JULIA HILLS JOHNSON

JULIA HILLS JOHNSON
Julia Hills Johnson, was born September 26, 1783, at Upton, Mass., was the daughter of Joseph and Esther Ellis who was a descendant of early Massachusetts settlers. This Joseph died at the age of 29, of tuberculosis. H1S family suffered from the disease later on at Kirtland. The Hills and the Ellis families were neighbors at Wrentham. After the death of Joseph, Esther became the wife of Enoch Forbush.
In 1801 Julia Hills of Upton, who was then living with her mother, Esther Ellis Hills, in Grafton. Upton is-a village lying a few miles southeast of Grafton.
Julia Hills was an attractive girl of eighteen years old of a substantial New England family, intelligent and reasonably well educated, became acquainted and was courted by Ezekiel Johnson, who was a "realtor," wherein he acquired tracts of land, cleared them and built cabins which he sold to the new settlers who were beginning to swarm into the new western lands. His interest in Julia had probably caused him to cease roving and settle down in Grafton. The notice of their intention to marry was recorded in Grafton December 18.1800, also at Upton, and the wedding took place on January 12, 1801. It is not likely that she would have taken up with Ezekiel had he been a "roughneck" such as his years of roaming could have made him. He must have had a certain refinement and sufficient charm to cause her to accept a man ten years her senior.
The newly married couple remained in Grafton for a year or more. Their first child was born, a son Joel Hills, named in honor of Julia's much loved brother. He was born March 23, 1802. Julia was a very devout Presbyterian, and raised her family in strict observance to the principles laid down in the bible. Nancy Maria was born August 7,1803. Seth Guernsey was born February 14.1805 at Royalston, Mass. Delcena Diadamia was born November 19,1806 at Westford, Vermont, also, Julia Ann November 9.1808. David was born September 10.1810. Almera Woodward was born October 12,1812. Susan Ellen was born December 16, 1814 at Pomphret, New York. Joseph Ellis was born April 20, 1817, at Pomphret, New York. Benjamin Franklin was born July 28, 1818. Mary Ellen was born February 7, 1820. Elmer Wood was born May 26.1821. George Washington was born February 19, 1823. William Derby was born October 27, 1824. Esther Ma1etia was born January 12, l827. Amos Patridge was born January 15, 1829 at Pomphret, New York.
A picture of this home has been painted in the poetry composed by this family as they grew up. This town lies on the east bank of Canadaway Creek, which rises in Cassadaga Lake. This country has a lush beauty of any woodland region where rainfall is sufficient to keep grass green, also the growth of shrubs and flowers.
At an early age the children were taught to be helpful and while their father cleared the land, the children could pile and burn brush, gathered nuts and berries. The dear old brown cottage, with the kitchen fireplace, the square room. the bedroom and hall. The orchard nearby, the garden, barn and the dinner horn that called them in at mealtime, the well, spring and brick yard nearby, the cellar and old Katy who plowed out the corn.
This family of Ezekiel and Julia seems to have been an exceptionally well knit one as far as family affection was concerned. Love for one another is expressed in all their journals. The mother was particularly venerated and the father was well spoken of. While gathering forest nuts, wild flowers, fruits, with the tender care of a beloved and beautiful mother, loving elder sisters and companionship of older brothers made happy childhood and early youth.
During the winter of 1831 her oldest son Joel and a young man by the name of Almon W. Babbit came from Ohio and brought with them the Book of Mormon. Other Elders soon followed and the result was that Mother and Father and some of the children were converted. However, these facts were not discussed in the family circle on account of self-consciousness and the unpopularity of the doctrine.
But father took it under advisement and while thinking and pondering over the matter a few days later, as to whether he was converted sufficiently for baptism, and if he should advise with his wife and family on the subject or not. He was quietly informed that his wife had been baptized in the middle of the night. This information staggered her husband who was not prepared to believe that his wife, the idol of his heart, the light of his life, and mother of his sixteen children, would at this remote time of thirty two years of happy wedded life, act so deceptive and subtle. He would not believe it, he would go to her, which he did and she explained that her son Joel and the other Elders had advised it to avoid publicity. He was not in the humor to accept it charitably. He told her that as she had been so hasty and secret about her baptism, apparently not wanting him to know about it, or take part in the blessings of the Gospel, she could have it to herself that he would never be baptized as long as he lived, and from that time on he took no part in religion.
Mother grieved very much because her husband would not join the church and feared lest her family would drift away. The Prophet gave her a blessing in which he promised her that none of her posterity would apostatize. This was a great comfort to her and it seemed to fill her soul with such joy that she was inspired to write the words of the song found on page 116 of the Sunday School Songs, entitled "The Joy and the Song."
On one occasion Prophet Joseph Smith blessed mother as she had been designated by the Lord to the Prophet, as one who would accept of the principles of doctrine of Celestial marriage at the time the revelation was given to the Prophet who had at once converted her and received her consent for her daughter Almera Woodward Johnson to become his plural wife and made her this promise. For your faithfulness, and acceptance of so unpopular doctrine, and bringing of such a numerous family into the church, "That when the crown should be made for your brow in the eternal world, everyone of her jewels (children) would be there, and which up to this year of 1894 has not been the case, and not that as a family we number not less than one thousand one, of the kindred by blood has ever yet apostatized. The descendents of this wonderful family of pioneers now number over three thousand (3,000) in 1929.
Julia and her daughters were faithful workers making hats, neckties and much needle work to help in the building of the Kirtland Temple. Julia with her family started for Utah. Mother Julia lived much of the time with Joseph, but she had a home" of her own. At times she stayed for intervals with her daughter Esther LeBaron. Also living in the vicinity lived other family members, Almon and Julia Babbitt, Oelcena Sherman (Lymon R. was buried in Kirtland), William O. and wife Jane and Ruben and Almera Barton.
The death of Mother Julia, occurred May 30th, 1853. Few details of her passing are in the letters to her son Benjamin F. where he was serving a Church mission to the Sandwich Islands. She was scarcely seventy years old. She was truly a matriarch, a benevolent one and the entire family was under her sway. She has gone to receive the crown that was prepared for her. Her severe sufferings for a few of the last weeks of her life, she seemed perfectly willing to go.