Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Johnson, John B 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 28, 2008, 11:34 pm

Author: Past and Present of Will County, IL; 1907

JOHN B. JOHNSON. Among the retired citizens of Wilmington who in former years 
were actively connected with business life, is numbered John B. Johnson. He 
was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, February 8, 1830, a son of William and 
Euphemia (Boyd) Johnson, who were likewise natives of the Keystone state. Both 
are now deceased, the former having passed away at the age of seventy-three 
years, while the latter died at the age of seventy. The father followed 
farming in the east until 1858, when he established his home in Florence 
township, Will county, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits 
throughout his remaining years. He was an advocate of republican principles. 
His family numbered eleven children, and six are still living, namely: John 
B., of this review; James, Frank and Frederick, all of whom reside in Joliet; 
Geneva, a resident of Ohio; and Louise, the wife of Jacob Keller, a resident 
of Oregon. Mr. Johnson of this review was reared to farm life in his native 
state, and there acquired his education in the public schools and in Waterford 
Academy. He was a young man of twenty-one years when he made his way from 
Pennsylvania to this state. He took up his abode in Wilmington, where he 
engaged in the contracting and building business, following those pursuits 
until 1868, when he secured employment with the Cayuga Chief Manufacturing 
Company, of Auburn, New York, representing that house upon the road, his 
territory being through the northwestern states. He, however, in the meantime 
made his home in Aurora, Illinois, until 1879, when he returned to Wilmington, 
where he engaged in the livery business for two years. He then disposed of his 
interests here and made his way to Salt Lake City, Utah, spending three years 
there as a dealer in real estate. He once more returned to Wilmington, where 
he has continued his residence to the present, time, having, in 1901, on 
account of ill health, retired from all business pursuits. Mr. Johnson was 
married in Wesley township, this county, September 1, 1853, to Miss Annie M. 
Jones, who was born in New Berlin, Chenango county, New York, May 17, 1835. 
Her parents were Samuel and Annie (Hazzard) Jones, the former born in the 
state of New York, while the latter was born in Rhode Island. He removed with 
his family from the east, where he had engaged in farming, and upon his 
arrival in this state settled in Wesley township, Will county, continuing his 
agricultural operations. He purchased two hundred acres of land, of which one 
hundred and sixty acres was prairie, while the remainder was covered with 
timber. He developed and cultivated this tract and made it a valuable 
property. In his early years he gave his support to the democratic party, but 
when the Civil war was inaugurated he advocated the principles of the 
republican party. He held membership in the Baptist church and was a very 
prominent man in his community. He filled the office of school director for 
many years and was always deeply interested in the public-school system. Both 
he and his wife lived to an advanced age, the former passing away at the age 
of eighty-three years, while the latter lived to the age of eighty-two. Of 
their six children, four are living at the present time: Sylvester, a resident 
of Ritchey, Will county; Mary; Annie M., now Mrs. Johnson; and Samuel. Unto 
our subject and his wife have been born a son and daughter: William Henry, who 
was born May 11, 1854, and is now a resident of Colorado; and Annie Hazzard, 
now the wife of Frank H. Gates, a resident of Bristol, Kendall county, this 
state. Mr. Johnson has always taken a deep and active part in local political 
affairs and gives his support to the republican party, having been elected on 
that ticket to the position of alderman, which office he filled for twelve 
years. He served as school director in Wesley township and has been a member 
of the school board in Wilmington for the past five or six years, while he 
likewise filled the office of township collector. He is a prominent Mason, 
holding membership with Wilmington lodge, No. 208, since 1863, and he served 
as master for twelve years. He also holds membership with Wilmington chapter, 
No. 142, R. A. M., being a charter member of the order, and in this he has 
filled all of the chairs, while he likewise affiliates with Knight Templar 
commandery, No. 4, at Joliet. Mrs. Johnson holds membership with Eastern Star 
chapter, No. 176, in which she has filled all of the chairs and is now acting 
as secretary. Both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are prominent in social and fraternal 
circles, being numbered among the highly respected citizens of Wilmington. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/johnson2694nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/

File size: 5.5 Kb