IL
  d: 15/Apr/1929 - Gentry Co., MO - bur: High Ridge Cem., Stanberry
  m: 12/Mar/1876 - Gentry Co., MO

Child: Dora Deane - b: 7/Jul/1886 - Washington Twp., Nodaway Co., MO - adop: at 6 mo. of age. - orig sn: Gillett
                                d: 23/Sep/1925 - Maryville, Nodaway Co., MO - bur: High Ridge Cem., Stanberry, Gentry Co., MO
                               m: Clarence Sydney Dakan - 23/Feb/1910 - Cooper Twp., Gentry Co., MO

Biographical Details:

According to published histories and family tradition, James Alan Johnson, the oldest son of James M. and Sarah Ann Thompson Johnson was born near Black Hawk, Iowa, in March of 1852.  Unfortunately, the location of his birth is not at all clear.  Indeed, there is no presently existing town or village in the state of Iowa named Black Hawk, although there is a Black Hawk County.  Even so, it lies many miles to the north of Van Buren County, Iowa, where the Johnson family was living in 1850 and it does not seem likely that this was the location of James Alan's birth.  However, there were at least two early settlements, now extinct, in the state of Iowa having this name, viz., Black Hawk in Scott County and Black Hawk City in Van Buren County.  Obviously, it is the vicinity of the second of these that would seem to have been the likely locale for the birth of James Alan Johnson.¹  In any case, "Jim", as James Alan was familiarly known to friends and family, moved with his parents and grandparents and settled with them in Gentry County, Missouri, shortly before the Civil War.  He and Cynthia Ann Bailey were married on March 12, 1876, in Gentry County.²  Apparently, she had recently come from Illinois with her parents and siblings and was the first of several members of the Bailey family to intermarry with the Johnson family.  They were both charter members of the Island City Christian Church.  Moreover, according to the History of Daviess and Gentry Counties published in 1922, James A. Johnson became a successful farmer and livestock producer.³  His farm was located near the southern edge of Cooper Township about three and a half miles southwest of the town of Stanberry, adjoining the farms of his younger brothers, John Andrew and George Leamon.⁴  To their great disappointment, Jim and Cynthia had no children of their own.  Nevertheless, according to those that remembered them, they were very fond of children and "took in" at least two or three that had lost one or both parents and apparently had no other home.  Among these were Mary Maude Jones, who later became the wife of Jim's younger brother, Leamon, and also their nephew, Harvey Levi Gillett, who was listed in the 1910 census population schedule as their ward.   They also adopted a daughter, Dora, when she was just six months old and raised her as their own child.^5,6  James Alan Johnson died at home on May 27, 1934.  His wife, Cynthia, had preceded him in death in 1929.  They were charter members of the Island City Christian Church and were buried in adjacent graves in the High Ridge Cemetery in Stanberry.

1. T. J. Fitzpatrick, "Place-Names of Van Buren County", Annals of Iowa, Jul. & Oct. 1931.  (Van Buren County IAGenWeb Archives, www.rootsweb.com/~iavanbur/placenamesvbcv1.htm, 2003.)
     "BLACK HAWK CITY.  A pioneer village was laid out in or near the southwestern corner of section 7 of Village Township, south of the Des Moines River and opposite the village of Iowaville.  It was established in 1848 by Andrew J. Davis,⁵ the propiretor, [sic] who built mills, stores, and shops.  The village flourished for many years but became extinct in 1861.  It was named for Black Hawk, the celebrated Sauk Indian chief who spent his declining years in the immediate vicinity.  The place was also called New Market, a locally descriptive name.  As a place-name for minor post offices or townships Black Hawk has been used about fifteen times.  The estate on which the Iowa village was located was subsequently owned by Andrew J. Davis.  T. J. Davis owned the farm to the east beyond Vesser Creek.  Andrew J. Davis became a multi-millionaire of Butte, Montana, where he died in 1890."
     "⁵The History of Van Buren County, 1878, p. 505, erroneously gives the name as H. A. Davis."
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2. There is little question that Cynthia Ann Bailey Johnson was the daughter of James Bailey (who had been born in Ohio about 1828).  However, according to archived Illinois marriage records he married Cintha (sic - Cynthia) Ellen Morris on March 28, 1854, and Hester Ann Morris on September 10, 1857.  Both of these marriages were recorded in Piatt County.  Moreover, the population schedule of the 1850 US Census for Vermillion County, Indiana, confirms that Cynthia and Hester Morris were daughters of Daniel Morris and, therefore, sisters.  Within this context, it has been proposed that Cynthia Ann was actually the daughter of James and his first wife and that her mother probably died as a result of Cynthia's birth.  However, if this is true, then she would have had to have been born at the latest in December of 1856, but no evidence is known to exist in support of such an early date.  Therefore, it would seem obvious that James Bailey married Cynthia Morris first and that she died young apparently without children, after which he married her younger sister, Hester.  Concomitantly, it seems safe to conclude that Cynthia Ann Bailey was the daughter of James and Hester Ann Morris Bailey and, moreover, when she was born in 1858 she was named for her deceased aunt.  Indeed, this is confirmed by subsequent civil records as well as family tradition.  (unpublished notes)

