Shopping Saturday - Johnston's Expansion 1955 Johnstown, PA

Johnston's Furniture & Appliances

135 Clinton Street

Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Expansion into 2nd storefront, 1955

June 1960 Store Front and Truck

Seibert Wallace Johnston, owner, (on left) with employees
June 1960

Thriller Thursday - Held Autopsy On Squaw While Men Held War Dance

Clovis Evening News-Journal
Clovis, Curry, New Mexico
Saturday, February 16, 1935

Clovis Physician Tells Club Of Harrowing Experiences In Early Days In Indian Region
-Held Autopsy On Squaw While Men Held War Dance -
Court Had Ordered Probe Of Death of Woman Who Was Thought Murdered
-------
(The following is an interesting reminiscence related to the New Mexico club at its luncheon yesterday, by Dr. F. A. Dillon, former government Indiana physician.)
-------
     When one can hardly turn a corner in New Mexico without encountering something which would make an interesting subject for our club, I feel a little like apologizing for offering a personal experience.  Yet I know that our club "will little care nor long remember this."
     Some 18 or 20 miles up the Rio Grande from Albuquerque is the little Indian village of San Felippe, or at least it was there some 25 years ago when I had the adventure of which I am to relate.  The Indians of this village were sullen and backward and slow in adopting the white man's ways.  They resented the schools and the white teachers and all the efforts made by our government to better their condition.  Their wish was to be let alone, that they might  --- as their fathers had lived before them.  However, they had ---- at school
. . . Rio Grande at this time was high from the melting snow in the mountains.
     Arriving at the school house, we found that all of the able bodied men were up the river some four or five miles working on the ditches and the village was deserted, save for the old men, women and children.  A few of the old men were rounded up and informed of our mission.  They retired to a nearby house and after some time sent a spokesman to say that if there was any digging in the graveyard, someone would die.  Right then I began to wish that I were in Dixie.  I was just then on the the eve of a glorious career and I had no desire to have some bad Indian nip it in the bud.
     The sheriff explained that we would take up the body only for examination; we would then replace it, and fill the grave as we had found it.  They would hear to none of this and grew more sullen and defiant.  We had spent much time without getting any place.  The sheriff told them that he was a servant of the court and must obey his orders; that he had a court order to take up the body for examination and that he was going to follow his instructions.  The sheriff then called upon the school teachers to designate the grave and ordered his diggers to make ready with the shovels.  Business picked up, but only momentarily.  The teachers were unable to be sure about the grave; said it might be this one or that one, and finally they could not say, with any degree of certainty, which one it might be.
     ------- degree of protection should the hostilities conclude to descend upon us.  We found a few boards and made a table and spread out our instruments and awaited the coming of the body.  We were surprised at the short time that it took those diggers to resurrect the body and place it on our table.  The body was wrapped in a heavy Navajo blanket and, upon unrolling it, several loaves fell out.  One of the Mexican grave robbers said, "Ugh!  Pretty soon hungry."  The two teachers were called in and identified the body and business for us then picked up.
     Under favorable circumstances we could have done the autopsy in one hour, but under those which were forced upon us, it took nearly three hours.  The last hour was by candle light.  The Indians withdrew to the nearby hills and started the most unearthly war dance that I have ever experienced.  All during the autopsy the beat of the tom-toms and drums and the weird shrieks of the dancers dinned in our ears and made us the more nervous.
     We found the woman's neck broken and many body discolorations and port-mortem settlings all of which might have been post-mortem as the body was dumped into a deep grave and the dirt pounded down with heavy stones.  It was necessary that we make a careful examination as the results were likely to be court evidence.  So far we had found only a broken neck which we could hardly expect a New Mexico court to hold as sufficient cause for death.
     Upon removing the skull cap we found a most interesting brain tumor the size of a hen's egg together with a brain hemorrhage.  The hemorrhage alone could have accounted for her death.  According to the evidence in the case as it later developed, there was probably an ordinary family fuss such as might develop in a Presiding Elder's home.  The man struck his wife on the head with a stick of wood and she fell dead in her tracks.  The brain hemorrhage was doubtless the direct and immediate cause of death and under the circumstances, a slight blow might have been all that was necessary to cause death.
     Darkness was upon the face of the deep when our work was finished.  We turned the body back to the grave robbers and gathered our instruments together.  The grave robbers spent little time in replacing the body and refilling the grave.  By the time we were ready to depart we were conscious that the whole village was filled with Indians.  Eyes were peeping around every corner.  I wasn't in shape to reason then, but since I have thought that they sent men to watch us, to see that the body was replaced, and to see that we did not carry away any part of it.
     Everything ready, we started for the footbridge.  Dr. Keck carried a grip with instruments, and a cloth bag containing a pair of scales and a few other things.  As I think of it now, the cloth bag may have looked a little suspicious and they probably thought it contained some of the woman's anatomy.  The Indians followed us so closely that I could feel their hot breath on the back of my neck.  The bridge that had offered so much trouble in the morning was taken with a hop, skip, and a jump, and I would have been glad had it been burned behind me.

