Harriett Susanna Bowen—Johnson

Woman wearing a long dress in a lace collar seated by a shack, with a small girl in an overcoat standing beside her and a baby girl on her knee.
Harriett S. Bowen Johnson with baby Hattie (mom on her knee) and older daughter Florence.

Harriett Susanna Bowen Johnson, the fifth child of Henry R. Bowen and Barbara Naumoff, was called Hattie, just like my mother. She was born in Kodiak in 1887, and had nine sisters and brothers. I am not sure what year she came to Seldovia, but she was there in 1910 when the census was taken. She married Andrew Johnson of Seldovia. He built a log house on a hill above the harbor. Andy was 24 years older than she was. They seemed to always have money. During the depression my mother said that they had a lot of food in the attic.

Hattie had huge babies weighing several pounds that paralyzed her when she had her last baby Elsie. She was sixteen pounds. They had eight girls, but only three grew up—Susan, Harriett, and Elsie.

Woman wearing a dress with a checkered top and pockets, a girl in the background, and an unidentified older woman.
Harriett S. and daughter Elsie (with an unidentified older woman).

Hattie and Andy’s children:

Three babies were buried in the back yard of the log house, according to Bill Olssen.

Susan B. Johnson married Leo Haskin from Portland, Oregon. They had no children, but raised sister Elsie’s son Frank Radcliffe. She died in Seattle on 16 June 1967.Open the document

Census of 1910 of Seldovia and Kenai:

Two women standing behind each side of a seated old bearded man; a small cabin is behind them.
Hattie (Mom), Grandpa Johnson, Aunt Sue.
Six children with their grandfather before a small cabin; Dolly wears dark glasses; two women looking through the window of the door
Andrew, Mae, Carl Williams (in front of Mae), Papa, Dolly (on his knee), Deloris, Coogan. Hattie and Sue looking out from the cabin door.
Aerial photo of a beach with buildings, some on piers. On the hill is a white Russian church.
At low tide, the beach was Seldovia’s main street. When the photo above was taken, some time before 1910, the Russian church on the hill was still the vocal point of community life.
Seldovia harbor with small fishing boats; buildings on docks at the other side of the harbor.
Seldovia harbor.
Woman (wearing a dress and large hat) standing with four children, and a kneeling woman with two younger children seating on the grass.
Rohde boy (John or Nicholas), Annie McCrae, mother Harriett (Hattie) Johnson, Grandmother Harriett S. Bowen Johnson. The woman with two children is possibly Lizzy Bowen Ward.
Two women with their heads together; the older woman on the left has her arm on the younger woman’s shoulder.
Harriett S. Bowen Johnson and daughter Sue.

Mrs. H. Johnson of Seldovia Is Called

Died Friday Night

—Saturday, 7 March 1931Open the document

Mrs. Hattie Johnson of Seldovia, who was brought to the Seward General Hospital last week in a very critical condition, failed to respond to treatment and passed away last night. Everything that could possibly be done for her was tenderly given, but her illness was too far advanced.

Her daughter, Mrs. Leo Haskins of Anchorage who has been with her mother almost day and night, will take the remains of her parent to the Seldovia home, on the SS Starr, which leaves on Monday, where interment will be made. Mrs. Haskins has been the house guest of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Richards.

Mrs. Johnson, a resident of Seldovia for a considerable period, was 42 years of age. Besides Mrs. Haskins another daughter, Mrs. Hattie Fox, survives her, residing at Seldovia. The Seward Funeral Parlor is preparing the remains for shipment.