a. 1850 US Census Population Schedule for Vermillion County, Indiana, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 79B, (microfilm: roll M432_177; img. 164); 1860 US Census Population Schedule for Piatt County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 151, (microfilm: roll M653_220; img. 152); & 1870 US Census Population Schedule for Moultrie County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 54B, (microfilm: roll M593_264; img. 109).

b. Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, Illinois State Archives & Illinois Genealogical Society, Springfield, IL, 2014.  ("Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900", www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases/marriage.html)

c. Death Certificates, Missouri State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Jefferson City, MO, (Death Certificate No. 14370 - Bureau of Vital Statistics, State of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO).
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3. John C. Leopard and Buel Leopard (Daviess Co.), R. M. McCammon and Mary McCammon Hillman (Gentry Co.), History of Daviess and Gentry Counties, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, KS, 1922:  pgs. 821-2.  (Reprint available from the Higginson Book Co., 148 Wash. St., P. O. B. 778, Salem, MA, 01970)
     "James A. Johnson, a Gentry County pioneer who has had much to do with the development of this county has lived here since he was three years old.  He was born in Iowa March 21, 1852, a son of James M. and Sarah (Thompson) Johnson, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Virginia.  James M. Johnson removed from Indiana to Iowa at a very early date and came to Missouri and settled in Gentry County about 1856.  He served in the Civil War and took part in a number of battles and skirmishes.  After the close of the war he engaged in farming and stock raising and was the owner of 600 acres of land.  When he came here his first home was a log cabin.  He broke the prairie and improved his place, his first land being 160 acres which he entered from the Government.  He passed through all the hardships of pioneer days and eventually became well-to-do.  He died Feb. 1, 1915 at the age of 93 years and his wife died July 15, 1889 and their remains are buried in Lafayette Cemetery in Nodaway County.  To James M. Johnson and Sarah (Thompson) Johnson were born the following children; Sarah Jane, is now the widow of William Paxton; John A., who is now living retired in Gentry County; G. L., a farmer and stockman in Gentry County; and James A., the subject of this review; and Mary, Francis, Hiram, William and Laura, all of whom are deceased.
     James A. Johnson began life as a laborer and worked for $15.00 per month.  Later he operated rented land for two years and then bought 80 acres for $11.50 per acre, going into debt for same and paying interest at the rate of 10 per cent.  He bought more land from time to time and is now the owner of 200 acres of well improved land.  He carried on general farming and stock raising and is widely known as a mule raiser.  He also raises cattle, horses and sheep.  His place is well improved with a substantial residence and other suitable buildings.  In addition to his farm work Mr. Johnson is widely known as one of the pioneer threshermen of Gentry County and has operated a threshing machine for over 40 years.
     Mr. Johnson was married March 12, 1876 to Miss Cynthia Bailey a native of Decatur, Ill. and a daughter of James and Esther (Morris) Bailey.  James Bailey was a native of Indiana and his wife of Kentucky.  They were early settlers in Missouri and he died here Jan. 24, 1893 and is buried in Lafayette Cemetery.  He was a Democrat and a member of the Christian Church.  His widow now lives at Stanberry and is 78 years old.  They were the parents of the following children now living: Mary, married James M. Johnson and they live in Oklahoma; Viola married Fred McGrew, Hebron, Neb.; George, Stanberry; Delila, married Daniel La Rue and they live in Kansas; Florence married Dade Johnson who is now deceased and she resides in Stanberry; and Josephine unmarried also living in Stanberry.
     Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have no children of their own although they have one adopted daughter, Dora who is a graduate of the Stanberry Normal School and is now the wife of Clarence Daken of Stanberry.
     Mr. Johnson is a public spirited and enterprising citizen and has a wide acquaintance in Gentry County.  He is a Democrat and has served as school director for a number of years.  He and Mrs. Johnson are members of the Christian Church."
     The first name of Cynthia Bailey Johnson's mother was actually "Hester", not "Esther".  Similarly, her father, James, did not die in 1893 as stated, but ten years later and also, he was buried in High Ridge Cemetery, not Lafayette.  (James Bailey was definitely alive in 1900 since he was listed in census records as resident with his wife and younger children in the town of Belvidere in Thayer County, Nebraska.)  Moreover, Cynthia was probably born in Bement Township, Piatt County, Illinois, which lies about fifteen to twenty miles east and north of the city of Decatur.  In addition, as observed elsewhere, this account is further in error since James A. Johnson's father was a native of Virginia and his mother a native of Pennsylvania.
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4a. W. P. Bullock, Gentry County 1896, Press of L. Hardman, St. Joseph, MO, 1896.
     Jas. A. Johnson: 1) Twp. 62 N; Rng. 33 W; Sec. 13; E½ of SW¼ - 80 acres.  2) Twp. 62 N; Rng. 33 W; Sec. 13; W½ of SE¼ - 80 acres.  3) Twp. 62 N; Rng. 33 W; Sec. 13; SW¼ of NE¼ - 40 acres.
     J. A. Johnson: Twp. 62 N; Rng. 33 W; Sec. 13; SE¼ of SE¼ of NE¼ - 10 acres.

