Descendents of Henry George Grabenhorst
Henry Christian Grabenhorst
William Henry Grabenhorst

Anna Adeline Grabenhorst

1-Anna Adeline Grabenhorst, daughter of William Henry Grabenhorst and Eva Haight, was born on 24 Aug 1883 in Webster County, Iowa, died on 20 Apr 1913 in Salem, Marion, Oregon at age 29, and was buried in City View Cemetery, Salem, Marion County, Oregon. 

Anna married George M. Nicholson on 4 June 1904 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon. Anna filed for divorce from George on 10 Oct 1906 in Marion County, Oregon on grounds of desertion. She also petitioned to have her maiden name of Grabenhorst restored. They had no children.

Anna next married Hiram Alvah (III) Johnson, son of Hiram Alvah (II) Johnson and Amanda Savannah Jones, on 24 Apr 1908 in Salem, Marion, Oregon. Hiram was born on 31 Dec 1878 in Jefferson, Marion, Oregon and died on 11 Aug 1959 in San Diego, San Diego, California at age 80. They had one son: Robert Allen.

2-Robert Allen Johnson was born on 15 Apr 1913 in Salem, Marion, Oregon, died on 6 Sep 2000 in Longview, Cowlitz, Washington at age 87, and was buried in City View Cemetery, Salem, Marion, Oregon. 

Robert married Evanelle Esson, daughter of Leroy Alexander Esson and Lola May Black, on 31 August 1935 in Thurston County, Washington. They were divorced and had no children.

Robert next married Donna Jennings. Donna had three daughters: Lori born in 1962,  Lyn born in 1965 and Lisa born in 1969.

Biography
 Photographs
 Documents and Articles
Records
Gravestones

Biography

Anna Adeline Grabenhorst was born on 24 August, 1883 in Dayton, Webster, Iowa, the first born of William Henry and Eva Haight Grabenhorst's eight children. She was named Anna after her father's sister who had died young at age 10 in 1877 and Adeline for her maternal grandmother. In 1902, William and Eva and their family moved to Oregon from Iowa. They purchased the Frank C. Baker farm, consisting of three hundred and twenty-seven acres located four miles south of Salem in the Pringle area of Marion County. A highway intersection incorporating the farm area would later be mapped as Grabenhorst Corners. William and Eva farmed the land until 1910 when they made the decision to subdivide the farm and sell it in small tracts of five acres while they moved into the city of Salem. That same year William and his older son, George Henry Grabenhorst, opened up W.H. Grabenhorst & Co. Real Estate in Salem to sell the tracts. The company was very successful and would go on to become a prominent real estate company in the Salem area.  

Anna attended public schools in Iowa and then Capital Business College in Salem. On 4 June 1904 she married George M. Nicholson in Portland. The marriage was short lived. Anna filed for divorce from George on 10 Oct 1906 in Marion County, Oregon on grounds of desertion. She also petitioned to have her maiden name of Grabenhorst restored. They had no children.

On 24 Apr 1908, she married Hiram Alvah Johnson Jr. in Salem. Hiram was the son of Hiram Alvah Johnson and Amanda Savannah Jones. His grandfather, also Hiram Alvah Johnson but known as Squire Johnson, had come to Oregon from Illinois in 1847 and settled on a land claim near Jefferson where Hiram was born on 31 December, 1878. Later, Squire Johnson moved to Salem where he became prominent in public affairs, serving as a justice of the peace for eighteen years. Hiram's father, Hiram Alvah Johnson, was the Salem agent for the Oregon Fire Relief Association insurance company (later to become Oregon Mutual Insurance). At the time of his marriage to Anna in 1908, Hiram was working as a lawyer. He was also a partner in H.A. Johnson & Company real estate with his cousin George W. Johnson.

Anna and Hiram were a popular young couple with many friends and social activities. When Anna became pregnant it was a happy occasion, especially for William and Eva Grabenhorst because this would be their first grandchild. On 15 Apr 1913 Anna delivered a son, Robert Allen Johnson. After his birth she became very ill with peritonitis and died five days later on 20 Apr 1913. Her death was a shock to everyone. She was buried in City View cemetery two days later. Anna's sister, Nell, told her son Don that Anna was buried in her wedding dress and looked beautiful and just as she had in life.

Hiram was bereft after Anna's death and with no way to care for an infant, he left Robert in the care of his grandparents, William H and Eva Grabenhorst. Robert was formally adopted by William and Eva on 13 Oct 1914 with the consent of his father.

Robert grew up in Salem with grandparents and his cousins and aunts and uncles. On 26 September 1923, when Robert was 10, his grandfather, William died. On 4 April 1929, when Robert was 16 his grandmother, Eva, died and Robert went to live with his aunt Evelyn. Evelyn was only 12 years older then Robert and they had always been close. At the time of Eva's death, Evelyn had married Lawrence Oberer and they were living in Salem so Robert was able to finish public school there. He then attended Capital Business College and went to work for W.H. Grabenhorst real estate company.

On 31 August 1935 Robert married Evanelle Esson in Thurston, Washington. They were later divorced. Robert next married Donna Jennings. Donna had three daughters: Lori born in 1962, Lyn born in 1965 and Lisa born in 1969. Robert loved collecting stamps and antiques. He owned and operated The Cottage Antique Shop in Rainier until 1990.

Robert died on 6 Sep 2000 in Longview, Cowlitz, Washington at age 87, and was buried in City View Cemetery, Salem, Marion, Oregon. 
 

