Seward County KS Archives Obituaries.....Johnson, Eliza Jane Shirley Smith Patton Price  November 25, 1933
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Debra L. Stiff Monsive tomdeb@oip.net October 24, 2008, 9:17 pm

Unknown Newspaper

I have read the thread concerning Women Of The Southwest and was wondering if
there is any mention of Eliza Jane Shirley Smith Patton Price Johnson.

She was born in Ray County Missouri, she and her 2nd husband, James F. Patton,
came to Seward County, Kansas in about May 1885. James a Civil War Veteran,
committed suicide (Aug 1887) 6 weeks after their youngest child was born. They
lived 5 miles N.E. of Springfield, Seward County, Kansas, according to pension
papers I have in my possession. I know later she lived near her sons near
Sublette, Haskell County, Kansas. She and James and two of their sons are buried
at Banner Cemetery just outside of Sublette.

Her obituary, paper unknown, gives one an impression that she was well known in
this part of Kansas. She died 25 Nov 1933 at the age of 82. Here is a
transcription of the obit:


Grandma Johnson, Pioneer Angel of Mercy, Dead

(By the Globe’s Service)


Sublette, Kas., Nov. 27. – Hundreds attended the funeral this afternoon of
Grandma Johnson, probably known by more Southwest Kansans than any other woman.

        Before the day of the railroad and convenient hospitals, Mrs. E.J.
Johnson was physician, maternity nurse and family counselor to hundreds of
families. When she moved to Haskell county in 1885, the nearest physician was in
Dodge City. There were no automobiles. In horse and buggy she traveled into the
Oklahoma panhandle, into the sandhills south of Garden City or over to the
southwest tip of Kansas to assist in bringing new lives into the world. Although
without a license to practice medicine and of course without the required
training in medicine and care of the sick, Grandma Johnson intuitively had the
confidence inspiring manner which brought ease and quiet to hundreds of
distraught households when no physician was available. No call was too far or
means too poor to go unanswered. Grandma culd [could] always be depended on to
come no matter if the journey required a long or stormy night ride.

        She died Saturday evening of burns suffered November 9 when a stove
exploded. Although almost blind she put out the fire but not before she was
burned severely. She lived alone but her sons, Wood and Burn Patton, looked
after her, cooked her food and as best they could lightened her labors. She was
82 years old.

        She is survived by six sons, Wood and Burn Patton of Sublette; J.A.
Patton, Marsing, Idaho; Frank Patton, Centerville, Ia., and sons in Idaho and
New Mexico.


I had the opportunity to go to Sublette and Liberal this last July, but could
not find more information about her or James F. Patton. My question is do you
have any suggestions or know of a researcher in this part of Kansas that might
help me. I do have James Patton’s military record, pension file and the pension
file for minor children that Eliza Jane applied for, which is about 70 pages of
details about her and James’ life. I also have lots of land records.


Thank you,

Debra L. Stiff Monsive in Cottage Grove, Oregon


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