THE LIFE OF ME
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Clarence Edgar Johnson
Copyright 1978
Clarence Edgar Johnson 2538 Chestnut San Angelo, Texas 76901
DEDICATION
To
Ima, my wife
Virgil Dennis, our first son
David Larry, our youngest son
and especially to our late daughter, Anita Joyce.
CONTENTS
Preface
Chapter1. Grandparents, Parents, And Our First Farm2. Early Childhood At The Flint Farm3. At The Exum Farm After I Was Five4. Social Living, Loving, Listening, And Learning5. Books, Folklore, Medicine, And Dreams6. Prosperity, Animals, Growing Up7. Dry Year On The Texas Plains, 19178. Moved To Jones County. Picked Cotton In Oklahoma9. Back To Our Lamesa Farm In 1919. School At Ballard10. Sold Farm, Moved To Hamlin11. Road Work At Gorman, Texas12. My Inventions And High School Days13. My Travels To The Gulf, McCamey, And Denver14. Haul Maize, Repair Trucks, Turn Trucks Over15. Got Married, Drove Truck, Farmed, Cattle Drive16. At Royston Until World War II17. World War II Was On. We Went to California18. Back At Royston. Worked At Gin And For Neighbors19. Tour Pike's Peak, Moved To Arkansas, Went To College
PREFACE
This writing grew out of a request from my daughter, Anita, thatI write to her concerning me, my family, my parents and theirfamilies; how we lived, how we grew up; our ideals, our customs,and our social life.
The original writings were in the form of letters written toAnita during the last few years. When my sons, Dennis and Larry,learned of the letters, they also asked for copies.
As I began writing, I soon realized that I knew very little aboutthe details of the lives of my parents and grandparents.
So I set out to tell my children a few things about myself and toleave unmentioned some things which I do not want them to knowabout me. I also included some things about a few kinfolks andneighbors who had a part in molding the character whom mychildren now refer to as "Dad."
It was hoped that the letters would aid in their betterunderstanding of how certain teachings and ideals had been handeddown through generations, and that they might better understandwhy they grew up under those rules and customs.
Others also may be interested in the way one family lived in the
Southwest around the turn of the century and later.
Clarence Edgar Johnson
(Drawing) The house where I was born
(Photo) Smokehouse at the Flint farm. Clarence, Earl, Joel,
Albert, and Susie.
(Photo) Our Exum home
(Photo) The lake by our front yard
(Photo) Sunday morning, going to church
(Photo) At the Exum farm. Joel, Clarence, Earl, Albert
(Photo) Our merry-go-round
(Photo) At our home on the plains. Mama, William Robert, Ollie
Mae, Clarence, Albert, Joel, Earl
CHAPTER 1
PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, OUR FIRST FARM
My Johnson grandparents reared nine children. Andrew was the
oldest and was a hal