Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Johnson, William K 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 13, 2006, 6:28 pm

Author: History of Grundy County, 1914

Johnson, William K. (deceased) – In the death of William K. Johnson, which 
occurred in February, 1911, Grundy County lost a citizen who had added 
materially to the growth, development and importance of its best interests.  
For many years he was engaged in farming here, and while he was never a 
politician in the general acceptance of the term, took an interest in all that 
made for his section’s welfare, and could always be found allied with other 
earnest and hard-working citizens in the movements that spelled morality, 
education, religion and good citizenship.  Mr. Johnson was born April 1, 1827, 
and was a son of John and Charlotta (Hart) Johnson, the former a native of 
Kentucky and the latter of North Carolina.

When still a child, long before the outbreak of the Civil War, Mr. Johnson was 
brought to Illinois from his native State of Kentucky by his father, who was 
an Abolitionist and could not countenance the practice of slavery.  The family 
settled in Iroquois County, where Mr. Johnson secured his education in the 
public schools and started to work at farm labor.  He was married in 1846 to 
Harriet Dean, who was born in England, September 19, 1839, daughter of John 
and Maria (Roberts) Dean.  The Deans came to America in 1840, settling in 
Quebec, Canada, where Mr. Dean secured employment as a wood chopper.  
Subsequently the family moved to Vermont, where he was engaged in farming for 
some time, and later, during the winter time, moved across Lake Champlain on 
the ice to New York.  There Mr. Dean took up state land, but some time after 
improving it moved to Kendall County, Ill., and six months later to Grundy 
County.  Here he purchased a farm in Wauponsee Township, on which he spent 
many years, but finally went to Missouri, where his death occurred.  After his 
marriage, Mr. Johnson bought a farm in Wauponsee Township, on which he lived 
for twenty years, and then purchased 160 acres in Norman and Wauponsee 
Townships, where he passed a like period of time.  He then went to Morris, and 
bought a residence and two lots on Illinois avenue, and there he died, having 
been an invalid for two years.  His widow still makes her home in Morris.  Mr. 
and Mrs. Johnson had the following children:  John W., of Wauponsee; Maria, 
who married the late Melvin Bennett, and now resides in Morris; Scott and 
Elerick D., living in Norman Township; and William, who died at the age of 
nineteen years.

Mr. Johnson was a Republican in his political views, and served as county 
commissioner for twenty years.  At the time of the nomination of Abraham 
Lincoln to the Presidency, Mr. Johnson belonged to the famous Lincoln 
Rangers.  He took a keen interest in all that was calculated to benefit his 
community, and at all times was noted for his sturdy integrity, honesty and 
fair dealing.  Mr. Johnson, with Mrs. Johnson’s father, John Dean, broke the 
first ground for the turnpike road south from Morris, some sixty years ago.

page 843

Additional Comments:
Source:  History of Grundy County, Illinois, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. 
Publishers; 1914

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