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GoldnSteve
GoldnSteve
William Derby Johnson (Sr.)
Jul 10 2009, 4:02 PM EDT | Post edited: Aug 24 2009, 3:27 PM EDT
You do not need to sign up as a member to look around this site. None of my family members know much about the Mormon background of grandma Phyllis. Her mom, Vivian Lemmon lived in Colonia Diaz Mexico around the turn of the last century. She married Abia (Ah-bye-uh) Johnson there. Abia was the son of William Derby Johnson (Sr.), who was one son of Ezekial and Julia Hills Johnson from Pomfret New York. Grandma Viv and her family were all driven out of Mexico by Pancho Villas forces during to the Mexican Revolution. And their Colony was burned because of it's name "Diaz" was the President of Mexico who Pancho Villa was fighting against. I have posted a few stories grandma Viv and her family left us, on the "My Connections" page on this site. Abia came from a family that joined the Mormon Church very early on in its development. They personally knew the Prophet and founder of the Mormon Church Joseph Smith. There is a book about it called "A Banner Unfurled". William Derby's sister Almera was married to Joseph Smith. Will had some noteable brothers too: Joel H., and Benjamin F. Johnson, who were quite close to Joseph Smith. Joel has a few hymns in the LDS hymnbook used now, and Ben was taught the principle of Celestial (plural) Marriage by Joseph at Ben's home in Ramus, Illinois (near Nauvoo) way back in the day. Ben also was a settler of Tempe and Mesa Arizona in his later years and has left a legacy of many thousands of offspring in Arizona and throughout the world (I run into them everywhere). William was burried at Colonia Diaz. His son, William Derby Jr. was the Bishop of Colonia Diaz. Grandma Vivian Lemmon's side of the family were early Mormon pioneers too. Her grandfather, John Lemmon was an early Mormon settler in Ohio and Missouri. He was on the High Council at AOA. Mobs of angery residents drove the Mormons out of Missouri and John died due to harsh conditions he endured. Do you find this valuable?    
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GoldnSteve
GoldnSteve
1. RE: William Derby Johnson (Sr.)
Aug 24 2009, 3:23 PM EDT | Post edited: Aug 24 2009, 3:24 PM EDT
Correction to the above....I meant to write "Ramus Illinois, near Nauvoo", not Ohio near Kirtland....see Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, page 479.
My bad. So I changed it. Do you find this valuable?