b. Anonymous, Standard Atlas of Gentry County, Missouri, Geo A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, IL, 1914.
     James A. Johnson: 1) Twp. 62 N; Rng. 33 W; Sec. 13; E½ of SW¼ - 80 acres.  2) Twp. 62 N; Rng. 33 W; Sec. 13; W½ of SE¼ - 80 acres.

c. Anonymous, Plat Book of Gentry County, Missouri, W. W. Hixson & Co., Rockford, IL, 1930.  (Available electronically at digital.library.umsystem.edu/)
     J. A. Johnson: 1) Twp. 62 N; Rng. 33 W; Sec. 13; E½ of SW¼ - 80 acres.  2) Twp. 62 N; Rng. 33 W; Sec. 13; W½ of SE¼ - 80 acres.  3) Twp. 62 N; Rng. 33 W; Sec. 13; SW¼ of NE¼ - 40 acres.
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5. Nadine McCampell, Johnson Family History, The Printery, Albany, MO, 1982: pg. 124.
     "James Allen was the eldest son of James Mallard and Sarah Ann Thompson Johnson, being born near Black Hawk, Iowa on March 21, 1852.  He spent his early childhood near Council Bluffs, Iowa.  The family was still there in 1854, as brother John was born that year.
     Jim, as he was known by family and friends, was married to Cynthia Ann Bailey, daughter of James and Hester Ann Bailey near Island City.  Despite the fact that they had no children of their own, Jim and Cynthia loved children and adopted a daughter, who meant as much to them as an own child.  That daughter was Dora Deane Gillett, whose own mother died when she was only a few weeks old.  They adopted her when she was six months old.
     Jim and Cynthia celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on March 12, 1926.  Many friends and relatives took well filled baskets to the home of the Johnsons on this day to help them celebrate.  At this celebration, three of those present were at the wedding 50 years ago.  They were, the honored couple and Jim's brother, Leamon.
     Before the existence of the city of Stanberry, Jim, his brother Leamon, and their father James Mallard Johnson threshed wheat for J. J. Stansbury.  The Stansbury farm was a part of where the city of Stanberry is now located.  Mr. Stansbury gave the land to the town of Stanberry, therefore the town was named after him.
     Dora married Clarence Dakan on February 23, 1910 and four children were born to this union; Lois, Maxine, Clarence, and Elsie Ann.  Dora passed away on September 23, 1925, leaving four young children.  Jim and Cynthia then helped with the care of the children.
     Jim and Cynthia joined the Island City Christian Church early in life.  Both were charter members of the church.  Dora joined in 1901 but later attended the Stanberry Christian Church.
     Jim was a well known and highly respected farmer in the Island City community.  He died at his farm home on May 27, 1934 and is buried at the High Ridge Cemetery in Stanberry."
     In this account as well as other sources, James A. Johnson's middle name has been spelled "Allen", however, there is good reason to believe that it was originally spelled "Alan".  Even so, either spelling may have been used in civil records.
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6. Archived birth records indicate that Dora Gillett was born on July 5, 1886, in Nodaway County, almost certainly in Washington Township.  Her parents were named as Veraines C. and Martha C. Richards Gillett, aged forty-four and forty years, born in Michigan and Missouri, respectively.  In contrast, the death certificate of Dora D. Dakan asserts that her birthday was in fact July 7th.  It seems likely that although contemporaneous, the birth record is in error since it seems to have been recorded several months after her birth, perhaps, after the death of her mother as indicated in the preceding account by Nadine McCampbell.  In addition, Dora was indicated as the fifth child of her mother.  Indeed, there is a birth record for an older brother, John Leo, born in the same locality on August 7, 1885.  Moreover, census records of 1880 reveal that the family was resident in Monterey County, California, at the time the census was taken and included two older sons, Napoleon U. and Andrew J, ages two years and ten months respectively.  Even so, in 1870, Veraines Gillett was single and living with his father, Joseph, in Lawrence County, Missouri.  Therefore, it can be presumed that Veraines Gillett and Martha Richards married in Missouri in the 1870's, moved to California, but returned to Missouri after 1880.  Within this context, there seem to be no subsequent records of Dora's parents or siblings, which suggests that, consistent with family tradition, Dora was orphaned as a small child.  For completeness, it should be noted that James Alan Johnson's two younger sisters, Almira and Turissa, married Bill and Fred Gillett.  It seems likely that   (unpublished notes)

