ANNIE JOHNS JEFFERSON
(LAWRENCE)

BASICS:
Born- 1889 (1892?)
Location- Mono, California
Died- 1917
Location- Bishop, California
SPOUSE:
John Lawrence
CHILDREN:
Johnny Lawrence
Julia Lawrence
Dorothy Lawrence
Sarah Lawrence
The full sized image is here. It is of John, Annie and Johnny. Annie's age is derived from the 1910 US Census (1910 - age 21 = 1889) and John's 1928 application (completed in 1929, age 37, so 1929 - 37 = 1892)

Annie's entry, as far as documents go, is pretty incomplete, and full of mystery. While I try to sort through this, I hope to make sense of just who she was. There was more than one person named "Annie Jefferson", and I will try to point out which one is the correct one on certain documents. On my grandmother Julia's birth certificate, she lists Annie Jefferson as her mother. Then hand written on it is the name Amy, with a "?" after it, meaning they had no idea who Amy was (I do not know if Johnny, Dorothy and Sarah's birth certificates have this). But Amy showed up in some records connected to John, Johnny, Julia, Dorothy and Sarah. Of the few times I got to talk to my grandmother, and to Maude Johns Shaw, neither of them seemed to know who "Amy" was. It is my contention, with the way these Indian Census reports are done, that Amy is indeed our Annie Johns Jefferson. I hope to show just that.

The first SLIM, POSSIBLE documentation I have for Annie is this Census of Non-reservation California Indians, 1905-1906. It shows John is already married, but does not list the wife's name. It could be Annie, but is most likely someone named Louisa from Northfork (Mariposa area), per my cousin Audrey Kramer's Oral History. **Note she also says the name "Amy Rice". That was a mistake on her part. There are also other mistakes in that paragraph.**

The next document is this 1910 US Census. It states Annie was living in the Benton, CA area (home area of Annie and her parents), Indian, her age as 21. It initially says her mother and father were born in Aurora, Nevada. But pay close attention, because that is circled with a line to a post note above that corrects this to Benton, California and Bishop, Inyo, California, respectively (the one below Annie and Annie's entries got mixed up and are for the other person). On the lower half of that census, it talks about the tribe/band of Indian the person is from. #2 is Annie, and it states FULL blooded Paiute-Mono (Mono Paiute) for both parents, and thus, for her.

In this 1911 BIA letter (page 1, page 2), Annie is mentioned by name, with Allie, as Long Valley John's children. Note that Annie is named as Annie Johns Jefferson. This is 1911, and here it is shown she is already known with "Jefferson" as part of her name. So where did the Jefferson name come from, since she was with John Lawrence at this time (and the 1910 Census showed Annie Lawrence)? It should be noted as well that little Johnny, her son, was born in 1910, and Julia, her daughter, in 1912, the years on each side of this letter. So that DOES show John was still with her. Here is a POSSIBLE answer - her mother, Maggie, had married someone named Tom Jefferson (see Maggie's entry) no earlier than 1900, post Long Valley John, and no later than before John and Annie got married, with Annie taking on her step-fathers name. Another POSSIBLE answer is that Tom Jefferson adopted her into his family. But for whatever reason, she wasn't known as Annie Lawrence in that letter, as well as other documents. In fact, the 2010 Census is the only place I have seen that she was referred to as Annie Lawrence.

This 1912 BIA letter from Maggie Johns shows that she wants to turn the land she inherited from Long Valley John over to their daughter, Annie John Jefferson (note "John" rather than "Johns", as used previously. It was common usage to use either John or Johns). Now scroll down that document a bit, and take a look at the signatures - Other than the Indian Censuses, this would be the ONLY place the name "Amy" shows up. But is it really "Amy"? When I look closely at it, it looks like it could be Annay to me. Annay = Annie. Remember, she could not read or write English. So signing her name? A mispelling is extremely possible. IF she herself signed it at all. Maggie's signature looks to have been done by someone else who could write (look at the words "her mark". Same handwriting). BUT Maggie also used her "mark" (thumb print), common to Indians who could not write or read.

Now begins some real fun regarding Annie and Indian Censuses. I am going to break this down into three columns, and try to explain why "Amy" is really Annie.

In this 1912 Indian Census, John's wife is listed as Amy instead of Annie. Annie, not Amy, is the mother of Johnnie (Johnny, correct in age, as is "BABY" Julia. Note the age for "Amy" (Annie) has a "?" mark.

In this 1912 Indian Census, a different Annie is married to a Thomas Jefferson. Many think this is our Annie, but too much is wrong here - First, it lists her as a wife to Thomas. If she's married to Thomas in 1912, then why is she having children with John Lawrence in 1912 (Julia), 1913 (Dorothy) and 1915 (Sarah)? The children listed on this particular Census also do not match. If these were Annie's children, then why aren't they on the 1951/52 Land paperwork, like Johnny, Julia, Dorothy and Sarah are? Answer - This isn't the same Annie Jefferson.

