Bessie M. Johnson (1872–1943)

Bessilyn "Bessie" or "Mabel" Johnson, née Penniman, was born in Walnut Creek, California, to a prominent family, and raised on her family's ranch. She attended Stanford University, where she was one of the first freshman class, and Cornell University, where she met Albert Mussey Johnson. They married and moved to Chicago, Illinois. Albert Johnson became the friend, business partner, and eventually the dupe of Walter Edward Perry Scott, known as Death Valley Scotty, a scam artist of the Wild West. Bessie began joining her husband on outings with Scotty to Death Valley, California, and the couple decided to build a vacation home in what is now Death Valley National Park called Scotty's Castle. Bessie was involved in the Chicago Business Women's Alliance, hosted an evangelical radio show, and wrote articles for a religious newsletter.
She also wrote a short memoir about life at the castle that was published by her husband after her death as Death Valley Scotty.