First Generation

1. Amy Alfrida JOHNSON was born on 28 Jun 1888 in Krokstorp, Önnarp's Rote, Hössna, Älvsborg län (Västergotland), Sweden.¹ She died on 5 May 1959 in Cranston, RI. She was buried in Indian Ridge, Lot 31, Pittsfield Cemetery, MA. Medical: Dr. was J. H. Fischer. She died at Jane Brown Memorial Hospital at age 70 years, 10 months, 7 days.

Arthur Robert Kells and Amy Alfrida Johnson were married on September19th, 1910, in Providence, Rhode Island. Witnesses were Minna Johnson and Harold H. Kells. They were married by Edward L. Ninde, who was pastor at Mathewson Street Methodist Episcopal Church in Providence. The wedding invitation reads: "Mr. and Mrs. John Johnson request the honorof your presence at the marriage reception of their daughter Amy Alfridato Mr. Arthur Robert Kells Monday evening September the nineteenth nineteen hundred and ten at seven o'clock One hundred and fifty-five Narragansett Avenue Providence Rhode Island."

That would seem to indicate that John Johnson was still alive in September 1910, but he is not mentioned among the guests in the book.

They went on a honeymoon to Pittsfield, Massachusetts (which is where the  Kells family was from and where Arthur grew up) and were "at home" afterSeptember 27th.

Present at Arthur and Amy's wedding in 1910 were:

Mrs. John Johnson, Miss Minna Johnson, Mrs. Albert Johnson, Mrs. Victor Johnson, Mrs. Oscar Larson, Mrs. Robert McKenzie, Mrs. Celia Burgeson,Mrs. Fritz Nilson, Mrs. Nils Harklow, Miss Annie Hohler, Mrs. EdwinSahlen, Mrs. Laurence Fay, Miss Alice Manchester, Miss Eva Kells(Arthur's half sister), Mrs. Margaret Manchester, Mrs. A.P. Manchester,Mrs. Herbert Grant, Mrs. Ella Grant, Miss Ethel Congdon,
Mrs. Henning Lundgren, Miss Ruth Sjoberg (she married Albin Johnson 21June 1912; she was the daughter of John and Charlotte Sjoberg of 158Lidia St., Providence), Miss Magda Sjoberg, Mrs. Svante Nilsen (wife ofAmy's uncle), Mrs. Charles Nilsen, Mrs. Axel Sjoberg, Mrs. Carl Sjoberg,Miss Teckla Davidson (Tekla Davidson married Axel Wickstrom 30 June 1913;she was born in 1876 in Sweden and was a servant in the household ofCharles Harvey, Pawtucket, in the 1910 Census), Miss Rose Sjoberg, MissMarghild Sjoberg, Mrs. Raymond, Mrs. Joe Fisher, Mrs. Lodema Kells(Arthur's stepmother), Mrs. Ernst Nilson (Anna Anderson married ErnstNelson 8 July 1911), Mr. Robert McKenzie, Mr. B. Burgeson, Dr. A. P.Manchester, Mr. Herbert Grant, Mr. Albert Johnson (Amy's brother), Mr.Victor Johnson (Amy's brother), Mr. Nils Harklow (Nels and Maria Harklowwere Norwegians living in Pontiac), Mr. Charles Nilson, Rev. Edvin Sahlen(Amy's brother), Mr. Oscar Larson, Mr. Henry Anderson, Mr. Fritz Nilsen,Mr. Ernst Nilsen, Mr. Svante Nilsen (Amy's uncle), Mr. Axel Sjoberg (Axeland Josephine Larson Sjoberg lived in Pontiac, daughters Anna M. andHilda R.), Mr. Hjalmar Sjoberg, Mr. Henning Lundgren, Mr. Conrad Lundgren (Conrad, his brother Ragnar, sister Astrid, parents Anders and AnnaLundgren lived at 130 Garden Street, Cranston), Mr. Carl Sjoberg, Mr.Paul Kells (Arthur's brother), Mr. Harold Kells (Arthur's brother), Mr. Joe Fisher, Mr. Laurence Fay, and the following children: Lillian Larson,Estell Manchester, Raymond Larson, Herbert Johnson, Lennard Larson, Ragnar Lundgren, Dorothy Burgeson, Wallace McKenzie, Muriel McKenzie, Clarence Larsen, Carl Sahlen, Mildred Grant, Astrid Lundgren, and Ingeborg Harklow.

When Amy's daughter Dolores was born in 1912, baby's first callers included Eva Kells, Mary Johnson, Robert McKenzie, Albert Johnson, DonJ ohnson, H. Lundgren, M. Anderson, T. Duckworth, Marie Wilson, EthelCondon, H. Grant, Susan Hill, Effie Robinson, Violet Willington, Hagen Maxwell, Teckla Davidson, F. Nilson, S. Nilson, Arthur Manchester, Bertha Johnson, B. Burgeson, Ruth Sjoberg, Wentworth, Walter Chapin (married Ebba L Johnson 18 January 1910; she may have been the daughter born Sept.1887 of Charles and Mary Johnson who lived in Pontiac or the daughter of Axel and Mina Johnson born 24 Feb. 1897), Alice Manchester.

Other children at daughter Dolores third birthday party included Estelle Manchester, Muriel McKenzie, Doris Anderson, Russel Chase, LennardLarson, Raymond Larson, Wallace McKenzie, and Jack Duckworth.

Congratulations are mentioned from Mr. and Mrs. Charles Meilink (wifeMaude) of Toledo, Ohio, and Mr. and Mrs. Walter Chapin.

Among Amy's relatives attending Arthur's funeral in 1947:

Ethel Kilstrom, 583 Pontiac Avenue, Eden Park, Muriel and Walter Kilstrom, 21 Oak Hill Ave., Greenwood, R.I., Florence and Charles Young,18 Midler Street, Cranston, R.I., Gertrude and Wallace McKenzie, Lillianand Elsie Larson, Pontiac, R.I., Raymond and Clarence Larson, Pontiac, R.I., Mary Larson, Harriet and Elwyn Mitchell, 187 Greenwood St., Cranston, R.I., Margaret E. Wells, Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie (parents ofGertrude and Wallace?), Mr. and Mrs. Wickstrom, Axel S. Wickstrom, Robert McKenzie, Elin McKenzie, Kenneth McKenzie, 66 Fairfield Rd., Cranston,R.I., Elsa Johnson.

Brad's note: These guests books probably include many relatives, as well as neighbors and friends. I see some Nilson's (or Nilsen's) in the above, who must be related on Maria Charlotta's side. From genealogicalresearch, I gather Nilson was frequently changed to Nelson. Either Nancyor Fern mentioned that the Burgesons are related, although I don't knowhow. I wonder if the Sjobergs or Lundgrens are related. When I was a boy, I went to a Dr. Lundgren who was a dentist (and I think I still have a few of his fillings). The spelling is not consistent in my grandmother's hand (sen's vs. son's), and I don't know whether the families kept it consistent or not.

After Arthur Kells died, she worked as a housekeeper for a Mr. Andersonwho lived at 15 Fordson in Eden Park, RI. Those years of work entitled her to Social Security. When she died, she was living at 27 Myrtle Ave., Cranston, R.I.

Social Security Number 038-22-6392A, She started drawing Social Security benefits in 1954 ($40.80 a month).

She is buried in Pittsfield, MA, cemetery, Kells lot #31, Indian Ridge, on 7 May 1959.