Wylie Pierson

Wylie Pierson Johnson has passed.

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Wylie Pierson Johnson, a truly great man and our dear Uncle Wylie, passed away peacefully this morning, 2 November 2013, at 6:51 a.m. at his home in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. He was the eleventh child and seventh son of Seth and Neva Kate Carmichael Johnson. He was born 28 March 1919 at Carol Villa in Montgomery, Alabama. He and Aunt Lurene “Dolly” Hall Johnson raised 3 children, Barbara Lurene Johnson Hill, Melanie Fay Johnson and Wylie Benjamin Johnson. His children, 11 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and his many nieces and nephews all greatly loved and respected him. Visitation will be held at Leak Memory Chapel in Montgomery, Alabama on Tuesday, November 5, 2013, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. with services at 11:00 a.m.. Following is Uncle Wylie’s obituary….

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Welcome, Lucia Carmichael May!

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Welcome, Lucia Carmichael May! She was born at Brookwood Hospital on 16 June 2011, at 8:18 a.m. She is 7 lbs., 5 oz., 20.25 in. long. Lucia (“Lulu”) is the daughter of Joshua and Kellet Carmichael May, granddaughter of Melanie Fay Johnson (“Marmee”) and great-granddaughter of Wylie Pierson and Lurene Hall Johnson (Uncle Wylie and Aunt Dolly). Mother and baby are doing fine! Father Josh is beaming with pride and big sister Lillian “Lillie” Carmichael May is already watchful over Lulu.

Kellet and Josh shared the sweet photo at right of Miss Lulu in her beautiful coming home ensemble - a pink dress (with matching slip) and bonnet lovingly hand made by Grandmother Melanie Fay. “Marmee” even hand embroidered “Lulu” at the hem.

Family members can send their love and congratulations to Kellet and Josh to

Josh and Kellet Carmichael May
740 Chestnut Ave.
Birmingham, AL 35216

or email to thecarmichael(at)gmail(dot)com Read More...

Cahaba Lilies in glorious bloom for family and guests

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On Saturday, 28 May 2011, Wylie Pierson Johnson (Uncle Wylie, “Paw”) hosted family and friends at his property on the Cahaba River in Bibb Co., AL to view the gloriously beautiful and rare Cahaba Lilies (Hymenocallis coronaria). The lilies were in full bloom, and there were many other lovely wildflowers on display, too! Barbara and Chuck Peterson came all the way from Lawrence Co., AL to enjoy the day with the Johnson Family. Uncle Wylie’s daughter Melanie Fay Johnson (a.k.a. “Lady Melanie” :-)) also enjoyed the picnic and field trip festivities. Chuck and Barbara even brought their kayaks to float the river so that they could get great closeup views of the lilies. The lovely Cahaba Lily closeup photo at right was taken that day by Barbara. Be sure to click “Read More...” below to view the photo slide show and read Barbara’s great story about the day from her blog “Brambly Pines”. Uncle Wylie’s son-in-law James Hill also made some great photos of the wild flowers at “Pawland” just a few days before this event and these were added to the slideshow.

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Johnson Family hosts planting of the American Chestnut Tree

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On 15 March 2011, Wylie Pierson Johnson (Uncle Wylie) and several other Johnson Family members hosted a demonstration planting of the American Chestnut at Half Mile Shoals, Uncle Wylie’s property on the Cahaba River in Bibb Co.. The planting was arranged by Tim Albritton, (Timothy Paul Albritton), himself a state forester. Tim is the son of Rev. Walter Matthew, Jr. (also present at the planting) and Louise Eudene (“Dean”) Albritton and grandson of Walter Matthew and Caroline Johnson Albritton (Uncle Walter and Aunt Caroline). Other family members present were Uncle Wylie’s son Wylie Benjamin (“Ben”) Johnson, grandsons Edward Seth (“Ted”) Atkinson and Spencer Henry Johnson (Ben’s son) and great-grandson Timothy Graham Ryan.
 
An educational program was presented to all about the greatly endangered American chestnut tree by Mr. Mac Phillippi, President of the Alabama Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF). In a message to the Chapter’s Board of Directors, Phillippi later wrote, “I know there will be future plantings that will reach more people but I don't think I'll ever enjoy planting chestnuts as much as I did with Mr. Johnson [Uncle Wylie] and the people in the attached photos." See the enlarged photos with identifying captions. Read More...

Johnson family enjoys SAR Colonial Ball and Debutante Presentation

On 17 December 2010, the Birmingham Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) introduced 14 lovely and accomplished young ladies into society at the SAR’s Colonial Ball and Debutante Presentation at The Club in Birmingham. High atop Birmingham’s Red Mountain, several Johnson family members enjoyed the elegant dinner and presentation as the guests of Wylie Pierson Johnson (Uncle Wylie), including daughter Melanie Fay Johnson, Kellet Carmichael (granddaughter) and Joshua May, Wylie Benjamin “Ben” (son) and Jessica Johnson, and O. L. “Pete” (nephew) and Mary Jean Johnson. Uncle Wylie is a past state president of the SAR.


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Carrie Johnson teaching in Samara, Russia



Members of the Johnson Family are to be found in all corners of the earth these days it seems. Uncle Wylie (Wylie Pierson Johnson) shared the following news about his granddaughter Carrie Haddox Johnson. Carrie sent the photos at right from her new home in Samara, Russia where she will be teaching English. In the first photo, Carrie stands beside pumpkins. (Notice that the pumpkins are gray. Interesting!) The young man with Carrie in the second photo is Ricky, a British teacher. They are in a tram.

Carrie Haddox Johnson, daughter of Jessica Henry and Ben Johnson went to Samara, Russia on 15 October 2010, where she will be employed as an English instructor for one year. Jessica told me the school had English instructors besides Carrie, from Ireland, England and Australia.

