by Karen Yvonne Hamilton, 2026

Sarah Elizabeth Johnson was born on September 17, 1889, in Ozona, Florida, to Mellisa Emaline Holland (1862-1930 b. Georgia) and Gilbert Henry Johnson (1857-1934 b. Bahamas) 

CORRECTIONS/ADDITIONS WELCOMED! Please contact me with comments, questions, or corrections.

Thank you to family members for stories and photos.

SIBLINGS

  • Annie was born in 1881.
  • Albert Franklin was born on January 16, 1882.
  • Rebecca Elizabeth was born on March 27, 1887.
  • Gilbert was born on November 22, 1890.
  • Chris J was born in 1894.
  • Joseph Christopher was born on June 11, 1897.

SPOUSE

Sarah Elizabeth Johnson married John Leon Hamilton in Key West, Florida, on September 26, 1905, when she was 16 years old.

John Leon Hamilton
John Leon Hamilton
Leon and Sarah Hamilton

CHILDREN

  • Mary Frances was born on January 14, 1906.
  • Eva Margaret was born on December 10, 1909.
  • Robert Joseph was born on November 6, 1910.
  • Adeline Agnes was born in 1914.
  • Henry Gilbert was born on October 15, 1915.
  • Elizabeth Ann”Lizzie” was born on June 25, 1918.
  • Raymond was born in 1930.
  • Bryan was born in 1932.

In 1910, Sarah lived on Wood Key in the Florida Everglades with her husband, Leon and daughter, Eva.

1910 U.S. Census

Caught in the 1926 Great Miami Hurricane

In 1926, the Great Miami Hurricane hit and Sarah and Leon and his brother, Gene, were marooned on Wood Key for five days with their wives, their nine children, and 23 other men, women, and children.

From Lostmans Heritage: Pioneers in the Florida Everglades, 

“After being rescued by the Coast Guard five days after the storm, they reported that they had lost their houses, their animals, their household goods, and all of their larger boats and had been sleeping on the beach and in a few small boats. By the time help arrived, they had resorted to chewing sugar cane and occasionally catching one of the few fish around for sustenance. The Coast Guard put up ten tents as temporary shelter for the families and left them with a supply of water and food to sustain them until more help could be sent.”

In 1930, Leon and his family lived on Lostmans River. The families of Salvador Gomes, Wallace REWIS, Horace MURRAY lived nearby.

Loss of son, Robert

In 1932, Sarah and Leon’s son Robert disappeared in the Everglades islands in February 1932 with his cousin, William ‘Buddy’ HAMILTON. Their bodies were never found, and they were presumed murdered. Robert was 21 years old and left behind a wife and daughter.

Robert Joseph Hamilton (I have not verified that this a photo of Robert.)

Excerpt from Lostmans Heritage: Pioneers in the Florida Everglades, 

“Piecing together the few newspaper accounts of Buddy and Robert’s disappearance yields the date of disappearance as January 15, 1932. The story in the newspapers says that King Gene told them that he was with Buddy and Robert at the mouth of Little Shark River when a mob came after them. 

It is not clear how they all got separated, but King Gene was able to escape. King Gene told authorities that “he left the two boys … at the mouth of Little Shark River” and that “when he left the boys a ‘mob’ was after him and he feared that they had killed the boys.” Fearing for the boy’s lives, King Gene asked the local authorities to help with the search, but no help was forthcoming.

The search continued for several agonizing weeks for the missing men, but all that was ever found was the skiff they were using that day. By February 13, the Coast Guard reported that the fish wars in Monroe County were over and the search for William ‘Buddy’ and Robert was discontinued.”  

In 1935, the family lived on Lostmans River in the Everglades.

1935 U.S. Census

In 1940, Sarah and Leon lived on Lostmans River in the Everglades with their daughter and grandsons.

1940 U.S. Census

In 1950, Sarah and Leon still lived in the Everglades as their home was transformed into a national park.

1950 U.S. Census

Everglades National Park Service –

From Lostmans Heritage: Pioneers in the Florida Everglades, 

In 1950, the NPS (National Park Service) listed the people still living at Lostmans River and called them “squatters.” NPS officials stated that, “None of the fishermen who lived in houses or houseboats near the mouth of Lostmans River owned any property there.”  Leon Hamilton, “℅ Riggs Fish Company in Everglades” was listed among hundreds of others on the Legal Notices page of the Key West Citizen calling for the condemnation of their homes.

“You are hereby notified that a Petition for Condemnation…has been heretofore filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, whereby the United States of America seeks to acquire by condemnation under judicial process….the fee simple title to the following described lands situate, lying and being in the counties of Monroe and Dade, State of Florida, to-wit: Lands in Dade and Monroe Counties, Florida, to be acquired for the Everglades National Park…”

As the deadline for final eviction loomed, the residents of Flamingo sent a letter to Superintendent Beard of the NPS asking for help.

“We the fishermen of Flamingo have no place to go or any place to stay. Our fish haulers have refused to bring us any groceries – gas or any other supplies. We have no other way of making a living.

We the fishermen of Flamingo will be up with our families at the office of the Everglades National Park office [sic] at 10-o’clock Saturday – June 2, 1951 for information as to where we are to go and what to do and how to take care of our families.

We feel that if the Park Service is taking our homes and our way of making a living, we think they should give us our places here to stay as this is the only place we know how to make a living.”

Sarah standing on back of the houseboat she and Leon lived on after being evicted from their home by the Park Service.
Eva, Leon, and Sarah
Mary Hamilton and Sarah JOHNSON Hamilton

DEATH

Sarah Elizabeth Johnson died on June 3, 1963, when she was 73 years old. She was laid to rest in the Ft Myers Cemetery in Ft Myers, Florida.

Leon and Sarah Hamilton Fort Myers Cemetery PLOT Garden of Memories

SOURCES

1910 United States Federal Census; 1930 United States Federal Census; 1935 United States Federal Census;1940 United States Federal Census; 1950 United States Federal Census; Florida Death Index, 1877-1998; Lostmans Heritage: Pioneers in the Florida Everglades, Personal interview with Paul Gomes; U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current; Family photos

FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY FACEBOOK GROUP: Consider joining our group for more on Florida Keys History.

FLORIDA EVERGLADES HISTORY FACEBOOK GROUP: Consider joining our group for more on Florida Everglades History.