Samuel & Albert Johnson; Children of Old Parish

Samuel Johnson (1871-1871)

Albert Chandler Johnson (1876-1878)

A small marble gravestone stands on the far right of Old Parish Cemetery, surrounded by Ellis family stones. It is the marker for two small children: Samuel and Albert Johnson.

Edward Johnson (1843-1890) was born in England. On November 22, 1870 in Boston, he married Catherine (her name was variously recorded as Katherine, Catharine, and Katharine) McCormick (1835-1913), who had been born in Ireland. Sometime prior to 1872, the couple made their way to Norwood where Edward Johnson’s occupation was a laborer.

On December 18, 1871, Samuel Johnson was born. He died one day later due to “imperfect development.”

On October 8, 1873, Edward and Catherine welcomed twins, Edward William Johnson and Ellen Jane Johnson.

Three years later, the Johnsons welcomed a fourth child, Albert Chandler Johnson, who was born on March 7, 1876. Sadly, Albert died on July 6, 1878 of dysentery.

Soon after that, the Johnson family moved to Lancaster, Wisconsin where Edward Johnson, now a farmer, became a naturalized United States citizen on September 14, 1885 and died on February 11, 1890 at the age of 47. Catherine and her children remained in Wisconsin, and her son, Edward W. Johnson, took over the farm. Catherine Johnson died on January 12, 1913.

Over the years Catherine Johnson likely thought back to this tiny gravestone standing alone in Old Parish Cemetery in Norwood.