a. 1870 US Census Population Schedule for Lawrence County, Missouri, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 483B, (microfilm: roll M593_787; img. 137) & 1880 US Census Population Schedule for Monterey County, California, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 267A, (microfilm: roll T9_69; img. 535).

b. Register of Births and Stillbirths, Nodaway County, Maryville, MO: Bk. C, pg. 10; No. 2127, (Missouri State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Jefferson City, MO (microfilm: roll 4973; img. 224)) & Permanent Record of Births, Nodaway County, Maryville, MO: Bk. B, pg. unk., (Missouri State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Jefferson City, MO (microfilm: roll 4973; img. 62)).

c. Death Certificates, Missouri State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Jefferson City, MO, (Death Certificate No. 27699 - Bureau of Vital Statistics, State of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO).
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Additional Citations:

7. 1880 US Census Population Schedule for Gentry County, Missouri, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 458A, (microfilm: roll T9_687; img. 247).

8. 1900 US Census Population Schedule for Gentry County, Missouri, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 195B, (microfilm: roll T623_855; img. 396).

9. 1910 US Census Population Schedule for Gentry County, Missouri, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 189A, (microfilm: roll T624_781; img. 376).

10. 1920 US Census Population Schedule for Gentry County, Missouri, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 67A, (microfilm: roll T625_919; img. 702).

11. 1930 US Census Population Schedule for Gentry County, Missouri, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 76A, (microfilm: roll T626_1188; img. 153).

12. List of Charter Members - Island City Christian Church, Centennial Homecoming Booklet - June 11, 1978, Stanberry, MO, unpublished.

13. Death Certificates, Missouri State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Jefferson City, MO, (Death Certificate No. 16361 - Bureau of Vital Statistics, State of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO & Death Certificate No. 14370 - Bureau of Vital Statistics, State of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO).

14. Don Raymond,"High Ridge Cemetery", unpublished. (Gentry County MOGenWeb Archives, 2005.)

15. High Ridge Cemetery, Gentry County, Missouri (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=1367686&CScn=High+Ridge&CScntry=4&CSst=26&CScnty=1434&, continuously updated).

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16. Marriage Records, Gentry County, Albany, MO:  Bk. 7, pg. 58, (Missouri State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Jefferson City, MO (microfilm: roll 53447; img. 65).

17. Death Certificates, Missouri State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Jefferson City, MO, (Death Certificate No. 27699 - Bureau of Vital Statistics, State of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO).

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