John Baptist Johnson was the son of Francis Marion Johnson of VA and Malinda Barnett of Scott Co., VA, then moved onto Rockcastle Co., KY and onto MO and ended up in Montana. Rather interesting story. Apart of my line Enjoy, Jean Brand Fresno CA Gail Warren says this is from "Ava, Missouri Newspaper" Oct. 8, 1981 by Maggie Kanta An independent woman "Clean living, no alcohol or cigarettes and drinks lots of very cold water." That's the advice of Mrs. J.B. (Dora) Johnson, who is celebrating her 100th birthday today. Dora was born and raised on a farm near Forsyth, Missouri. She attended a country school and eventually taught there. But was forced to quit two years after setting out her career when she contracted malaria fever. On her father's advice, she moved to Washington for health purposes. While there she re-met John B. Johnson, the both of them having grown up together on neighboring farms back in Missouri. They were married in 1906 and moved to Nome, Alaska. After six years they moved back to Washington and with a desire to farm and no cheap farm land available. They again moved, this time bound for Montana with the intent to homestead. They settled out of Armells Creek, 30 miles from Forsyth, in 1915. "I can remember going out to see the site where Colstrip was supposed to be," Dora recalls. "Now it seems to be quite a big town." Dora and John lived on the homestead 39 years before moving to Forsyth to make their home. John died of diabetes in 1959, and after 53 years of marriage, Dora again was alone. Dora says she doesn't feel alone, though. "Some of the best friends I've ever had live here in Forsyth," she states. One such friend is Bernice Higginbotham. Perhaps Dora's guardian angel, Bernice is one of the reasons Dora can lead her independent life. "There isn't a day goes by that she isn't over here at least once, sometimes four or five times to check on me. I couldn't do it on my own without her," Dora claims. A very independent woman, Dora says the hardest thing for her to adjust to about growing old as the decline in her eyesight. "I drove up until the age 92, and having driven a truck and a tractor on the homestead, besides a car, it was a hard thing for me to give up." Carol Bailey, wife of Jack Bailey of Colstrip, Dora's oldest grandson, is responsible for arranging the 100 year celebration for Fora to be held this afternoon at the Senior Citizens Center in Forsyth from 2:30 to 4:30. A three-tier cake is being baked which will feed 90 people, and anyone wanting to extend birthday greetings to Dora is urged to attend. Her three grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and on great-great-grandson will all be in Forsyth for the celebration. Dora will have a houseful and she says, "everyone says I''m not to go to any trouble, but I still plan to cooking a big turkey." Perhaps in a fatigued world of searching for the perfect energy source, we would be wise to plug into the vitality of this 100 year old woman. Happy birthday, Dora. May you have many, many more.