Individual Details
Hazel JOHNSON
(21 Dec 1888 - 5 Jan 1983)
Anne recounts that her mother, Hazel Adele Johnson, is shocked by a letter from her father, Perry. Enclosed in the Washington, State letters there's a letter from Harry Demming, asking for $50 which Perry immediately sent him. The letter indicates that Harry had sent Perry money earlier. Perry had known Harry in St. Louis and thought well of him.
"Who was Harry Demming? My mother's secret first husband! My mother and Harry lived in Boston with Lois and Harry Grocock. Harry Demming wrote Perry that he is hardly able to put food on the table. Later, Harry Demming stole money from the firm he worked for. Harry went to jail. Perhaps he stole because he was desperate. Then still later, the letters indicate that he left my mother who evidently had waited for him. Further on in Perry's correspondence there is the information that Hazel is divorcing Harry, quite a disgrace in those days although Perry and Lucy thought it was a good thing.
This early marriage of my mother, Hazel Johnson, was completely hidden. My older brother, Arthur, and my Cousin David (who thought he knew all the Johnson family history) were amazed when they heard about it. Lois's daughter, Marcia, was the only living person to know except me and I didn't know Harry Demming's last name or any details about this marriage. I only knew from a remark my mother dropped one day, never to say another word about this early marriage of hers."
"Who was Harry Demming? My mother's secret first husband! My mother and Harry lived in Boston with Lois and Harry Grocock. Harry Demming wrote Perry that he is hardly able to put food on the table. Later, Harry Demming stole money from the firm he worked for. Harry went to jail. Perhaps he stole because he was desperate. Then still later, the letters indicate that he left my mother who evidently had waited for him. Further on in Perry's correspondence there is the information that Hazel is divorcing Harry, quite a disgrace in those days although Perry and Lucy thought it was a good thing.
This early marriage of my mother, Hazel Johnson, was completely hidden. My older brother, Arthur, and my Cousin David (who thought he knew all the Johnson family history) were amazed when they heard about it. Lois's daughter, Marcia, was the only living person to know except me and I didn't know Harry Demming's last name or any details about this marriage. I only knew from a remark my mother dropped one day, never to say another word about this early marriage of hers."
Events
| Birth | 21 Dec 1888 | Missouri | |||
| Marriage | Bef 1917 | Arthur WILLIAMS | |||
| Death | 5 Jan 1983 | Wooster, Wayne Co., Ohio | |||
| Marriage | Edward SHARP | ||||
| Divorce | Edward SHARP |
Families
| Spouse | Edward SHARP ( - ) |
| Spouse | Arthur WILLIAMS (1889 - 1931) |
| Child | Robert WILLIAMS (1917 - 1955) |
| Child | Living |
| Child | Living |
| Father | Moses Perry JOHNSON (1854 - 1928) |
| Mother | Mary PETTICREW (1857 - 1953) |
| Sibling | Lucy JOHNSON (1878 - 1967) |
| Sibling | Edith JOHNSON (1880 - 1957) |
| Sibling | Alice JOHNSON (1882 - 1981) |
| Sibling | M Hobart JOHNSON (1883 - 1902) |
| Sibling | Moses Wilbur JOHNSON (1885 - 1938) |
| Sibling | Beverly JOHNSON (1890 - 1975) |
| Sibling | Lois JOHNSON (1892 - 1972) |
| Sibling | Ruth JOHNSON (1894 - 1976) |