Johnnie's first wife had picked him up from work. They were going home and crossed the rail road tracks in Alabaster and they were hit by an Am Trek train. His wife and daughter, Dianne were killed immediately. HIs other daughter, Jenny landed on top of her mother. Johnnie was not physically injured but was emotionally destroyed, after the death of his wife and daughter.
Johnnie was about 25 years old when he met, Shirley Carroll. She was about 5 years younger that him. He worked with her father at the lumber yard. The two eventually married. They had a still born son, Phillip. and two daughter, Dianne and Jenny.
Johnnie and Shirley were married close to the old post office at the 4 way stop in Greenpond.
Johnnie took the bus with his friend, Elbert Watts and traveled to Chicago. He really enjoyed his time there, he talked about it many years later. He talked about meeting a lady by the name of Ann, who was in a motorcycle gang. He also talked about meeting many people in Chicago. He returned to Alabama after his mother became sick. He talked about living around skid row.
Johnnie was born in West Blocton Alabama in an old coal mining house. He was raised in the home by his parents, Mary Etta and Joseph Reynolds. He grew up with his brothers and sisters and his uncle John. His Uncle John and his father worked in the coal mines below his home.
He coudl recall as a child that his uncle John would ride a mule or donkey through town and deliver newspapers.
His father, Joe was married prior to marrying his mother, Mary Etta. Sadly his father's first wife passed away shortly after child birth. Mary Etta raised her husband's first set of children and their children as one family.
The siblings included JT, John Henry "DOC", Pauline Mitchum, Robert, Frank, Lela Canterbury, Lonnie "Bill". Johnnie had many stories to share about his siblings. He always talked about his brother, Robert being in the Army with Elvis Presley. One his youngest daughter, Virginia, was about 4 years old, she fell and busted her eye lid open, Johnnie took her to Lela's to see what to do. Johnnie remembered going to live iwth his brtoher Doc, and helping Doc's wife to take care of their children, she was also sick after child birth. Johnnie talked about taking the children to the museum to look at dinosaurs. Often Doc's wife would write her address on a paper and send Johnnie on the bus to get medicine and return. He talked about his oldest brother, JT being given a medal of honor for his combat time. He saved several men and was later honored for his work. Johnnie always enjoyed visiting his brother Frank in Mobile, Frank worked on the docks for many years. Johnnie had a story about all of his siblings. He was proud of his brother BIll and his children. He often spoke about one of the children working for the FBI. He also talked about his brother being a hit man.
Johnnie could recall the railroad running past his home. His home was an old railroad building. He could recall that his uncle John and his dad carried large cement slabs from the coal mines to the front of their yard. The slabs remain there today.
He coudl recall helping his mother cook butter beans when he was just 3 years old. Johnnie always cherished the butterbean boiler that his mother cooked in for many years.
Johnnie did not like to eat any form of hog. He said that his dad raised hogs and he ate a lot of hog meat as a child and so he did not want to eat that as an adult.
Johnnie could recall his dad growing a garden every year. His mother sewed his clothes. he did not attend school much. He liked to play baseball as a child with neighborhood kids, including the WHite children.
He also spoke about Coach Higginbotham, who coached football at the high school.
He also talked about going to see the town doctor, Dr Montgomery. He rememberedf that she told him that he had two heart beats.
