The Untold Family History

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THE UNTOLD FAMILY HISTORY

© 2023

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October 1955

Camille Smith was born on Saturday, October 1, 1955. She was born at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan and raised by her maternal grandmother and step grandfather, Sophia and Stanford Deadwiler.

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July 1958

While growing up, Camille overheard a phone conversation between her grandmother and a man from Danville, Illinois. After the phone call, her grandmother explained to Camille that the man on the phone was related to her biological father.

Donald Moore had called on behalf of his cousin, Erwin Johnson but that would be the last time she remembers anyone calling on behalf of her father.

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Familial Connection to Danville, Illinois

1930 United States Federal Census (Danville, Illinois)

Census records show that Donald Moore lived was the son of Oscar and Eva Moore. A death certificate for Eva Moore showed that her maiden name was Johnson.

1930 United States Federal Census (Danville, Illinois)

Camille’s mother, Catherine Banks was also living in Danville, Illinois in 1930. Her family experienced financial hardship during the Great Depression which led to Catherine’s father, Clarence Banks deserting her mother, Sophia in Danville, Illinois.

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Phyllis Wheatley Club at Danville High School in 1937
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Catherine Louise Banks Danville High School (Danville, Illinois) Listed as K. Banks in the 1937 class yearbook

The Great Depression and The Aftermath

Catherine’s eldest sister, Ruth Elizabeth Banks fell ill shortly before Clarence’s departure and passed away at the age of 15 years old. Clarence took two of the three remaining children to Detroit to avoid paying child support to his wife. His daughter, Clara Mae, and son, Robert, Sr. were left to live with their extended family. Robert Banks, Sr. was accepted into Cass Technical High School but the family could not afford the costs of required books and school material, so he entered the workforce as a teenager. His son, Robert Banks, Jr. would be the first in the family to attend and graduate from Cass Technical High School.

Clara Mae contracted tuberculosis while living in the confined living arrangements of her extended family. Clarence did not contact his wife about the death for several months and refused to disclose her burial location. Sophia shared the devastating news with a prominent family in Danville, Illinois. The wife of the prominent family empathized with Sophia and paid for an investigator to locate additional information, but the attempts were unsuccessful.

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1940 United States Federal Census (Danville, Illinois)

Sophia Banks and her daughter Catherine Banks remained in Danville, Illinois. Sophia was forced to fend for her and her only living daughter after husband, Clarence Banks had abandoned them in 1929.

Sophia was trying to make ends meet but could not find full-time employment, so she decided to write a letter to the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. A few weeks after mailing her request, she received notice to report to a local nursery school to start her new job as a cook under the WPA program.

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He Was Not the Step Grandfather… He Was the Grandfather That Stepped Up

Camille was raised by Stanford Deadwiler who she affectionately called “Daddy.” Stanford met her grandmother, Sophia while living in Danville, Illinois.

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Stanford Deadwiler and Robert Banks, Jr.

1950 United States Federal Census (Detroit, Michigan)

Camille’s grandmother, Sophia (Mama) and step grandfather, Stanford (Daddy) left Danville, Illinois in the 1940s then settled in Detroit, Michigan.

Her mother, Catherine Banks was listed in the 1950 U.S. Federal Census living with her mother and stepfather. A few months later, her cousin Robert Banks, Jr. (Topper) would move in with Sophia and Stanford. Topper and Camille would be raised by their grandparents for their entire childhood and grew up on Hartford St on the city’s westside.

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The Tassel Was Worth the Hassle

Camille followed the footsteps of her cousin, Robert Banks, Jr. and became the second member of the family to graduate from Cass Technical High School in 1973. During her senior year, she went to the guidance counselor at Cass Tech for an academic appointment. Camille eagerly met with her guidance counselor during her senior year at Cass Tech to discuss college options. She had always aspired to becoming a teacher and attending Wayne State University. However, when she met with her counselor, her hopes were shot down. The counselor suggested that community college was more suitable for her even though she made high marks all four years of high school.

Her grandparents Sophia and Stanford Deadwiler encouraged and financially supported Camille’s educational pursuits. Both of her grandparents entered the workforce as children and were not afforded the opportunity to attend school beyond the seventh grade. They dedicated their lives to making sure that their grandchildren would be able to attend and graduate college.