Happy Birthday, Albert Leroy Dillon, Jr - Sep 7

Albert Leroy Dillon, Jr. was born on 7 September 1904 in Hume, Edgar Co, Illinois.  His parents were Albert Leroy Dillon, Sr. and Lois Dawson Dillon.

Albert Leroy Dillon, Jr.
Date unknown

 - In the following transcription, Albert Leroy Dillon's birth was sent from his aunt in Oswego, Kansas to Phoenix, Arizona.  I think the transcribed date of 1905 is correct given that Albert Leroy's birth date was 7 September 1904 and his mother was Lois Dawson Dillon. -

Letters to Connie Rodenberger Fulton; 1901 to 1908
[Transcribed by Charles A Rodenberger, Sept. 1997]

Page 22
The next envelope is a postal service envelope with no return address and a 2 cent stamp postmarked JAN 15 10 AM with no year from Oswego Kans.  The back postmark is Phoenix JAN 18 8-30A 1906/  The envelope is addressed in pencil in Katie's hand to Mr. A. H. Fulton/Phoenix/Ariz.  Three letters are enclosed.
The first is written on ruled large tablet paper.  Two letters are dated Jan 1905, but Sammie's is dated Jan 1906.  I presume the other are mistakes. [Charles A. Rodenberger]

"Oswego - Jan 11th 1905 (I think it should be 1906)
Dear Connie Harve and little Robert.  We received your letter Christmas morning We were so glad to hear from you folks  We did not go to grandpas a Cristmas the weather was bad. . . Connie you and harve try and Write to grandpa he talks about you so much. . .Write Soon love from all  A R
(the following was apparently appended in the margin to the left of Write Soon) louis (could be Don son) Dawson Dillon has a boy"



Betty Jane and Albert Leroy Dillon
December 1982



Talented Tuesday - Poems by A. L. Dillon

Albert Leroy Dillon published two books of poetry.  Douceur  A Book of Short Poems was copyrighted in 1914.  The second book, Terse Verse and Peppy Prose, was published in 1956. 

by A. L. Dillon
Douceur A Book of Short Poems

by A. L. Dillon
Terse Verse and Peppy Prose

Happy Birthday Gafvert Sisters!

Ellen Gafvert and Lillie Johnston
Atlantic City, New Jersey
July 1960

Daughters of Knut and Wendla (Ronning) Gafvert, Ellen Elinora was born Sept 4, 1899 and Lillie Marie on Sept 5, 1905, both in McKeesport, Allegheny Co, Pennsylvania.

Shopping Saturday - Johnston's Appliance 1936 Pennsylvania

Johnston's Appliance Stores

1013 Fifth Ave, McKeesport, Pennsylvania

113 W. Eighth, Homestead, Pennsylvania

Johnston's Appliance Service
Maytag Washers and Ironers

Homestead store



This is the new Dodge truck I purchased
and the store is my store in Homestead.
[Seibert Wallace Johnston]





Truck I bought brand new from money earned during the depression
Went to Detroit to save freight brought back $2000.00 washer parts
Saved freight on them.  1936
[Seibert Wallace Johnston]

