Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1913-02-20
LINCOLN AND FISCUS
OBITUARY.

OBITUARY.
Emma Hardesty was born January 8
1S49, in Clark county, Ohio. She lived
there but short time as her parents
moved soon after to Henry county
Iowa, and afterward lived in Louisa
and Des Moines counties. In 1870 she
was united in marriage to William
johnson at Washington, Iowa. Desir.
ing to have a home of their own, they
came to western Iowa in the spring OF
1872 buying a tract of prairie land in
Lincoln township, Audubon county,
being the first family to locate in this
township. The railroads in those days
were not so numerous as now their
nearest railroad town being Westside "a
miles distance. Their first house was
made of sod and sheltered them for
many years, several of their children
being born also at that time. When
Mr.. and Mrs. Johnson settled here there
was no Manning, no Gray or Botna, nc
roads and no neighbors. They suffered
the hardships, that all pioneers must;
but they toiled on in their humble home
never complaining.
One wintery day few years after
locating Mr.. Johnson went to Westside
for a load of fuel and provisions, and
when coming home was overtaken in a
binding blizzard and lost his way He
incidently came up TO stack of hay in
the evening which was means of saw
ing his life. Turning the horses loose,
he crawled into the hay remaining all
night long. In the morning the storm
had abated and after getting his horses
hitched up reached home in few hours.
About the year 1881 the Milwaukee
road was built, the town of Manning
springing into existence at about the
same time. AT above date the people
began focking in by the hundreds,
settling all the land in a short time
During the early years the Johnsons
always showed their hospitality by Civ
ing shelter and food to the homeless and
aiding the poor in numerous ways
Many a traveller found shelter in theil
home, no one ever being turned away
hungry from their door
Mr.. and Mrs. johnson sold their old
homestead in 1891 and moved to Man,
ming where they lived until 1908, when
they moved to Spokane, Washington,
and a few years later to Harrington.
Mr.. Johnson departed from this world
two short years ago, and his wife passed
over the great divide January 81, 1918,
at the age of GA years and % days. She
is survived by five sons and three
daughters: Frank of Cunningham,
Washington; Fred and Robert of Har.
rington, Washington; Arthur of Med
ford, Oregon; and B. l.. johnson OF
Manning The daughters are Mrs. Geo.
Thomas of Medford, Oregon; Mable
and Bessie of Spokane. Deceased is
also survived by three brothers; S,
Hardesty of Walnut, Iowa; AL of Avoca,
Iowa; and Frank of Idaho Falls
Idaho, and by two sisters; Mrs. L. San
ders of Council Bluffs and Mrs. Frank
Lindsay of Manning.
Mrs. Johnsons remains were brought
to Manning February 7th where funeral
services were held at the home of hel
sister after which her body was taker
to the Lincoln cemetery and laid tc
rest beside her husband and children
Thus another of the few remaining
pioneers is gone, one of those that has
helped make Iowa what it is. They
brave the hardships of pioneering Sc
that those who live later may enjoy the
fruits of life. What a remarkable
change has taken place in this township
in the Al years that has elapsed since
the time the subject of this sketch made
this her home / sometimes think that
we of the present generation do not ap
preciate the great work of the struggling
pioneers as we should, for it was they
who laid the foundation for one of the
greatest commemorative in the Union
the state of Iowa.