OXLEY JOHNSON PASSES AWAY.

Oxley Johnson, who has resided in this community for the past thirty-six years and was a well known and honored citizen, died at his home at 220 Indiana street, in Neodesha, Saturday, September 27. 1919, aged 86 years, 1 month and 1 day. His health had been steadily failing for several months, and the last few weeks his wife and children realized the end was drawing near. The immediate cause of his death was dropsy and heart trouble.

The deceased was born in Glasgow, Barren county, Ky., Aug. 26, 1833. He was married to Martha Ann Stallsworth in 1859. In 1860 he moved with his wife to Harrison, county, Mo., and resided there until 1883, then moving to Wilson county, Kansas.

In 1861 he became a member of the Christian church and since that time has lived a consistent Christian life.

During the Civil war lie served in the Union army, Co. D, 23rd regiment, Missouri Volunteers. He joined the Odd Fellow lodge in Cainsville, Mo. in 1866 and had long been the last living charter member of that lodge. He became a member of the Masonic lodge in 1884 and was also a member of the Eastern Star.

In 1911 Mr. Johnson was married to Mrs. Kate C. Bristow, of Oklahoma City, who survives him. Also he leaves four daughters and two sons. Mary C. Lowe, Joplin, Mo.; Mrs. H. C. Downey, Tulsa, Ok.; Mrs. C. W. Graves, Neodesha and Mrs. George Fogleman, of Chanute, and J. W. Johnson, of Joplin, and R. M. Johnson, of Kansas City, besides 21 grand children and seven great-grandchildren.

The deceased was a member of the local Grand Army Post.

Oxley Johnson's familiar figure on the streets of Neodesha will be missed, as will also his cheerful greetings by his many friends. The community mourns the loss of its fellow citizen, whose life among us has been upright and useful and whose memory will be blessed by the remembrance of his virtues. in the battles of life he had been quite successful and he had accumulated enough of this world's goods that he could spend his declining years in ease and comfort. He enjoyed life and took great pleasure in doing kind things for others. The brotherhood of man was not an abstract theory with him. He acted it and lived it unconsciously, continually. and the best evidence of this is the respectful familiarity with which everyone approached him. He was a man. What more can be said. Kind and sympathetic with all of God's creation, he lived near to Nature's heart, and having attained the ripe old age of 86 years, he gently closed those tired eyes and breathed out his soul to the God who gave it, leaving his devoted wife and children with the priceless legacy of a good name.

Oxley Johnson had been a life-long Republican. During the free silver campaign about twenty-four years ago he bought "a gold bug hat" which he had kept well preserved up to the time of his death. After every general election Mr. Johnson would wear his gold bug hat for a few days in honor of certain successful Republican candidates. He got much pleasure from wearing that old campaign hat and his friends were always anxious to know after each election for whom he was wearing it. Kindly, genial and companionable Oxley Johnson, who counted few who ever knew him that were not his friends, will be with us no more. May his soul rest in peace.

The funeral services were held Monday morning at 10 o'clock from the family residence, conducted by Rev. R. C. Leonard of the Christian church. Interment was made in the Neodesha cemetery. The pall bearers were R. M. Jones, Dr. T. Blakeslee and Wm. Martinson, representing the G. A. R. post, and W. A. Rankin, C. M. Kimball and Frank Kimball, representing the Masonic lodge.

[Neodesha Register, 2 Oct 1919. Clipping at Neodesha Public Library. Scanned and converted with OmniPage 19 May 2000 by Neil Allen Bristow]

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This page updated 8 October 2002.