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James Madison Johnson
1860 - 1929 (69 years)-
Name James Madison Johnson Born 1860 Monroeville Twp, Colusa, California 
[1] Gender Male Buried Apr 1929 Minidoka Co Cem, , Minidoka, Idaho [2] Died 2 Apr 1929 Rupert, Minidoka, Idaho, United States [3] Person ID I8709 Wagner-Thomas | Hallmark Last Modified 11 Jan 2014
Father William Robert Johnson, b. 22 Feb 1816, Johnstown, Cambria, Pennsylvania, United States , d. 6 Jan 1899, Hamilton, Butte, Idaho (Age 82 years) Mother Elizabeth Tharp, b. 6 Mar 1825, Kentucky, United States , d. 27 May 1906, Cheney, Spokane, Washington, United States (Age 81 years) Married 1846 Peoria, Peoria, Illinois, United States [4] Family ID F2418 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Pauline Angeline Clifford, b. Abt 1860, Monroeville Twp, Colusa, California , d. 6 Feb 1956, Rupert, Minidoka, Idaho, United States (Age ~ 96 years) Married Abt 1890 Roberts, Jefferson, Idaho, United States [5] Children 1. Earl T Johnson, b. 31 Mar 1891, Roberts, Jefferson, Idaho, United States , d. Yes, date unknown2. Annie Johnson, b. 1895, Idaho, United States , d. Bef 1969 (Age < 74 years)3. Amy Johnson, b. 1897, Idaho, United States , d. Yes, date unknown4. Gladys Johnson, b. 2 Jul 1901, Idaho, United States , d. 27 Jan 1982, San Diego, San Diego, California, United States (Age 80 years)5. Blanche Johnson, b. 1902, Idaho, United States , d. Yes, date unknown6. Elsie Johnson, b. 1906, Idaho, United States , d. Yes, date unknownLast Modified 22 Nov 2014 Family ID F2427 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Event Map 
Married - Abt 1890 - Roberts, Jefferson, Idaho, United States 
Buried - Apr 1929 - Minidoka Co Cem, , Minidoka, Idaho 
Died - 2 Apr 1929 - Rupert, Minidoka, Idaho, United States = Link to Google Earth
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Notes - 1860 BIRTH: CA,Colusa Co-Monroeville Twp: James Madison Johnson was born 1860
1860 CENSUS: CA,Colusa Co-Monroeville: Anc Img 13 pg 449,7-18,Dw 337,286: James M Johnson age 6 months, born California, son of William and Elizabeth Johnson
1870 CENSUS: OR,Umatilla Co-Pendleton,Willow Creek Prec,14 June,Dw#101: James M Johnson 10/CA, son of William and Elizabeth Johnson
c1890 MARRIAGE: ID,Fremont-Roberts: James Madison Johnson (Jack) md Pauline Angeline Clifford abt 1890, children: Earl T bn 1891, Annie bn 1895, Amy bn 1897, Gladys (Goldie) bn 1900, Blanche bn 1902, and Elsie bn 1906
1878-1905 HIST: July 1997 letter from Joyce Johnson Spaulding to Pam Wagner: "Pioneers, frontiersmen, Indian fighters, cowboys and gunslingers, fathers, husbands, good citizens and neighbors. These terms all describe Jack Johnson and his younger brother, Mose. Brought up in the California Gold Fields, then the wilderness of Eastern Oregon, the boys were exposed to violence at an early age.
1878: In 1878, Jack (age 18) and Mose (age 16), rode out with volunteers to track down Piute and Bannock Indians on the warpath, who were killing settlers. This writer saw a common grave in the Pilot Rock Cem where a family of 8 were massacred, all buried together, as a gruesome reminder of those days.
The boys, their father, William, and many other settlers tracked the Indians, until they found the renegades. The "Willow Springs" battle ensued. The settlers held the Indians from dusk until dawn, when the militia came to aid them. One young brave knew the Johnson boys. He said, "Mose, Mose, don't let them kill me. Me good Indian." Mose and Jack had to stand by in silence while the soldiers hanged him and the other braves.
1881-82: About 1881 or 1882, legend says Jack got into a fracas, shot and killed another man in self defence. To avoid the trial and outcome, Jack and Mose left with a trail herd headed to the Southern states. Jack settled in Texas for awhile. He broke horses for the US Army in Nogales, where he met another famous cowboy, Tom Horn. Mose settled in Payson, AZ and joined the Graham family in the Tonto Basin. Jack soon joined his brother, and they became deeply involved in the Tewksbury-Graham War (notorious cattle and sheep war). Many men were killed on both sides. Our family has always heard that Jack shot John Tewksbury.