FGS - Thomas Lewis Dawson and his two Rebecca Anns

Family Group Sheet of Thomas Lewis Dawson and his two wives

Husband – Thomas Lewis Dawson

                                Born:                    14 October 1816 in Cynthiana, Harrison Co, Kentucky

                                Spouse 1:            Rebecca Ann Taylor

                                Married:              11 February 1841 in Paris, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Spouse 2:            Rebecca Ann Parker

                                Married:              31 October 1867 in Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Died:                     15 December 1889 in Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Buried:                 Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Parents:               William Wesley Dawson and Nancy Cleveland

Wife 1 – Rebecca Ann Taylor

                                Born:                     11 January 1824 in Montgomery Co, Ohio

                                Died:                     24 March 1864 in Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Buried:                  Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Parents:                James Taylor and Leah Rinehart

Child 1 – Mary Elizabeth Dawson

         F                     Born:                     19 January 1843 in Vermillion Co, Indiana

                                Spouse 1:             Alfred Tabor

                                Married:               5 August 1865 in Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Spouse 2:             William Foster Harshbarger

                                Married:               6 August 1876 in Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Died:                     10 March 1910 in Fontana, Miami Co, Kansas

                                Buried:

Child 2 – George Washington Dawson

        M                    Born:                     27 January 1845 in Raven, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Died:                     31 August 1860 in Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Buried:                  Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

Child 3 – Lucretia Ann Dawson

         F                     Born:                     16 April 1847 in Raven, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Spouse:                 George W Blevins

                                Married:               18 December 1866 in Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Died:                     14 May 1922 in Montana

                                Buried:

Child 4 – William Taylor Dawson

        M                    Born:                     7 August 1849 in Raven, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Spouse:                 Iona Celeste Silvana Rodenberger

                                Married:               13 September 1874 in Cherokee Co, Kansas

                                Died:                     17 March 1940 in Suffolk, Suffolk City, Virginia

                                Buried:                 Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

Child 5 – John Wesley Dawson

         M                   Born:                     12 March 1851 in Raven, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Spouse 1:             Orina Matilda Hicks

                                Married:              19 March 1872 in Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Spouse 2:             Malinda Gaylor

                                Married:               12 October 1892 in Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Died:                     12 July 1935 in Chrisman, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Buried:                 Woodland Cemetery, Chrisman, Edgar Co, Illinois

Child 6 – Sarah Almeda Dawson

         F                     Born:                     3 April 1853 in Illinois

                                Spouse:                 Oliver W Southard

                                Married:               15 September 1875 in Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Died:                     30 April 1937 in Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Buried:                  Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

Child 7 – Nelson Dawson

         M                   Born:                      5 May 1855 in Raven, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Died:                      31 July 1855 in  Raven, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Buried:

Child 8 – Laura Viola Dawson

         F                     Born:                     8 January 1858 in Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Spouse:                 John Wimsett Stokes

                                Married:               25 September 1882 in Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Died:                     22 November 1900 in Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Buried:                 Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

Child 9 – Stephen Arnold Douglas Dawson

        M                    Born:                      9 September 1861 in Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Spouse:                 Ida May Rodenberger

                                Married:                9 April 1888 in Hallowell, Cherokee Co, Kansas

                                Died:                     27 August 1923 in Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Buried:                  Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois



Dawson Family Bible - 2nd entry
Thomas L Dawson To Mys Rebcca Taylor
Feb the 11th 1841



Wife 2 – Rebecca Ann Parker

                                Born:                     18 January 1832 in Brown Co, Ohio

                                Died:                     18 December 1904 in Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Buried:                  Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Parents:              

Child 1 – Effie Dawson

         F                     Born:                     25 June 1868

                                Died:                     25 June 1868

                                Buried:

Child 2 – Esther Dawson

         F                     Born:                     25 June 1868

                                Died:                     25 June 1868

                                Buried:

Child 3 – Ethel Luethel Dawson

         F                     Born:                     19 July 1871

                                Died:                     20 August 1872

                                Buried:                  Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

Child 4 – Jessie Alva Dawson

         M                   Born:                     21 January 1873 in Prairie Twp, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Spouse:                 Florence “Odie” Alocy Clark

                                Married:               26 November 1891 in Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Died:                     3 April 1955 in Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois

                                Buried:                  Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Scottland, Edgar Co, Illinois