Miss Louella Johnson taught second grade in the Russellville schools before she became Mrs. Russell Flatt. The writer is the daughter of Ina Johnson Milliken of Auburn. Ina was one of seven children born in the Duncan's Chapel community: Fannie (Mrs. Henry) Duncan, Mayme (Mrs. Hugh) Thacker, Alba (Mrs. Norris) Gooch, R. K. Johnson, and Dorothy (Mrs Leonard) Appling..Margie Dawn Vanoy , who is the sister of Bowling Green attorney Currie Milliken,lives in Seattle, Ore.
I think one of my first “best friends” was my Aunt Louella. She was my mother's sister and the fifth daughter born to Elvira Jane and Robert Underwood Johnson. My mother was the eldest, then came Fannie, Mayme, Alba, and Louella. Later Robert Kilgore made his appearance, then Dorothy Maude. I was the first and only niece for several years. As Aunt Louella was only 18 years older than me, she became almost like a sister.
For many years she was an unmarried, second grade school teacher, so we had more opportunity to be together than the married aunts. She was a sweet Christian and played a big part in the neighborhood church just a short distance from their home. She was attractive, with olive skin, dark brown hair and twinkling black eyes; she was strong, independent, and had a mischievous smile that drew you to her. She also had a keen sense of humor and I found her fascinating.
She, along with some of her sisters, lived in the home place with Granddaddy, as Grandmother Elvira Jane had passed away when Louella was only seven. Music played a big part in family life at Granddaddy's. All the sisters played the piano, Louella the mandolin and violin, Fannie the ukulele, Alba the violin and R.K. the guitar. They played and sang hymns and folk songs, and as a child it was a real treat to hear Uncle R.K. yodel. It would be at one of these times that I was privileged to spend the night at Granddaddy's and get to be with Aunt Louella.
Granddaddy's country home was made from hand-hewn logs and was surrounded by large trees. The downstairs log walls had been covered with boards to form a smooth surface. The joy of my life was to get to share Aunt Louella's attic room. Her room was a quiet, secluded haven and it was understood that you could only go there when you were taken by Aunt Louella. To reach her domain, you climbed a narrow, steep, set of stairs and had the feeling you had traveled back in time. As you entered, you detected a pleasing aroma that was a mixture of wood smoke and antique clothing.
What a joy to get to be with her and explore, if only with my eyes. This dark, cluttered, but cozy, room contained things she had collected over the years. Many small gifts and memorabilia from her school children lined the shelves. She was a master storyteller and after we were in bed I still remember her voice speaking very softly, then raised as she made the story come alive. After the story, she would rub my back and in turn I would rub hers. I think I learned from her the therapy of back-rubbing that helps the cares of the day drain away. What a magical time for a young girl. Aunt Lou, as she was affectionately known by her nieces and nephews (16 in all), was well loved.
Even though she had a wonderful personality, I surmised that she felt a bit different from the rest of the family and that she didn't always fit in. There were several reasons. One happened the day she was born. Granddaddy needed sons to help carry the work-load on the farm, as he didn't feel it was his daughter's place to work in the fields. With four daughters already a part of the family and the fifth child expected, everyone was hoping and praying for a boy. In those days the doctor was called to the country home and attended to the expectant mother and delivered the new baby. On this occasion, May 15, 1909, it was a cool, spring day requiring a fire in the fire place.
The story is told that while the family was waiting for the new baby to arrive, Grandmother Elizabeth Johnson was sitting before the fire in the next room. She was elderly, blind and lived with Grandmother and Granddaddy. When the doctor came out and announced that it was a girl, she picked up the poker and began to punch the fire vigorously saying under her breath, “Another girl; another girl.” The only son was born three years later, then another daughter.
Louella told another story. When she was about 2 years old, her Grandma Elizabeth would sit on a rotating pump-organ stool and play with Louella by grabbing at her as she ran by. At one point, being blind, Grandma missed as Louella darted by. The stool turned and Grandma was thrown to the floor. She broke her hip, was relegated to bed rest, and she died two months later. In ensuing years when one of her sisters was upset with Louella, she would say, “Well at least I didn't kill my Grandmother.” I must add that it's hard to imagine such a statement, for this sister was one of the sweetest and most soft-spoken, lovely women I ever met.
Louella also told a story that happened when she was about four years old. Grandmother Elvira had clothes in an iron kettle with a fire underneath in the back yard. Boiling the white clothes was the method they used for bleaching in those days. Grandmother said to her, “Louella, don't get close to the kettle, for it is very hot and you will get burned.” Louella remembered thinking, “I just have to see what is in that kettle,” so she proceeded to get close enough to look in. After being properly disciplined, she overhead her mother say to her father later, “I don't know what we're going to do with her. She will not mind.”
Hearing all these stories didn't do a lot for her self image. I've always felt she missed out by not marrying the love of her life. They had attended high school together and were great friends. After college it was assumed that they would marry, for to everyone they were the perfect match and seemed so much in love. Suddenly, they were not seeing each other and Aunt Louella wouldn't discuss it. In time, he married. In later years when I would go to see her when I was in Kentucky, she would mention him to me and smile and say something like, “I saw you-know-who down town last week.”
The nearest she came to any explanation to me of their breakup, was once she said, “It's too bad when you're young that you make quick decisions, and you aren't smart enough to correct them before it's too late.” Who knows what happened?
She later married at age 58. Years before, Russell Flatt, a family friend who lived on an adjoining farm, had married and moved to Indiana. After his wife passed away, he traveled back to Russellville to “woo” Aunt Louella. They renewed their friendship and it resulted in his marrying Aunt Louella. Although she kept her little house in Kentucky, she moved to Indiana to be Russell's wife. They had 13 years together before Russell passed away, after which she moved back to Russellville.
Although she had no children of her own, through the years the Lord allowed her to touch and affect the lives of lots of nieces and nephews, and many second graders. She was loved by family and friends, and there are four nieces and grand-nieces that proudly carry “Lou” or “Ella” as part of their names.
Aunt Lou passed away in 2001 at the age of 92 and I still miss her. I thank the Lord that He put her in my life and gave me many indelible childhood memories revolving around our times together.