The 1913 Indian Census brings us the identical information as the 1912 Indian Census above, except year of birth instead of age is now used - but not for "Amy".

This 1913 Indian Census brings us the identical information as the above "not Annie" 1912 Indian Census, except year of birth instead of age is now used. None of the family has a year of birth.

There are some changes on the 1914 Indian Census, so someone is updating information. BABY now has a name listed - Susan, which is Julia's middle name. The new addition, Josie, is actually Dorothy Josephine Lawrence. The year on her birth is correct. Why they are listed with middle names instead of first, I do not know. Annie is still mis-named as Amy.

There are no changes on the 1914 Indian Census. Same as the above "not Annie" census.

The 1915 Indian Census and 1916 Indian Census brings us the identical information as the 1914 Indian Census. So Annie is still a mis-named wife, childrens middle names, etc.

These 1915 Indian Census and 1916 Indian Census now have year of birth for Thomas and Annie. For Annie, it's 1864. That would be either 15 or 24 years BEFORE our Annie, depending on which birth year is used for our Annie.

In the 1917 Indian Census, it seperated into a second page for Josie (Dorothy). "Amy" (Annie) is no longer listed, as she passed away this year (per John's application). From this point forward, John would be listed as a widower.

This 1917 Indian Census still has the same information that does not fit our Annie. Plus this Annie is still living here.

Now there are some changes on the 1918 Indian Census, so once again, someone is updating information. Amy (Annie) is no longer on here, which is correct - She died in 1917, sometime before the previous census. A new addition is listed - Hazel (Sarah's middle name. Note her date of birth: 1915. Should have been on earlier censuses). Still using the kids middle names, though they are correct middle names. This is the last census in regards to our Annie, aka "Amy".

This 1918 Indian Census still has the same information that does not fit our Annie. Plus this Annie is still living here.

This 1919 Indian Census still has the same information that does not fit our Annie. Plus this Annie is still living here. This is the last census I will show for this Annie. I think I have shown by now this Annie, married to Thomas Jefferson, is not our Annie.

On this 1929 Indian Census is a third Annie Jefferson - Annie SMITH Jefferson this time. This is the only census I will post about her. As you can see - the date of the census would be 12 years after our Annie passed away, the SMITH name is wrong, the husband is wrong and the location (Keeler) is wrong. This document is the first page of her Indian Application for enrollment (1928) Note the names and dates (kinda funny that yet ANOTHER Thomas Jefferson pops up here!). The Dorothy that is listed on that application? I have met her. When I previously worked at the Bishop Casino, I was talkling to a friend about our Annie... casual conversation. She then mentioned that Dorothy, the daughter of Annie, was right there in the Casino. I was like, "No way. My great aunt is here?" I suspected it wasn't the right Dorothy anyways, but we got introduced, and had a nice chat about the fact her mom was Annie Jefferson, and she was Dorothy, just like in my family tree - We have an Annie and a Dorothy.



As I stated regarding the 1917 census entry, Annie left us in 1917, as per John's Indian Application for enrollment (1928). John's application also lists Annie as 1/2 Indian. This is incorrect. Long Valley John and Maggie have NEVER been referred to as either white or half-blood. Only FULL. Additionally, Annie's brother Allie is listed as FULL on both his widowed wife's application and his daughter's application (see Allie's section). This makes Annie a FULL blood, as stated on that US Census way up top.

Maude Johns Shaw (in Allie's section), a person that I gained knowledge from as far as my grandmother growing up (to include a little information on John and Annie), told me that when Annie died, John, very angrily and crazed like, rode the wagon with Annie's casket out to the cemetary where Annie would be buried. The ride was so rough that Annie's casket actually fell out of the wagon. Months after Annie died (1917 or 1918), John left the children with Annie's mother (Maggie, who was with Captain Sam at the time), Maude's mother (Minnie) and Minnie's family, which included Maude. It seems Tom Jefferson may still have been around too, as he was mentioned as having helped raise the kids. Maude stated that John wasn't a very nice person. Having said that, my cousin, Audrey, also said as much in regards to John being "mean" - Oral History. Like her, I do not know what exactly happened, but for a person like Maude, who was actually there, to say this and for Audrey to have been told something similar, well... that says something. John eventually came back to gather the children up and take them to Mariposa.

In 1951, this petition for the Sale of Inherited Indian Land was created. It lists the heirs that followed Long Vallley John, Maggie (Annie's father and mother) and Annie. There you will find some familiar names: Johnnie, Julia, Dorothy and Sarah, all Annie's children.

Should you have any more information by way of documents or any questions, you can contact me on Facebook at this link.
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