Samara, Russia is West of the Ural Mountains and located at the confluence of the Samara River with the Volga River. It is in eastern Russia about 550 miles East Southeast of Moscow. The Volga River flows into the Caspian Sea. Samara was called Kuibyshev from 1935 to 1990. It had a population of 500,000 in 1950. The metropolitan population of Samara, now is about 3,000,000.

Carrie taught in a French language school in New Orleans, LA after she graduated from Tulane in 2008. She is fluent in French. She has been studying Russian. She told me she boned up on speaking Russian with Amandiy, her cousin Dan Hill's wife, during the week before she left for Samara. Amandiy is fluent in Russian and earned an MD in the Saint Petersburg Pavlov State Medical University in 2001.

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Family attends celebration of nation’s oldest ballpark


Click a photo for enlargement.

In Birmingham, AL on Wednesday, 2 June 2010, historic Rickwood Field, America’s oldest ballpark, celebrated its centennial anniversary. Three generations of the Wylie Pierson and Lurene Hall Johnson (Uncle Wylie and Aunt “Dolly”) family were among the near capacity crowd. And they were dressed in style, too - the high style of 1910, that is! In the photos above are daughter Melanie Fay Johnson, Melanie’s daughter Kellet Catherine Carmichael and Kellet’s daughter, Lillian Carmichael May. Click on the photos to see enlarged photos and get a closeup view of their beautiful period attire. Also, attending was Melanie’s son Wylie Scott Atkinson. Unfortunately, Kellet’s husband Joshua May had to work and could not attend the afternoon game. ...

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Wylie Pierson Johnson recovering nicely after surgery

Wylie Pierson Johnson (Uncle Wylie) underwent surgery on Thursday, 20 May 2010 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham. The surgery relieved him from a chronic problem that had been bothering him since March. His daughter Melanie Fay Johnson says that he is recovering nicely and is expected to return to his home in Vestavia by Sat. or Sun., 22 or 23 of May.

We’re so glad to hear that you are doing well, Uncle Wylie! Sending you love and sincere wishes for a speedy recovery! Family members can send their love and get well wishes to him at home:

Wylie P. Johnson
1991 Shades Crest Road
Birmingham AL 35216-1429

Uncle Wylie’s email address is wylie80(at)yahoo(dot)com

UPDATE: Uncle Wylie came home from the hospital on Sunday 22 May 2010. According to Melanie Fay, he is recovering nicely! Read More...

Caroline Haddox Johnson off to Russia

The Johnson family members are definitely flung far and wide! We have news from Caroline Haddox “Carrie” Johnson that she will soon be starting a new job in Samara, Russia teaching Engish. She is scheduled to “leave the 15th of October and start the 18th or somewhere around there.” Carrie is very fluent in French, and since she graduated from Tulane, she has been teaching in a French language school in New Orleans.

Carrie is the daughter of Wylie Benjamin and Jessica Henry Johnson and grandson of Wylie Pierson and Lurene Hall Johnson (Uncle Wylie and Aunt “Dolly”).

Bon voyage, Carrie, and stay warm! Looks like you’ll be arriving just ahead of the Russian winter. Family members can wish her a safe journey at carrie17h(at)gmail(dot)com. Read More...

Wylie P. Johnson treasures Shrine affiliation

Wylie Pierson Johnson (Uncle Wylie) treasures his affiliation over many years with two Shrine Temples in Alabama. Shriners International is “a fraternity based on fun, fellowship and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief and truth.” The organization is well known for its 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children throughout North America that help children with orthopedic problems and burn injuries. Of his years in the Shrine, Uncle Wylie writes,

I was a Noble in the Zamora Shrine Temple in Birmingham 1956-1980. I was Director of the Zamora Greeters Unit 1957 and 1958 and in the Zamora Circus Unit 1960 to 1976 when I moved to Montgomery. I transferred my membership to Alcazar [Shrine in Montgomery] about 1980, but did not transfer it back to Zamora when I came back to Birmingham.

Click here or photo of WPJ above right for more photos. ...

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Snow comes to Birmingham!

We shared the photos from Benjamin Seth Johnson of the big snow that hit D.C. in the first week of February 2010. Well, it turns out that Birmingham, AL got its share the next week. No, it wasn’t the massive storm that hit the mid-Atlantic, but still enough to slow things down a bit so that we had a little “Winter Wonderland” of our own. Wylie Pierson Johnson (Uncle Wylie) and his daughter Melanie Fay Johnson shared these photos of the 3”-4” snow that fell at their home, Carmichael Hall, atop Shades Mountain in Vestavia. The snow fell on Friday, 12 February 2010. These photos were taken at 0700 the next morning, Saturday, 13 February. ...

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A Snowy Wonderland in D.C.

Over much of the Mid-Atlantic, Mother Nature has dressed the landscape in soft white and sparkling crystal. Yes, this snow can be treacherous, but it is oh so beautiful! While many bemoaned the drudgery of digging out and trudging through, at least one Johnson cousin saw the beauty of it, enjoyed it, and shared it. These photos were made by Benjamin Seth Johnson in the Soapstone Valley. It is an area of Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C.. That’s right - in the District of Columbia - within the borders of our nation’s capitol! By the way, the lovely young lady in one of the photos is Seth’s fiance, Rebecca Wearb,

See all Seth’s photos of Soapstone Valley here. Benjamin Seth Johnson is son of Wylie Benjamin and Jessica Henry Johnson and grandson of Wylie Pierson and Lurene Hall Johnson (Uncle Wylie and Aunt “Dolly”).

Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos, Seth! Stay warm! ...

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