Bessilyn Johnson - Early Years

Early Years

Bessie was born Bessilyn Morris Penniman in 1872, daughter of Hiram Penniman and the only child of his second wife, Carrie. Hiram Penniman was the founder and owner of Shadelands Ranch in Walnut Creek, California, as well as one of Walnut Creek's most prominent early citizens. Bessie was the youngest of Hiram's children and was doted upon. Bessie entered Stanford University in 1891, a member of its first incoming freshman class, and a classmate of future President Herbert Hoover.

While at Stanford, Bessie met and became close friends with a young engineering student Mat Roy Thompson. The two became sweethearts, and later engaged to be married. After Mat Roy's family lost their moderate fortune in the Panic of 1893, Bessie was forced to break off her engagement to him, and immediately transfer to Cornell University.

While at Cornell, Bessie met another young engineering student by the name of Albert Mussey Johnson. Bessie and Albert later wed and moved to Chicago, where Albert's business interests lay. Bessie had been given a religious upbringing and busied herself in Chicago trying to do good works. Among the tasks Bessie undertook was taking women of ill repute into her own home in the hope that exposure to genteel surroundings would provide them with moral rehabilitation.

In 1904 Bessie's husband Albert and his business partner, Edward A. Shedd, were introduced to Death Valley Scotty through intermediary Obadiah Sands, and began investing in Scotty's gold mine scam, not yet aware of its fraudulent nature. In 1915, Albert Johnson decided to visit Scotty in Death Valley in the hopes of seeing the mine he had been promised a one-third share in. The mine did not exist, but Albert eventually decided its existence was not important. He discovered he enjoyed Scotty's company, and also enjoyed camping in Death Valley as its dry climate and the exercise he got while accompanying Scotty improved his health significantly. After a few years, Bessie grew curious about the appeal of Death Valley and began joining her husband on his annual outings with Scotty. She eventually determined that although she wished to continue to accompany her husband on his Wild West vacations, she would prefer to do so in the comfort of a vacation home, and construction of Scotty's Castle began.