Susan Ellen Johnson

Susan Ellen Johnson was born 11 Jul 1836, in Kirkland, Ohio. She was the daughter of Joel Hills Johnson and Anna Pixley. Her mother died when she was 4 years old. Her family7 went through many persecutions and trials at this time while living in Ramus , located a few miles from Nauvoo and Carthage. The mob threatened to burn down their farm and house if they did not leave immediately.

As a young wife in the Utah territory she had some interesting experiences with the Indians. In the fall of 1852 while living at the fort in Parawan Indian Chief Walker and a band of 400 camped ½ mile from the fort and turned all of his horses about (1,000) loose into the mormon fields of grain. They asked him to get the horses out of the fields but he refused saying he owned all the land. Some of the mormons chased the horses out, and the Indians were very angry. The men began the war dance, and scalp dance, screaming and shrieking all afternoon. Some who could speak English would venture near the fort and shout out, “We kill you quick! We cut you all pieces! We burn you-make you yell!”
Everyone in the fort, including the women remained calm, putting their trust in God.
Susan Ellen Johnson a new bride of almost 17 yrs of age, After barricading the door of their home with furniture to help block any bullets, she sat at the fire most of the night melting lead and making bullets for the men. The Indians left the next day, finding the fort too strong to attack.

One day Susan Ellen Johnson left the home for a short while, while she was gone and Indian came into their home and demanded Bread from her small daughter. The girl said they didn’t have any and the Indian said she lied, Just as the Indianwas raising his hatchet above the little girls head, Susan came home and seeing her daughter Alvira crouched in fear and the Indian above her, she flew at him with the courage of a lioness, jerked him away from her daughter and beat him so soundly that he was glad to get loose from her grasp and make an inglorious retreat.

After moving to Arizona, they were forced to leave there farm and property as the government turned all of the surrounding land, including their farm back to the Indians.