Janetta C. JOHNSTON ¹

   Other names for Janetta were Mrs. Rev. Isaac EDWARDS and Mrs. Janetta C EDWARDS Rev.

   User ID: P00050810.

  General Notes:

Janetta and Rev. Edwards had several children, per Janetta's brother's
granddaughter, Velta (Miers) Kunkel, including William and James listed
here. Janetta lived in Henrietta, Clay County, Texas, when her sister,
Mary Johnston Young died in June 1900.

Janetta was listed on her tombstone as born March 3, 1824. I had 1823
from the Rusling book. See references 1 and 21.

The 1860 census for Galesburg, Illinois, lists Isaac Miers and Hannah
Johnston Miers (her father was a brother to Janetta) as 23 years old,
having one child, Harriet, wife Hannah. He was a farmer and had one
person living in their household by another name: William Edwards born
in Ohio, 12 years old and in school. Could this be the same William
Edwards who was Janetta's son?

The 1880 Federal Census for Knoxville, Knox County, Illinois, Janetta C.
(spelled Jenett here) Edwards was a widow, 57 years old, born in Ohio,
keeping house, her father was born in New Jersey, her mother was born in
England, and she was head of the household which included her son James
J. Edwards, age 24, a minister, born in Illinois, his father born in
Pennsylvania, his mother born in Ohio. Living with them was James' wife,
Ora, age 19, at home, born in Illinois, and her parents were born in
Indiana. In the same household was Janetta's mother, Hannah Johnston,
age 87, at home, born in England. For some reason this census lists
Hannah's father as born in Scotland and her mother as born in England.
Her father was actually born in Hull, Yorkshire, England.

The 1900 Federal Census for Henrietta, Clay County, Texas, Reel T-623,
Roll 1619, Supervisor's District 3, lists Edwards, William E., head of
household, age 51, born in Ohio. His father was born in Pennsylvania and
his mother in Ohio. Mary, his wife, age 40, born in Illinois. Her
father and mother both born in New York. All the children were born in
Texas with their father born in Ohio and mother born in IL. Lou E.,
daughter, 8 years old. William E., son 6 years old. Charles J. son, 5
years old, Alto M. daughter, 3 years old. Jennett C., mother (of head of
household) age 77 born in Ohio. Her father was born in New Jersey and
her mother was born in England.

The 1910 Federal Census for Henrietta, Clay County, Texas, Reel T-624,
Roll 1538, Supervisor's District 13, lists Edwards, William E., head of
household, age 61, born in Ohio. It lists his family adding one
daughter, Mabel H. age 8, born in Texas. Janetta C. is not listed.

In The Rusling Family book, page 66, Janetta was living at Henrietta,
Clay County, TX, with her son William Rusling Edwards, who was editor of
a newspaper there. However, according to a letter from William's
daughter, his middle name was Edward. Also, a 1907 envelope showed his
return address as W. E. Edwards. James J. was listed in the same book as
a Methodist preacher and editor at Thermal, Fresno Co., California.
(references 1, 4, and 5 below)

Margaret Young Rice, descendant of Mary, Janetta's sister, corresponded
with a descendant of the Edwards at one time and learned that the Edwards
owned a newspaper in Henrietta.

In a letter from her son William Edward Edwards, Janetta died at 3:15 on
May 12, 1907. She had been failing physically for nearly a year and was
mentally ready to die. She had not gone out to any place except her home
and yard, not even church, since November. She had no disease but just
gradually faded away from physical decay and weakness retaining her
mental faculties to the last even though she did not take much interest
in events or books and papers which she usually enjoyed. On her last
day, she said, "I've lived long enough." For 12 years she had taught the
old ladies Bible class in the Methodist Sunday School and was universally
regarded as exceptionally intelligent and devout. The church was filled
for her funeral with the procession to the cemetery was an immense one
and attended by the best people. District court and county commissioners
court were both in session and both adjourned to attend. This letter was
written to William's cousin Robert Young and signed, " Affectionately
your cousin, W. E. Edwards". The letter is dated May 19, 1907, on
letterhead from "The People's Review" in it's 16th year, W. E. Edwards,
Publisher, in Henrietta, Clay County, Texas.

A letter from Janetta's granddaughter, Mamie Edwards Nutter who told of
Mamie's husband getting a lot in the cemetery right next to the one Uncle
Will (William Edward Edwards) got so that some day "we will all be laid
down there by her (Janetta's) side". Mamie also wrote that her
relationship was very special with her grandmother, Janetta, and that she
remembered going to Janetta's house as a little girl when they both lived
in Knoxville, Illinois. This letter was dated May 20, 1907 and was from
Blue Grove, Texas.

References: (1) See "The Rusling Family" book for more. Author: James
F. Rusling, published 1907. Available in 1999 from Higginson Book Co.,
Salem, Mass. (2) Margaret Young Rice, Janetta's sister Mary Johnston
Young's descendant. (3) Obituary of Mary Johnston Young listed in the
"Obituaries, Knox County, Galesburg, Illinois, Newspapers 1853-1897, Vol.
1, pg 201, found in the Galesburg, Illinois, library April 15, 2000. (4)
Letter from Mable Vaughn of Wichita Falls, Texas, dated 1982, found among
the papers in the house that Robert and Mary Young had built and that
Margaret (Young) Rice bought. Margaret descends from Mary Fowler
Johnston, sister to Lucille's Great-Great-Grandfather, James Rusling
Johnston. Mable's grandmother, Janetta C. Johnston, is a sister to Mary
and James. Data received by Lucille Miers Webster from Margaret on
January 21, 2002, by Electronic mail, E-mail. (5) 1907 envelope to
Robert L. Young from W. E. Edwards, publisher of "The People's Review" in
Henrietta, Texas. This data provided to Lucille Miers Webster by
Margaret Young Rice of Knoxville, Illinois, by Electronic mail, E-mail,
on January 21, 2002. (6) 1880 Federal Census for Knoxville, Knox County,
Illinois, on the computer web site from Latter Day Saints' Family History
Library Film 1254220, NA Film Number T9-0220, Page 252B. Read in October,
2002. (7) The 1900 Federal Census for Clay County, Texas, Reel T-623,
Roll 1619, Supervisor's District 3, lists Edwards, William E., head of
household, and Jennett C. Edwards living with him. It lists William's
family as well. Transcribed by and copied from the Clay County, Texas
web site, for Henrietta,Texas, on January 26, 2003. (8) The 1910 Federal
Census for Henrietta, Clay County, Texas, Reel T-624, Roll 1538,
Supervisor's District 13, lists Edwards, William E., head of household.
His family is listed with one additional daughter. Janetta C. is not
listed. Transcribed by and copied from the Clay County, Texas web site,
for Henrietta,Texas, on January 26, 2003. (19) Letter from William
Edward Edwards, Janetta C. Johnston Edwards' son, to his cousin Robbie,
Robert Young, when Janetta died. The letter is dated May 19, 1907 on
letterhead from The People's Review in it's 16th year, W. E. Edwards,
Publisher. (20) A letter telling of Janetta dying and Mamie's life with
Janetta, from Janetta's granddaughter, Mamie Edwards Nutter dated May 20,
1907, from Blue Grove, Texas. (21) Telecon with Edwards Library in
Henrietta, Clay County, TX, on March 12, 2003 in which the cemetery
records were checked for Henrietta Hope Cemetery in Henrietta, Clay
County, Texas.

Janetta married Reverend Isaac EDWARDS on 28 Nov 1842. (Reverend Isaac EDWARDS was born in Pennsylvania, USA and died before 1880.)