VENICE CARRIE JOHNSON
Born Sept 27, 1882 and was the 4th child (and only
daughter) of William Harrison
Johnson and Nancy Wood
Venice
Carrie and James Davis Sanders were married in Grayson County, Texas, on 27
August 1899 and moved to Oklahoma not long after their marriage where they had
four children: Riley Tillman (Big
'Un), born 12 September 1900; Winifred Alton (Slim), born 26 January 1902;
James Leslie (Fat), born 16 March 1903; Alta Darling (Haltie), born 16 December
1904; Raymond Johnson, born 1 January 1907, who died suddenly and peacefully in
his mother's arms 23 December 1907; Sibley S., born 28 July 1910, and Baby Boy,
born and died 7 July 1921. Sibley
died of tuberculosis at twenty-five.
James Davis Sanders was the son of James Lillard and Emmaline D. Teague
Sanders, and James Lillard Sanders was the son of J. H. and Nancy Lillard
Sanders from Kentucky.
The
elder Sanders lived in Grayson County, Texas, before they left to homestead in
Oklahoma. James Davis Sanders went
to Oklahoma with his parents to help homestead land before he and Venice were
married. In the possession of
Jolene Doering is a letter to Venice from her future mother-in-law Emmaline
Dorothy Teague Sanders:
Louis, Greer Co.,
Okla.
Jan 29th 1899
Miss
Venice Johnson
Dear
Friend. Jimie asked me to write to you.
He would never let me read any of your letters so you can see that I
hardly know what to write to interest you. We were thinking we would have you
for a neighbor. Ethel would have
been so glad if you had come. I
guess Jim told you she calls her doll Venice. I cant say whether you would like this
country or not. I would be glad if
there was more timber but then I would rather make out with less timber and be
at home. Maybe we can buy coal when
the muskete gives out with what we would have had to pay for rent if we stayed
there. Guess Jimie has described our house to you. Well I like it fine Would rather have it than just a house
on top of the ground and no dugout for when the wind blows we are uneasy. We just let it blow and then when we are
able to build a house we will already have a stormhouse and then we are not by
ourselves. I have been to one of
our neighbors that lives in a house and one that lives in a dugout. That is of
the Greer Co.
people. Bird Teague our nephew
lives about six hundred yards a little north of west from us. They have ___?___ . Jimies building place isnt hardly so far
a little south of us. That is we
thought it would be the nicest place but maybe you wouldnt think so. We went up there one evening and I just
looked back home and thought what a nice walk it would be. Think your Pa ought to see this country before
he concludes it wont do. I am proud
of your southern principals. Come
to see us first chance. You write
to me.
Your
friend.
E.D.S.
Venice's
father-in-law fought in the Civil War and then went to look for gold in
California for several years. He
traveled among the Indians and had no trouble with them. Once he met a band of Crows and the
Chief put his hand to his mouth and said, "Chow-way, Chow-way." Mr. Sanders handed him a plug of chewing
tobacco. The Chief broke it in half
and handed back half of it. The
Chief then waved his hand and the Indians left as hard as their ponies would
go, and Mr. Sanders continued on his way.
A mile further down the road where he had planned to spend the night,
Mr. Sanders found the Indians had raided the station and scalped the station
keeper. Mr. Sanders said that was
the only time he was "sure 'nuf scared" of the Indians.
Venice
and James did move to Oklahoma in 1899, and Thomas Vestal Johnson accompanied
them. Venice stayed in Oklahoma and
died 12 June 1921, from complications of child birth five days after the birth
of her baby. Venice and the
stillborn baby boy are buried in Gibson Cemetery in Haskell, Oklahoma. The spring of 1921 was so wet that none
of Venice' brothers could get to the funeral because even some of the railroad
bridges were out. Jolene Doering
has a letter her grandfather received from Claud and Daisy Johnson:
Altus Oklahoma
June 12/21
Dear
Bro & Children,
Will
write a few lines. We are all so
grieved to hear of
Venice
going so suddenly. But we may all
find comfort in
the
thoughts of her good Christian life and the hope that we
all
have of meeting again. It is
impossible for any of the
boys
to go and be with you on account of the awful wash outs
between
here and there, but we are all with you in mind and
spirit
and are sympathising with you for the great loss of
wife
and mother and dear sister. Let us
hear from you and
more
particulars when you feel like writing them. Claud and
Pearson
would have come anyway if they could have got there.
So
please don't have any hard feelings against any of us for
we
are all grieved that things are like they are.
Write
soon & may God comfort you.
With
love
Your
Bro and Sis
Claud
& Daisy
Eight
years after Venice's death, in 1929, James Davis Sanders married Lula
Rainwater, who was a good stepmother to Venice's children.