Ida Mae Johnson is the daughter of Corral Johnson and Amanda (Johnson) Johnson. Amanda Johnson is a sister to Lora (Johnson) Arnold. Ida Mae died 6 September 1900. She was 22.
Below Ida's mother, Amanda, writes to her sister in Illinois about her daughter's death:
21 September 1900.To Lora Johnson Arnold from Amanda M. Johnson.
Dear Sister and all,
I suppose Mary has written you as far as she knew about Ida's sickness and death, as she said she would, our time was all taken up and we had no time for letter writing. Seba did the house work and I took care of Ida for eleven weeks. She could not bear me out of her sight to eat or go into another room to change my clothes. When she was first taken we sent immediately for the Dr. and as he lives first door and was at home he was here within ten minutes after she was taken, he at first thought it a severe attack of peritonitis as the pain was all in her stomach and bowels - but after a day or two he began to tell me he was afraid it was another tumor or something which resulted from the one she had removed the 8th of June last year, so when Diah (Dr.) came up from N.Y. I had Dr. Buck come over & they examined her together, still Diah had very little to say and went out to Point-Au-Roche and staid there - for Lora he knew too well - after about six weeks I asked Dr. Buck if he would like to council with some other Dr. and on his saying yes, I sent for Dr. Barnes, he on examination at once said "I think it a sarcoma (which means cancerous.) right on the old spot where the other was removed and best thing to do is, to get her into a hospital and find out if I am right." I took her into Montreal as they all thought that the best place and on Aug 14th Dr. Cameron assisted by Dr. Armstrong and Brown operated on her. I made them promise that if there was no help for her that they would not experiment on her but sew up the insisions (of which there were two about five or six inches) and let her live as long as she could. They were gone from the room an hour and thirty five minutes - she bid me good bye and said you will be here Mamma when they bring me back, and then when they did Dr. Armstrong called me into the office & told me there was no hope, that it must have been malignant last year and they had kept it from me for it could never have come up and reached the growth it had in so short a time but it was just as well I did not know it for I could have done no different & I think the thoughts of it would made me crazy. So all that was done was to draw away the fluid & sew up the insisions. We staid there three weeks & two days when David came up from New York and we brought her home Sept 1st taking her on stretcher & ambulances to & and from depots and on a bed in vestibule care. She stood the journey very well and was so glad to get home as that was all she teased for was to be taken home. Dr. Brown came with us as he was coming to Plattsburth & he had the care of her while she lived. We sent to Montreal for a nurse, and everything was done that could be done for her comfort and to keep her from suffering, at times her sufferings were something terrible to witness & as great that I would have been willing to seen breath her last a good many times while in Montreal and I all alone with her. She would say, "This is agony, torture, it is like crucifixion Mama." It does not seem as though I could ever go through it again but suppose if I were obliged to - there would strength be given me to endure it. She had an air bed and electric fan there and all the nurses were very kind - and as I told Mrs. Hall that if I had the same thing to go through again I did not know or see one single thing that could be done more than was done. I do not think she thought she was going to get well from the first as she told Dr. Buck the first morning that she was going to die, although we did not tell her that it was impossible for her to get well until Tuesday. She seemed perfectly resigned only said "nurse I am young to die only twenty-two" she wished to see some of her friends and we sent for them & she had a word & good bye for all, she gave her things away said she wished to be buried in white, chose her bearers, and thought of everything & said she did not wish anyone to cry for she was not going to & she never shed a tear. She called each one of the family to her & kissed us & bid us good bye, left a good bye for Aunt Lib, Aunt Lora, and Aunt Martha and tell them she loved them all, said she was not afraid to die she was satisfied she had suffered enough & she was going to die at peace with all the world for she loved everybody. Mrs. Hall & the nurse said in all their experience they never saw anything so beautiful. She passed away Thursday morning at half past one without a single struggle not even opening her eyes and had I not been sitting on the side of the bed & looking right into her face she would have gone without our knowing it. We wished to keep her until the third day as she wished but were unable to do so, as the undertaker said we could run no such risk, her stomach and bowels were a mass of putrification and they never had such a time embalming a case before. Her casket was hard wood covered with white brocaded velvet, her robe white cashmere, shirred silk U front trimmed with chiffon. I bought it ready made and it was much prettier than anything I could have had made to order. There was a beautiful plate with her name & age and six handles on the casket. Robbie was home two weeks and David was home three days, but was unable to come to the funeral on account of the conventions & his work, he is not his own boss, but it was far better he came when he could be of some use to her. Carrie came & staid two weeks with Seba while I was in Montreal but her sister was taken sick & she was sent for as Elsie had to go into a hospital. I never saw such beautiful flowers, as was sent here the house was full, there was ten designs and beauquets without number. Arthurs grave as well as hers was covered and lots left at the house, there was four wreaths, three anchors two stars and a Maltese cross, and all hot house flowers and they were just beautiful. Ida had lots of friends - Mr. Hall conducted the services & the choir sang "A little while" and "Some time we'll understand" two very pretty pieces. I have not got rested yet for eleven weeks I had very little sleep as she could not bear to let me sleep a minute when she was awake - I have a terrible cold & Seba also, yesterday your birthday & as usual it rained all day and was so cold, we have had our coal fire in the sitting room running for a week. Aunt Lib has never written to us since she went away - had she treated either Eli or Robbie half as well as she does the Brelies they would probably be there now. Martha is in Charleroix we hear from her occasionally - Susan Weaver is very poorly is going to a hospital next week I think - time will tell but I am afraid they will find it is cancer of the stomach. I was down to see her Wednesday - she does not seem to think it anything serious. No more paper in the house so have got to stop - with love to all
Amanda M. Johnson
https://newyorktoillinoisletters.blogspot.com/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148661017/ida-mae-Johnson
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