SPILMAN FAMILY ABROAD

Kate Spilman
October 09, 1891 - March 1981

Photo taken in 1913

Kate was the seventh child of Daniel and Thea (Anderson) Spilman.  She was born in Clear Lake, IA and died in Sturgis, South Dakota.  We know that in 1913 she had been to South Dakota where her brother Tom, had taken up a farmstead in Faith, SD.  Below is a photo of her from the book "Faith Country 1910-1960" that was kept by Thomas Spilman.

Kate is the woman in the center of the photo with the 'v neck' dress.  The book indicates that the photo was taken at the Teacher Institute at Annie Moore's in 1913.  Perhaps she was training to become a teacher and lived in Faith, SD for a while.  She  married Chester Arthur Johnson and per the photo below they would have been married in 1911.  They had a ranch and lived  in Faith, SD until moving to the Black Hills in 1943.

Kate and Chester Johnson in 1971 celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary

Alice Spilman wrote in 2005 about her father Thomas and his sister Kate.  Letter was sent to Bette (Spilman) Nickasch.

"Here are some news items you might enjoy reading. Aunt Kate was one of dad's (Thomas Spilman) younger sisters. Of the eight brothers and sisters seven of them settled in the Clear Lake area.

Dad (Thomas) had the itchy feet so sometime around 1910 he drifted to Faith S. Dakota and filed a claim on some land.

Under the Homestead Act any person over 21 who was the head of a family and a citizen or someone who intended to become a citizen could obtain the title to 160 acres of public land if he lived on the land for five years and improved it. The sponsors of this law believed that land was worthless before it was improved and that persons who converted unoccupied land into farms should not have to pay for the land. They also hoped this would help workers obtain small farms of their own.

After a few years Aunt Kate decided it was time for someone to go and bring dad back home. So she set out to do just that.

Well, as fate would have it, she met Chester (Johnson) and she filed a claim of her own. They were later married so she stayed at Faith and dad came home.

In the meantime her brother Thomas Spilman married Winnie Fry in 1918. Their first baby - Thomas LeRoy died at a few weeks and was buried there.

In 1919 they moved back to Clear Lake without the little one. When we took a trip out there after the rest of us were grown, the folks looked but couldn't find where he was buried.

Years later one of Aunt Kate's daughters wrote and asked for the birth and death dates because some fellow took on the task of marking unmarked graves and had located one for a baby Thomas Spilman so that was taken care of."
 

Kate (Spilman) and Chester Johnson lived in Sturgis, Meade, SD and had seven children.

1. Daniel Spilman Johnson July 22, 1917-March 1980 married Adeline Knutson
   A. Sharon Louise Johnson (Ronald Rude)
       a. Eric Owen Rude
       b. Aaron Allen Rude
   B. Marion Marie Johnson (Dan H. Logan)
       a. Danielle Mari Logan
   C. David Eugene Johnson
   D. Lois Tresch Johnson

2. Gertrude "Trudy" Alida Johnson 1918-2011 married Kenneth A. Trask
   A. Belva Lee Trask 1940-1998 (Harold Duncan)
       a. Mark Allan Duncan
       b. Michelle Rae Duncan
   B. Rev. Virginia Ann Trask (Howard P. Miller, Jr.)
   C. Allen Faye Trask

3. Kenneth Cecil Johnson Jan. 27, 1931-Feb. 28, 2002  married Carol E. Frame
   A. Dennis Marvin Johnson  (Welma Hawkins)
       a. Angelique Lynn Johnson
           1. Taylor Janae Davidson
           2. Mitchell Andrew Chinburg
       b. Lyle Johnson
   B. Dean Melvin Johnson (Judith Ann Griffith)
       a. Christopher Warren Johnson (Sharron)
       b. Jon Issac Johnson 1972-2005 (Amy Kay Gross)
           1. Jerika Paula Kay Johnson
           2. Jeff George Johnson
           3. Jess Lealand Johnson
       c. Russel Dean Johnson (Kris Evon Stocklin)
   C. Arlyce Marilyn Johnson (Harry "Butch" Krause)
       a. Kyle Lynn Krause (Holly Scheer)
           1. Karsyn Lynn Krause
           2. Kailen Kay Krause
       b. Kenneth Wayne Krause (Angie)
           1. Krayden Wayne Krause
       c. Karyl Anne Krause (Kurt Alan Mencke)
           1. Kirby Alan Mencke  2001-2001
           2. Keegan Alec Mencke
   D. Cheryl Marlene Johnson  (Allan M. Fowler)
       a. Faith M. Fowler  (Wayne Kilby)
           1. Treg Alan Kilby
           2. Alexa Ashion Kilby
       b. Darin M. Fowler

4. Thelma Vivian Johnson married James Burton Frame
   A. Gerald Wayne Frame (Phyllis Ann Red Bird)
   B. Gary Eugene Frame (Marcia Anne Coleman)
   C. James Allen Frame (Judy Habberman)
       a. Trygue James Frame

5. Russell Eugene Johnson April 11, 1926-June 25, 1943 - Struck by lightening in S. Dakota

6. Ethel Arlene Johnson married George L. Lamers
   A. Leslie Kay Lamers

7. Beverly Mae Johnson married Don R. Lindblom
   A. Gregg Allan Lindblom
   B. Owen Dee Lindblom
   C. David Russell Lindblom
   D. Mary Kay Lindblom
   E. Scott Hugh Lindblom

Daniel Spilman 1848-1915 - Life in England before going to the United States.
-Birth Certificate,   Sloop Walcot, Whitton Windmill, Map of North Lincolnshire to America 1870.
-Letters from America back to England
-Dan's marriage to Thea Anderson and his farm in Clear Lake, IA
  Marriage Certificate, 1912 plat map, Photo of Thea, Thea's death certificate
-Dan and Thea Spilman's children  photos 1893, 1898, 1961