Photographs  

  

Eva and Anna Grabenhorst

Anna Grabenhorst

Anna Grabenhorst

Lillian, George, Charles, Bill,
Anna  Grabenhorst

Lillian and Anna Grabenhorst
30 Dec 1900

  
           

Anna Grabenhorst

Anna Grabenhorst Johnson and Hiram Alvah Johnson III

Anna Grabenhorst Johnson funeral in City View Cemetery
     
 

Eva Grabenhorst and Robert Johnson

William Grabenhorst and Robert Johnson with
Lee McAllister at Neskowin cabin

  

Documents and Articles

Obituaries

Anna Adeline Grabenhorst Johnson

Salem Statesman April 22, 1913

Mrs. Anna Johnson died about 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon on Sunday, April 20.  Mrs. Johnson was the wife of H A Johnson, Jr. and died at the residence, 256 North Twenty-first street, at 3 o'clock. The funeral, which will be held today at 2:00 p.m. will be private and attended only by relatives and immediate friends. Rev. Davis Errett will have charge of the services. The internment will take place in City View Cemetery. Mrs. Johnson was born in 1884. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Grabenhorst of this city, survive her. With her husband, she leaves a son, Robert Allen Johnson, five days old. Mrs. Johnson was a charming woman, well liked by all her friends, and her sudden death came as a severe shock to them.

Salem Statesman April 23, 1913

Mrs. Anna Johnson, who died at her home in this city Sunday afternoon, was buried yesterday at City View Cemetery. The funeral services were conducted at 2 o'clock by Reverend Davis Errett at the residence, 256 North Twenty-first street. Mrs. Carlton Smith "Sweet Peace The Gift of God's Love", a favorite hymn of Mrs. Johnson. The pallbearers were G.W. Johnson, Claude A. Johnson, George Grabenhorst, William Grabenhorst, Charles Grabenhorst and Eugene Grabenhorst. The funeral was private and attended only by immediate friends and relatives of the family.

Robert Allen Johnson

The Daily News

Robert A. Johnson, 87, of Longview, died Sept. 6, 2000, at the Hospice Care Center. He was born April 15, 1913, in Salem to Richard and Ann Johnson, and moved to Rainier in 1966, where he owned and operated The Cottage Antique Shop until 1990. He loved collecting stamps and antiques. Survivors include his wife, Donna Johnson, of Rainier; three daughters, Lori Alwine of Longview, Lyn Scott of Rainier and Lisa Taylor of Scappoose; and six grandchildren. Interment will be at City View Cemetery in Salem. Issued: OR (Before 1951)

Records

Census Records

1900 census    
  William Grabenhorst age 40 born in Maryland farmer
Evelyn Grabenhorst age 38 born in Iowa
Anna A Grabenhorst age 16 born in Iowa
Lillian A Grabenhorst age 14 born in Iowa
George W Grabenhorst age 12 born in Iowa
William H Grabenhorst age 10 born in Iowa
Charley W Grabenhorst age 8 born in Iowa
Eugene B Grabenhorst age 6 born in Iowa
Nellie C Grabenhorst age 3 born in Iowa
Amos Mores age 38 born in New York farm laborer
Elmer L Ruby age 24 born in Pennsylvania farm laborer
Dayton, Webster, Iowa; Roll: 465; Page: 18B; Enumeration District: 0172; FHL microfilm: 1240465
1910 census    
  Hiram A Johnson Jr. age 31 born in Oregon
Anna A Johnson age 26 born in Iowa
Salem Ward 6, Marion, Oregon; Roll: T624_1284; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 0226; FHL microfilm: 1375297
1920 census    
  William H Grabenhorst age 60 born in Maryland real estate company
Eva Grabenhorst age 58 born in New York
Robert Johnson grandson age 6 born in Oregon
Salem Ward 7, Marion, Oregon; Roll: T625_1498; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 354; Image: 376
1930 census    
  Lawrence E Oberer age 31 born in Oregon real estate salesman
Evelyn I Oberer age 29 born in Oregon
Robert A Johnson nephew age 16 born in Oregon
Salem, Marion, Oregon; Roll: 1948; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0071; Image: 551.0; FHL microfilm: 2341682
1940 census    
  Robert A Johnson age 26 born in Oregon real estate salesman
Evanelle Johnson age 24 born in Oregon
Salem, Marion, Oregon; Roll: T627_3375; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 24-80

Military Records

World War 1 Draft Registration

  NAME: Hiram Alva Johnson Jr.
COUNTY: Marion
STATE: Oregon
BIRTH DATE:31 Dec 1878
RACE: White

Vital Records

Iowa Birth Records

NAME: Grabenhorst
BIRTH DATE:24 Aug 1883
BIRTH PLACE: Dayton, Webster, Iowa
FATHER'S NAME: Wm H Grabenhorst
MOTHER'S NAME: Eva Haight Grabenhorst
FHL  FILM NUMBER:1401748

Oregon Death Index

NAME: Anna A Johnson
DEATH DATE: 20 Apr 1913
DEATH PLACE: Marion
CERTIFICATE: 1640

California Death Index

NAME: Hiram Alva Johnson
GENDER: Male
BIRTH DATE: 31 Dec 1878
BIRTH PLACE: Oregon
DEATH DATE: 11 Aug 1959
DEATH PLACE: San Diego
MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME: Jones
FATHER'S SURNAME: Johnson

Social Security Death Index

NAME: Robert A. Johnson
SSN: 542-07-5238
LAST RESIDENCE: 98632 Longview, Cowlitz, Washington, USA
BORN: 15 Apr 1913
DIED: 6 Sep 2000
STATE (YEAR) SSN ISSUED: Oregon (Before 1951)

Gravestones

Anna Adeline Grabenhorst Johnson
City View Cemetery
Salem, Marion, Oregon

Hiram Johnson III
City View Cemetery
Salem, Marion, Oregon

Robert Allen Johnson
City View Cemetery
Salem, Marion, Oregon

Index

Title Page

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 smithsg@heathsmith.com