He and Mose hastily gathered a few belongings, sold a good team of black horses, and fled through the Grand Canyon, through Utah, Wyoming and finallly to Idaho. Because of the circumstances, and the fact that the brothers were very close and looked alike, they assumed the name "Hayden" for about 10 years. Bother brothers md under the name "Hayden" and eventually took the true name "Johnson" to correct the guise.
1905: When Jack moved to Cassia Co, ID, about 1905, he worked as a Bull-Whacker for the Shodde Cattle Co. He and Mose also drove freight teams in Oregon, Wyoming and Idaho.
They were very devoted husbands, fathers, grandfathers and neighbors. Both brothers showed the love for their sisters in naming daughters for them.
Jack had a very distinguishing feature. He was born with webbed fingers on one hand and had to always cut leather gloves to wear them. When Arizonans described this old cowboy, they referred to him as "The Web-Fingered Man."
HIST: In the Footsteps of the Pioneers, The Story of Pilot Rock-McKay Basin, 1862-1962, pg 302:
"Mose and Jim Johnson lived in or near the vicinity of California Gulch. They came and settled there some time before 1878. Either one or both were married, since Mrs Douglas Belts, writing in the "Reminiscences of Oregon Pioneers," stated tat she went to Harmony School, and two of her classmates were Lydia Johnson and Anna Johnson. Mrs Mary Ramsdell in the "Reminiscences" told that 'After getting home, we got the second word about the Inidans; Mose and Jim Johnson coming on a dead run to warn us.
The Indians were coming from the Grande Ronde, they said, so we started for Pilot Rock, Mose and Jim riding along on either side of us."
1910 CENSUS: ID,Cassia Co-Marion Precinct: AncImg 2 pg 1B,4-18,Dw 15/16:
JOHNSON, James-head 50/CA (PA,IN)md 1 time 20y, handyman, cattle & horses,
employer, rented, owned farm free of mortgage,vet of Civil War 13 yrs;
Polly-wife 39/UT (KY,OH)md 1 time 20y,6/6 children living; Earl-son 18/ID
(CA,UT) cattle & horses; Annie-dau 15/ID-sch; Amy-dau 13/ID-sch;
Goldie-dau 10/ID-sch; Blanche-dau 8/ID-sch; Elsie-dau 4/ID; William
Johnson-bro 61/IL (PA,Ind)widowed stock raiser, rent farm
1920 CENSUS: ID,Minidoka Co-Rupert: Anc Img 19 pg 11A,1-12,Dw213.217-A Street:
JOHNSON, James-head 60/CA (Il,IL)md no occ, own farm; Pauline-wife
48/UT (KY.OH)md no occ; Earl-son 27/ID (CA,UT)single clerk
keeper-gen merchandise; Anne I-dau 21/ID single bookkeeper
gen merchandise; Goldie-dau 19/ID no occ; Blanche-dau 17/ID
Elsie-dau 15/ID
1929 DEATH,BURIAL: ID,Minidoka-Rupert or Burley,Cassia Co: James Madison died 2 April 1929; buried Minidoka Co Cem
Ask Joyce or get from Anc.com:
1. 1920 CENSUS: ID,Minidoka Co: FHL film #1820293
ORD: FS IGI 2-04: James Madison Johnson bn 11 Jan 1869 Indian Valley.. CA, died 15 Apr 1929 [no place shown] Bap: 25 July 1950, End: 7 Dec 1950 IFALL, md Pauline Clifford 27 March 1891, no place shown; relative/proxy-Pauline Clifford. FHL film# 442570/169683, no children shown
- 1860 BIRTH: CA,Colusa Co-Monroeville Twp: James Madison Johnson was born 1860
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Sources - [S191] Family Rcds: SPAULDING,Joyce Johnson.
"James (Jack) Madison Johson bn 1860 in Monroeville Twp,Colusa Co, CA"
July 1997 letter from Joyce, family group record in possession of Pam Wagner - [S191] Family Rcds: SPAULDING,Joyce Johnson.
"James Madison Johnson was buried in Minidoka Co Cemetery"
July 1997 letter from Joyce, family group record in possession of Pam Wagner - [S191] Family Rcds: SPAULDING,Joyce Johnson.
"James Madison Johnson dd 2 Aapr 1929 in Rupert, Minidoka Co or Burley, Cassia Co, Idaho, buried Minidoka Co Cem"
July 1997 letter from Joyce, family group record in possession of Pam Wagner - [S191] Family Rcds: SPAULDING,Joyce Johnson.
"William Robert Johnson md Elizabeth Thorp in 1846, Peoria,Peoria,ILL"
July 1997 letter from Joyce to Pam Wagner - [S191] Family Rcds: SPAULDING,Joyce Johnson, pg 3.
"James Madison Johnson md Pauline Angeline Clifford about 1890 in Roberts,Fremont Co,ID"
April 1997 letter from Joyce, family group record in possession of Pam Wagner
- [S191] Family Rcds: SPAULDING,Joyce Johnson.