Bessie Croshaw

Betsh, or Bessie, was born in 1865 in the Northwestern Shoshone Indian Tribe near the Bear River west of Franklin, Idaho. She was adopted by the Croshaw family in 1866 and was raised by the family for the rest of her life. She is one of a few Native Americans to live in Richmond during the time of the Pioneers.

History

It is unknown as to who was Bessie's parents, but her grandfather was the one who raised her in her younger years. In the earlier years of Richmond when Native Americans would go house-to-house begging and trading for food, Bessie and her grandfather visited John and Jane Croshaw and her grandfather offered Bessie to the family for a large sack of food. The family accepted the trade, and Bessie—at the young age of a year—was adopted into the family.

Bessie grew up as if she were a Pioneer. At the age of six, Bessie's biological grandfather visited his daughter and took her back to their tribe. Bessie was hesitant but was forced to go regardless. About six months later, she was brought back by her grandfather saying "She got too much white in her. She cry, cry, cry all the time." She did not enjoy her time with her native family and became very afraid of them. Whenever a Native American would visit Richmond, she would hide, afraid that they would take her away from her family.

Bessie learned to read from the Bible with her mother Jane. Bessie later became so talented at reading that she would read stories to the neighbor's children. Once the school board was created by the City Council in 1872, Bessie was able to excel in her reading and writing abilities.

As a young woman, Bessie went to Montana to work. There, she met and married Alfred "Bud" Johnson, a Latter-day Saint who was born in Alabama and was of Spanish and English descent. After their marriage in 1898, they moved back to Richmond and lived on the north side of 200 S, across the street from the current Francis & Maria Bair Farmstead.

Bessie was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, starting when she was baptized at the age of eight. When she was in Richmond, she attended chruch regularlty, and participated in multiple callings in the Richmond Ward and Richmond South Ward.

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