Thriller Thursday~Joseph Henry Johns

CONFEDERATE VETERAN COMMITS SUICIDE
Mr. Johns, of McFarland Community, Shoots Himself -- Buried Yesterday
--Other McFarlan News.

McFarlan, April 10 - A horrible tragedy occurred this (Wednesday) morning when an old Confederate veteran, Mr Johns, committed suicide. He was 87 years of age and had been in ill health for some time. Mr. Johns was making his home with his son, Walter Johns of McFarlan. It seems that early in the morning after his sons had gone to work and the children were outside Mr. Johns took a shotgun and fired through his heart, death being instant. The deceased is survived by several children in Anson and Chesterfield counties.
The Johns family had been living in the McFarland section only since the first of the year. The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon, and interment was in Pleasant Grove cemetery, Chesterfield County, between Cheraw and Chesterfield.

Joseph Henry Johns is my Great Grandfather.

No proof has been found to shows that Joseph served in the Civil War. He was just barely 16 when the war ended; so I doubt that he served.

My Mother said that Joseph was a paraplegic and was only able to move around the house with two crutches to support him.

Joseph allegedly got up out of bed on the morning of 8 April 1929, walk over to the door way, lifted a shotgun off of two hangars above the door, return to his bed, laid down and shot himself.

Joseph Henry Johns was 80 years old. He was survived by four children, Walter Joseph, Julius, Fannie Belle and Ida B. Johns.  He was buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Chesterfield County, SC.





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[1] CONFEDERATE VETERAN COMMITS SUICIDE, The Messenger and Intellengence, Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina, 11 April 1929, Front page. Joseph Henry Johns.
[2]  Note: This obituary claimed that Joseph Henry Johns was a Confederate Veteran. No proof found to substantiate this claim of Civil War Service, his father -Shadrach- did serve in the Civil War with the Co. H, 24th Alabama Infantry. Joe was only 16 years old when the War ended, so I doubt that he served.