Phybee Lewis Johnson

Phybee DeLois Lewis was born 28 March 1928 in Madill, Oklahoma to Josiah Lewis and Addie Owens. Her mother died when Phybee was about 18 months old, and her father was an alcoholic and unable to care for her. After that, she was raised by my Great Grandparents, Emerson Lee James and Annie Gaines Mitchell James. (She was not listed in the James household in the 1930 census taken on April 8, so it must have been after that that she joined the family.)

Phybee at the James Reunion in Lebanon, OK in 2002

A relative Eastman Burris (who claimed to be Emerson's nephew) introduced Phybee to the James's. In December 2007 Phybee told me that she was never legally adopted, but she called Annie "mama". Phybee said she lived with them until Annie died, and then she went to live with their daughter, her sister, Thelma.

Phybee married William Eb Johnson in Duncan, Oklahoma on 28 June 1946. William was born 24 February 1923 in Comanche, Oklahoma and died 12 September 1997 in Bakersfield, California.

As of December, 2007, Phybee lived in Bakersfield, California.

More information about Phybee's birth parents and brothers:
Father, Josiah Lewis:
Birth Date: 15 Aug 1901 
Death Date: Jan 1983 
Social Security Number: 447-20-9939, issued in Oklahoma
Death Residence Localities ZIP Code: 73446 
Localities: Marshall County, Oklahoma: Madill, McMillan, and Oakland
(This information needs to be verified.)

Mother, Addie Owens

Brothers:

Milferd—died at age 13 in about 1934 in an Indian Academy in Oklahoma (Tallahainie?)

Josiah Lewis Jr. (Joe)—Phybee knew him: born Dec 24, 1924, died in 2003 in Stockton, California.

Charles—Phybee knew him, born January, died abt. 1970 in Stockton, California.

Phybee said her brothers were raised by their birth parents, Josiah and Addie.

(Sources: conversations with Phybee, Thelma, and Phybee's daughters)

More photos of Phybee from the 2002 James Reunion:

Phybee with an uncle

Phybee with Thelma James Carrol

Kris (Doris Christine James Buford), Thelma, and Phybee in 2002