Camille became the first college graduate in Spring 1976 from Wayne State University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Library Science. Three years later, she obtained a Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Guidance Counseling from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor

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Winter 1991

Camille was the caretaker for her grandparents until they passed away. Stanford passed away in 1989 and Sophia passed away a few years later. In 1994 at the age of 101 years old, her grandmother mentioned her father, Erwin Johnson by name. She said, “Look at you, Camille. Looking just like your father, ERWIN JOHNSON”

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Importance of Education

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Camille Smith Daughter of Erwin Johnson Erwin Johnson Berner Dean Johnson Camille’s father Camille’s grandfather

Detroit College of Pharmacy (Detroit, Michigan

published in 1926

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Berner Dean Johnson
Yearbook

Detroit’s West Side

Before Camille was born her father, Erwin lived with his parents on the west side of Detroit. Erwin Johnson graduated from Northwestern High School. Erwin’s father Berner Dean Johnson was one of the first African Americans to graduate from Detroit College of Pharmacy (now Wayne State University’s School of Pharmacy). Berner Dean Johnson owned and operated a drug store called B.D. Johnson’s Drug Store after completing pharmacy school. Berner Dean Johnson’s daughter Jean Johnson followed in his footsteps by completing pharmacy school then becoming the State of Michigan’s first African American female pharmaceutical inspector.

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Erwin and his siblings were born in Detroit, Michigan. Top Row: Erwin, Nettie, Berner John, and Jean Johnson Bottom Row: Mamie and Berner Dean Johnson

Four Blocks Away

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Camille was raised by her maternal grandparents Sophia and Stanford Deadwiler at 6705 Hartford St. Her paternal grandparents Mamie and Berner Dean Johnson lived four blocks away at 6511 Woodrow St.

New Family Discoveries

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Sharise, Trina, and Kerry
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New Discoveries continued…

Johnson cousins joined forces to help find the biological father and siblings of our newly discovered cousin, Barbara Rhodes who was born in Vietnam. Her father Freddie Jones was the grandson of Napoleon Bonaparte Johnson.

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All relatives in red attended the family meeting via Zoom on June 26, 2021.

Johnson Relatives Who Have Taken Ancestry or 23andMe Test

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Last name First Name Relationship Direct Ancestor Smith Camille Self Berner Dean Johnson Taylor Michelle Daughter Berner Dean Johnson Smith Sharise Half Sister Berner Dean Johnson Thompson Trina Half Niece Berner Dean Johnson Johnson John Bennett 1C1R Miller Johnson Johnson John, Jr. 2C Miller Johnson Warfield-Harmon Wendy 1C1R Miller Johnson McReynolds Willie 2C Anita Johnson Pierce Saundra 2C Anita Johnson DNA Test Company Both AncestryDNA Both AncestryDNA 23andMe 23andMe Both 23andMe Both Pierce Freddie 2C1R Anita Johnson 23andMe Pierce Sonia 2C1R Anita Johnson 23andMe Williams Debora 2C1R Anita Johnson 23andMe Pierce Paloma 2C2R Anita Johnson 23andMe Williams Jean-Christian 2C2R Anita Johnson 23andMe Pierce Ayana 2C2R Anita Johnson 23andMe Williams Jean-Luc 2C2R Anita Johnson 23andMe McReynolds Deonte 2C2R Anita Johnson AncestryDNA Hector Jennifer 2C2R Anita Johnson 23andMe Jones-Jackson Betty Raye 2C Napoleon Johnson AncestryDNA Rhodes Barbara 2C1R Napoleon Johnson Both Jones-Tellis Venus 2C1R Napoleon Johnson AncestryDNA Pitts Chandler 2C2R Napoleon Johnson AncestryDNA Smith Shauna 2C Ella Marzetta Johnson AncestryDNA Smith Robert "DJ" 2C1R Ella Marzetta Johnson 23andMe Giles Barbara 2C Ella Marzetta Johnson AncestryDNA Johnson Levather 2C Miller Johnson AncestryDNA Slaughter Gary 2C1R Ella Marzetta Johnson AncestryDNA Smith Michael 2C1R Ella Marzetta Johnson AncestryDNA Johnson Alex Unknown Miller Johnson 23andMe Williams Sikya 2C1R Miller Johnson AncestryDNA Whitlock Arlencia 2C1R Miller Johnson AncestryDNA English Sade 2C2R Miller Johnson AncestryDNA Uitenham JoAnn 3C Abraham Diamond AncestryDNA Gordon Paris 3C1R Abraham Diamond AncestryDNA Ruffin Mack 3C1R Leroy Diamond AncestryDNA Diamond Richelle 4C Abraham Diamond AncestryDNA Mamon Stephanee 4C Ledger Diamond AncestryDNA Morris Jameisha 3C1R Abraham Diamond AncestryDNA Cole Monique 2C1R Miller Johnson AncestryDNA Bryant Lashell 4C Leroy Diamond AncestryDNA
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