Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-27
Kin Confident Of johnson
Brother Recalls Kennedy Niece in Peace Corps
By FRANCES LDE
star STAFF Writer

These were the thoughts Of
Sam Houston johnson as
destiny suddenly thrust his
older brother Lyndon into
the most powerful office In
the world.
One Of his brothers Senate
aides In Washington until his
retirement for health reasons
In 1850, Sam Houston john
son now makes his home in
Austin, Tex, with q sister,
Rebekah Bobbitt. CThe lat
ter's husband, Oscar P. Bob
bit, Is vice president In
charge Of general sales for
Station KTBC, operated by
the L. B. J. Company
Keenly aware Of the pres
sure on the new Chief Exc
cuttve and First Lady, broth
er and sister decided against
making personal calls and,
instead, maintained q week
end television vigil to keep
abreast Of events.
I'VE sent him 9 wire that
our hearts and minds were
with him IN this crisis" Mrs.
Bobbitt explained in Q tele-
phone interview.
Joining in the prayerful
thoughts Of the family for
the President has been an
other sister Lucia Mrs.
Birge Alexander Of Fort
Worth, Tex. She has kept IN
touch with her brother and
sister IN Austin from john
son City, where she has q
house near the Johnson
family place, now . memorial
TO the Presidents parents.
A third sister, Josefa
johnson White Moss, died on
Christmas day two years ago.
First Kennedy Meeting
As he unused over the con-
fidence placed In his brother
when the then Senator Ken
nedy chose him to be his
running mate IN the 1860
campaign, Mr.. johnson re.
called another incident when
the same sort Of faith was
exhibited.
It was Just after the cleo
tons in 1862 and Senator
johnson had not yet decided
whether he would seek the
Democratic leadership Of the
Senate, he said.
Mr.. Johnson, who was on
his brothers staff, saw q
youthful figure at the door,
who looked so boyish that he
wasn't recognized by the re-
ceptionist. AS 1t turned out,
he was the Massachusetts,
Congressman who had Just
defeated Henry Cabot Lodge
for the Senate.
Taking over, Mr.. Johnson
escorted the 8 enator-elect
into his brothers office. HE
told Lyndon he had Just
dropped by to say that he
hoped he would take the
leadership. He said, I'm for
you" Mr.. johnson recalled.
The new Presidents neph-
ews include Mrs. Bobbitt's
son Philip who, ct IS, Is q
champion debater, high
school senior and semi-final-
ist IN the Merit Scholarship
competition.
Rodney White. the late
Mrs. Moss's son, also lives
with the Bobbitts, attending
the San Marcos Baptist Acad-
envy about 30 miles from
Austin. He's q few months
older than Philip.
Mrs. Alexander has q
daughter Rebekah, who Is a
sophomore at the University
Of Texas where she's In the
same dormitory IN which the
Presidents daughter Lynda
Bird lives. (Rebekah was the
name Of President Johnson's
mother and, with the Biblical
spelling, has been carried
down through the family for
four generations.)
First Lady's Niece Here
The new First Lady's only
living brother, Antonio ].
CTony) Taylor. has made his
home IN Santa Fe, N. Mex,
since his late teens, but one
Of his daughters. Mrs. Dom
aid Malcolm Macarthur,
lives in Washington and
works for the Peace Corps.
Another niece, Susan Tay-
lor, attended George WASH
ington University the last
two years, though she is now
at home with her mother In
Jefferson, Tex.
SuSarl's father was the late
Thomas jefferson Taylor, IT.,
who died about two years
ago.
Like the Presidents rela-
tiveS In Texas, Mrs. MacAr-
thur and her father relied on
television to bring them the
latest on developments as
they concerned the Johnsons.
when we talked by tele-
phone, we realized that we
were getting the same infor-
nation at the same mo-
ment," she pointed out.
They conveyed their con-
Germ and desire to do any,
thing they could for Mrs.
johnson by telegraph and q
telephone call, she said.
The former Diana Taylor
Tschursin, Mrs. Macarthur
freouenkiv has felped her