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. She entered
Stanford University in 1891, a member of its first incoming freshman class, and a classmate of the 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 married and moved to
Chicago, where his business interests lay. Bessie had been given a religious upbringing and busied herself in Chicago trying to do good works. Among the tasks she 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, Albert and his business partner, Edward A. Shedd, were introduced to
Death Valley Scotty through an 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 had 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. ==Later years==