The Francis A. Johnston Family

Francis A. (Asbury?) JOHNSTON was born on June 16, 1820 in South Carolina. His parents are unknown at the time of this writing. But in one of the Federal Censuses, Francis' family lived near an older woman named Sarah Johnston, so I'm guessing she may be his mother. Francis' brothers and sisters were:

Francis' wife was Isabell W. CULVER; she was born November 8, 1821 in Alabama or Georgia. Their children were:

Francis' son, James J., married Mary S. WORTHY on Jan. 21, 1865 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. Their children were:

Wiley "Thomas" JOHNSTON was born in July 1853 in Alabama. His parents were Francis A. JOHNSTON and Isabell W. CULVER. In 1873, Thomas married Tennessee "Jane" DANIEL. Jane was born in May 1847 to Bartiller E. DANIEL and Sarah Adeline RICHARDSON, of Tallapoosa County, Alabama. Thomas' and Jane's children were:

The 1900 Federal Census listed that Jane had 7 children, but so far, I have been unable to determine the names of any other children. Jane's grandchildren only know of the above children. The family lived mostly in Coosa County, Alabama, but also lived in Tallapoosa County some. Thomas was a farmer by trade.

Before Thomas died, he lost his leg and went into a nursing home in Tallapoosa County. Jane DANIEL JOHNSTON then moved in with Washington Lee's family. She helped cook for the family, and cared for the small children while Desser, Lee, and the older children worked in the fields.

Jane was a wonderful story-teller. Washington Lee's daughter has told me that Jane "was a sight"; people loved to come around and talk to Jane because she was so entertaining.

Washington "Lee" JOHNSTON was born on March 31, 1884 in Cullman, Alabama. His parents were Wiley Thomas JOHNSTON and Tennessee "Jane" DANIEL. On November 22, 1906, Lee married Desser Utencia REAMS, the daughter of John Isaac REAMS and Amanda Elizabeth BISHOP, in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. (Lee and Desser photo, it may take a long time to upload.) They had seven children, but one their children, Allie Laurie (a twin), died when she was thirteen months old, when the entire family came down with whooping cough. A few years after Lee's marriage, the young family moved to Colquitt County, Georgia, which is where they lost their daughter to whooping cough. Soon thereafter, the family moved back to Alabama, in the Russell County area.

Lee was an excellent farmer and salesman. He planted cotton, peanuts, corn, and other such crops. Many of Lee's descendants have bragged that Lee could grow any type of crop. On Wednesdays, he would take his produce to Columbus, Georgia, and sale or trade his produce for things his family needed. He was such a good salesman, that he always returned home with an empty wagon. Even during the depression, though there was no extra money, his family did not suffer for immediate needs. The family lived out in the country and they had to be very self-sufficient.

When my grandmother, Lee's descendent, was in the sixth grade of school, around 1917, the school district's county schools closed down for a whole year. The districts did not have enough money so if you didn't live in the city, you didn't go to school that year. The descendent remembers that all of the county schools closed. Part of the time, the boys (the older children) were in school and part of the time, they were working to pay their way through school. The boys went to Mt. Berry, Georgia to school; I'm not sure if Mt. Berry was a college or a high school.

Lee and his family always stayed active with church activities and meetings; Lee firmly believed in getting involved in the church and community. He made sure that his voice was heard in church meetings when decisions needed to be made. He had a strong leadership quality. His family became well-known in the communities they lived in because of their love of people and their involvement in the church.

Desser was a very strict, but kind, parent. She didn't believe in spoiling her children. But at the same time, Desser's descendants have related that they never heard her lift her voice in anger to her family. Neither did she resort to corporal punishment, but raised her children with a firm, but kind, hand. She was completely devoted to her family.

Lee's mother, Jane DANIEL JOHNSTON, moved in with his family while some of the children were very small. She helped cook for the family, and cared for the small children while Desser, Lee, and the older children worked in the fields.

Jane was a wonderful story-teller. During the winter, the family would sit in front of the fireplace, the children did their school-studies, and Jane told tall-tales of her girlhood mischief. Lee's daughter has told me that Jane "was a sight" and Lee was a good bit like her.

After a few years with the family, Jane fell and broke her hip; she was then confined to a wheelchair. Desser was very good to Jane and tended to her for the rest of her life. Jane loved Desser as much as she loved her own son.