Today’s posting in “In Remembrance” of my Grandfather Julius Johns. I never knew Grandpa Julius because he died approximately 5 1/2 years before I was born. You can see by his death certificate that he died 16 May 1937.[1] Mama always said that Julius was killed in 1937 and Grandma Johns died 1 year, 1 month and 1 day later.
For years I looked for death certificates and obituaries for my grandparents without any success. So for years I could not confirm what my Mother had told me. Then while home on vacation I mentioned my search for a death certificate to an Aunt. She told me that Grandpa Julius was struck by an automobile while walking on Highway 9 in Chesterfield County but he died in Monroe, North Carolina.
Back in 1937, Monroe was the closest city was a hospital capable of handling such injuries. It was in Union County, North Carolina where I found his death certificate.
Then a few years later, newspaper microfilms were obtained by the local Library and this newspaper articles about the accident was found.
FATAL HIGHWAY ACCIDENT - Julius Johns, age 51, of the Zoar section, died in a Monroe hospital Monday evening at 8:00 o'clock after having been struck by an automobile on highway No. 9 Saturday night at 8:20 o'clock. Testimony at the coroner's inquest late Wednesday afternoon tended to show that Mr. Johns was struck by an automobile driven by Mr. Fred (Dock) Hinson that Mr. Johns was walking on the concrete near the junction of Highway No. 9 and the Zoar road. Evidence did not show that Hinson was driving at excessive speed. The coroner's verdict was that the accident was unavoidable. Mr. Johns was buried at Zoar Tuesday afternoon at 3 o'clock, services being conducted by the Rev. E. S. Dunbar and the Rev. F. M. Cannon. He had lived in this county for twenty-seven years. He was employed by W.P.A. on the Sandhill project at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife and seven children ranging in age from seven to 24 years. They are Carl, Mary, Luther, Willie, Ruby, Bennie and Everet. [2]
That fatal Saturday night resulted in injuries that resulted in the death of Grandpa at the young age of 50 years old. Grandma Mamie was left with 4 children under the age of twenty-one with the youngest just a mere 7 years old.
No death certificate or obituary has been found for Mamie Brock Johns, my Grandmother, even though we know she died in the Doctor’s office.
Julius Johns was born 4 March 1887 to Joseph Henry Johns and Laura Driggers. He married Mary Catherine “Mamie” Brock Johns on 16 June 1912 in Chesterfield, South Carolina. He died on 16 May 1937 in Monroe, Union County, North Carolina. He was buried at Zoar United Methodist Church Cemetery on 18 May 1937.
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| Photo Courtesy of Julious Burr |
[1] Julius Johns, death certificate #253 (1937), Register of Deeds, Monroe, Union County, North Carolina.
[2] FATAL HIGHWAY ACCIDENT - Julius Johns obituary, The Chesterfield Advertiser, Chesterfield, South Carolina, 20 May 1937.
[Note} The 1900 census shows Julius as age 13 , born in March 1887. The tombstone above has the year as 1880. I believed the tomb stone to be wrong.
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