Charley Alphus Johnson

Charley Alphus Johnson was my grandmother Maggie Rena Johnson Gillis' brother. They along with Malcom Johnson, were children of Jennie Penney and Sammie H. Johnson. Charley left Kentucky, his birthplace, when he was only 18 years of age. Charley was only 3 years old when his mother Jenny Penney Johnson died. He was only 8 when his father Sammie Johnson died. Jennie Rena Penney died in 1892 and Sammie H died in 1896. Intha Schrieb, Charley's grand-daughter said that she was told that Charley lived with his uncle Ben Penney, after the passing of Jennie Rena and Sammie Johnson. So far, I haven't been able to find him on a census record in the Ben Penney home; however I did find Maggie Rena Johnson in the Ben Penney home in 1900. Apparently he lived in Cheshire, Anderson, Ky at some time while in Kentucky, cause Intha has a picture of the Fox Creek Christian Church that came from Charley's belongings and that church still stands, as well as the Fox Creek Cemetery. Intha says that Charley could play the guitar and sing She also said he worked for a nursery and did tenant type farming in Arkansas, New Mexico and Texas. He never drove a car. We have a WWI draft registration record 1917-1918, where Charley registered as living in Cooke, Texas. Showing on the card was his birthdate of Jan 18, 1888 and birthplace in Kentucky. Maggie Rena upon her marriage to George Gillis stipulated that she would marry him only, if he took her to Texas to see her beloved brother Charley; which George paid first class tickets on the railroad and the trip to see Charley was their honeymoon trip. Charley never made it back to his home of Kentucky and died in Rogers, Arkansas. Info by Linda Gillis Sherwood McElwain and Intha Schrieb. 3/2011