Mystery Monday~The Wife of Joseph Henry Johns

Joseph Henry Johns is my Great Grandfather. He was born in April 1949 and died 8 April 1929 in McFarlan, Anson County, North Carolina.^{1 2} In 1882 Joseph Henry Johns was married.³ Available records in Marlboro and Chesterfield County, South Carolina and  and Anson County, North Carolina indicates that he and his wife were the parents of eight children; 5 daughters and 3 sons.

Those children in order of birth are:
i. Walter Joseph Johns Sr., born 2 Aug 1883, Bennettsville, Marlboro, South Carolina; married Arletha Quick, 2 Feb 1914, Bennettsville, Marlboro, South Carolina; married Blanche Scott, 10 Aug 1927, Bennettsville, Marlboro, South Carolina; married Ellen Grooms, 22 Aug 1933, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 31 Jan 1964, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
ii. Julius Johns, born 4 Mar 1887, Bennettsville, Marlboro, South Carolina; married Mary Catherine Brock, 16 Jun 1912, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 16 May 1937, Monroe, Union, North Carolina.
iii. Annie Bell Johns, born May 1888, Marlboro, South Carolina; married Robert Roller, abt 1914; married William Ellis Boan, abt 1919; died 22 Jul 1923, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
iv. Samuel Johns was born about 1890 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina. He appeared in the census in 1920.⁴
v. Nellie Johns, born Jul 1891, Marlboro County, South Carolina; married George Washington Heustess, Oct 1909; died 18 Jan 1928, Columbia, Richland, South Carolina.
vi. Fanny Belle Johns, born Jul 1892, Marlboro County, South Carolina; married Julius Jones, 12 Nov 1912, Bennettsville, Marlboro, South Carolina.
vii. Ida B Johns was born about 1893 in Marlboro County, South Carolina. She appeared in the census in 1900. ¹³
viii. Mamie Johns was born in Jul 1898 in Marlboro County, South Carolina. ¹⁴ She died before 1910 at the age of 12 or less.

 

We can see from the above matrix that we had death dates for 4 of the eight known children. Only three of the 4 death certificate were available for reviews. Only one death certificate contained the name of the mother; the death certificate for daughter Nellie Johns Heustess.⁵
Obituaries has been found for Walter Joseph and Joseph Henry but contained no information on the names of their parents within the obituary.^{6 7}

No death dates has been found for:
Samuel Johns
Fanny Belle Johns
Ida B. Johns
Mamie Johns

So we have one document that says that the wife of Joseph Henry Johns was/is Laura Driggers. Based on the 1900 census, it looks as if the mother of the family perished with the birth of Mamie John in 1899.⁸ 



Joseph states that he is a Widower and had been married 18 years having married in the year 1882.



If we go back to the 1880 census we find that there is a Laura Driggers enumerated next door to the family of Shadrach and Joseph John but the girl is only a child and Joseph Henry John/Johns is a mature man. Did he marry this child? ⁹



I have still have many unanswered questions on exactly who was the wife of Joseph Henry Johns, my great grandfather. This is a great mystery; if you have any suggestions or recommendations I readily welcome them.





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[1] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) No ED, page 109A, Line 11, Dwelling 161, Family/161, Household of Shadrach JOHN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[2] North Carolina, death # #1929 (8 April 1929), Joseph Johns; http://www.Ancestry.com, Anson County, North Carolina.
[3] 1900 U. S. Census, Marlboro County, South Carolina, population schedule, Bennettsville, Marlboro County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 87, page 55A, dwelling 365, family 383, Household of Joseph John; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm  T623_1536.
[4] 1920 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Cheraw, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #36, page 95B, Line 99, dwelling 735, Household 736, Household of Joseph Johns; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm T625_1690.
[5] Nellie Huestes, death certificate 000520 (18 January 1928), Vital Records, Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina.
[6] Walter Johns obituary, The State, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, 31 January 1964, page 3-C.
[7] FATAL HIGHWAY ACCIDENT - Julius Johns obituary, The Chesterfield Advertiser, Chesterfield, South Carolina, 20 May 1937.
[8] 1900 U. S. Census, Marlboro County, South Carolina, population schedule, Bennettsville, Marlboro County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 87, page 55A, dwelling 365, family 383, Household of Joseph John; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm  T623_1536.
[9] 1880 U. S. Census, Marlboro County, South Carolina, population schedule, Marlboro County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #108, page 460A, Line 22, Dwelling # 43, Family #43, Household of Shade JOHN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm T9_1235.