Yolo-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Johnson, Charles 1853 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 14, 2006, 1:43 pm

Author: Tom Gregory (1913)

CHARLES JOHNSON

    Those who are qualified to make the statement assert that few men in the
west possess a more thorough knowledge of the horse business or are more
thorough judges concerning equine flesh than is Charles Johnson, the energetic
and well-known liveryman of Woodland, who since 1905 has been connected with
this line of business here. It has also been his good fortune to acquire a
familiarity with the training of fine horses in other parts of the state, so
that he understands even the minutest details of a specialty in which few men
attain prominence and to which comparatively few man of large ability devote
their lives. When he first embarked in the livery business in this city he
carried on a stable on College street, but later he bought the City stable from
Dan Wooster and moved to his present location, where now he conducts the largest
barn in the entire county. Here are the headquarters of Eirlie Demonia, a bay
stallion of five years, sired by Demonia, dam Potrero Girl, this young animal
having a wide reputation for fine markings and general excellence. In addition
he owns some valuable standard-bred mares and Mary Ladd, a dark-brown stallion,
imported from England and showing the best qualities of the Shires.

    The Native Sons of the Golden West have the name of Mr. Johnson enrolled as
a member of their Woodland Parlor, this being by virtue of his birth in
Brighton, Sacramento county, where he was born February 14, 1853. His parents,
William and Hattie (White) Johnson, died respectively in 1856 and 1858, leaving
him wholly orphaned when he was but five years of age. The father, who was a
Kentuckian by birth, crossed the plains to California shortly after the
discovery of gold and arrived at the mines at the end of an uneventful journey
with oxen and wagons. He was then a single man, but shortly after his arrival he
formed the acquaintance of Miss White, whose father was a pioneer of the gold
era. They established their home in Sacramento county after their marriage and
remained there until death, at which time they left three children, Charles
having been the second in order of birth.

    It was necessary to find homes for the children who had been left homeless
and friendless. Mr. Seargent, a farmer near Brighton, took Charles to his place
and sent him to the public schools in the winter months, while in the summer he
taught him the rudiments of farming. At the age of fourteen the lad started out
to make his own way in the world and since then he has been wholly
self-supporting. His first work was with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company.
Next he secured employment on ranches. From his earliest recollections he has
been fond of horses and when his employers noted this, they gave him the care of
animals and taught him to appreciate their best qualities. At the same time they
were astonished at the quickness with which he picked out the leader in a large
herd. Without any delay he could pick out the choicest animal and subsequent
examinations seldom reversed his decision. By reason of these natural abilities
he was led to become a dealer in fine horses and his success proves that he made
no mistake in selecting his life work.

    Since establishing himself in business in Woodland Mr. Johnson has married
one of the young ladies of this city, Miss Hattie Rogers, a native of Illinois,
and a woman of splendid attributes of mind and heart. In social circles they
have many friends and their worth is appreciated by people in every walk of
life. The companionable disposition of Mr. Johnson leads him into fraternal
activities. Besides having been actively associated with the Native Sons, as
heretofore indicated, he ranks among the leading local workers in the Woodmen of
the World, also belongs to the lodge and encampment, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, and furthermore has risen to prominence in the Knights of Pythias as a
participant in the work of the Uniform Rank.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]


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