JOHNSON BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri ==================================================================== JOHNSON, George A. - b: 1878 Gasconade Co, MO source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 719 residence: Honey Creek Twp George A. Johnson, a progressive citizen of Honey Creek township, Henry County, is a native of Missouri. He was born in Gasconade County June 9, 1878, a son of Christ and Mary E. (Wolff) Johnson, natives of. Sweden. The father settled in Gasconade County when he was twenty-four years old and resided there until 1885, when he removed to Pettis County and was engaged in farming near Sedalia until 1900, when he traded his farm there for a place in Henry County near Maurine. Here he was engaged in general farming and stock raising until the time of his death, February 26, 1917, and his widow now resides on the home farm in Henry County. They were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Martha Quaintance, Gerster, Missouri; George A., the subject of this sketch; Mary M., a trained nurse who enlisted as a Red Cross nurse during the World War and after having served for a time at Camp Severe, South Carolina, she signed up for oversea duty and at this writing (October 23, 1918) she is at New York City awaiting orders to sail for Europe; Mrs. Katie A. Bower, Altoona, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Alice S. Benezette, Chilhowee, Missouri, and Florence, who resides at home. George A. Johnson received his education, principally, in the public schools of Pettis County, and was engaged in farming in early life. He came to Henry County and engaged in the mercantile business at Garland. After a few years he traded his stock of goods for a farm and since that time has been engaged in farming and stock raising. His. place is located one and one-half miles northwest of Garland and is one of the well improved places of western Henry County. He built his residence in 1915 and he has also built a large barn and other farm buildings, which makes of his place one of the modern equipped and well improved farms of the township. Mr. Johnson was united in marriage March 25, 1903, with Miss Eunice W. Benezette, a daughter of D. W. and Nannie (Mohler) Benezette. Nannie Mohler's father was a Dunkard minister. D. W. Benezette was a native of Virginia and an early settler of Henry County, and was engaged in farming in Honey Creek township. A few years prior to his death he went to New Mexico, where he died. His wife died in 1906. They were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Mary Burke, Fields Creek township, Henry County; Mrs. Richard McWhirt, Centerview, Missouri; Edward, who was accidentally killed while hunting in 1903; Howard, a conductor on the Santa Fe railroad, resides at Argentine, Kansas; Eunice, W., the wife of George A. Johnson, the subject of this sketch; Harry H., Chilhowee, Missouri; Mrs. Lucy Lumary, deceased, left a daughter, Anna, who was six months old at her mother's death and since that time has made her home with Mr. and Mrs. George A. Johnson, and she is now nine years old; Mrs. Abbie Woodruff, resides in Texas, and Frank E., a soldier in the United States Army, now serving in France with the American Expeditionary Force, and Mrs. Ruth V. Hunter, Chilhowee, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have been born two children, Nannie Marie and George Virgil. Mr. Johnson is one of the progressive citizens of Honey Creek township and takes a keen interest in all modern improvement and advancement. He has been a member of the local school board for the past seven years and is recognized as one of the good roads boosters of Henry County. He is one of the substantial citizens of his township and county. ==================================================================== JOHNSON, Isaac M. - b: 1838 Madison Co, OH source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 816 residence: Springfield Twp Isaac M. Johnson was born March 12, 1838, in Madison County, Ohio, and was the son of William and Felietia (Hall) Johnson, of the same county. The former was born in 1812. They were married September 27, 1832, and but recently celebrated their golden wedding in their native place. To them were born nine sons and one daughter, of whom six sons survive. Isaac M. commenced life for himself at the age of nineteen years. He had been quite an extensive traveler, having visited nearly every state in the Union, Canada, the British possessions and the territories. In 1864 he married Miss Inezetta Fasha, of Peoria, Illinois, and they have been blessed with five sons and two daughters. All are living save two sons. In 1870 Mr. Johnson commenced farming in Henry County, Missouri, purchasing his first farm of 190 acres, on which he remained two years. Then renting it, he removed with his family to Clinton, and was engaged in shipping live stock to the St. Louis market for four years. Then he made an exchange of property in Clinton for 494 acres of land in this township, and since then he has added thereto from time to time until he now owns a large and most valuable farm of 713 acres. In 1882 he sold his farm in Bethlehem Township. Mr. J. is one of the large cattle men of the county, and in this industry has met with far more than ordinary success. He was formerly quite an adapt in rail splitting, having split 565 rails for fencing purposes in five hours. Politically he is independent. ==================================================================== JOHNSON, James Washington - b: 1846 near Versailles, Morgan Co, MO source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 405 residence: Bear Creek Twp James Washington Johnson. Prominent in the affairs of Henry county for nearly thirty-five years, energetic and progressive to a high degree, the late James W. Johnson was a man whose name will long be remembered in Henry County. He created a splendid farm during the course of his residence in this county and reared a fine family of children. James W. Johnson, widely known as Judge Johnson, was born in Morgan County, near Versailles, Missouri, in 1846, and was the son of Anderson and Rebecca (Smith) Johnson, who were natives of Kentucky and settled in Missouri during the early thirties, when the greater portion of the State was an unpeopled wilderness. Anderson and Rebecca Johnson reared a family of ten children, of whom James W. was the fifth child. He, James W., was reared to young manhood in Morgan County and resided there until the spring of 1879, when he came to Henry County in search of a permanent home for his family. He enlisted in the Confederate service in 1864 during the Civil War and became a soldier when but seventeen years of age. He served under General Marmaduke and saw much active and hazardous service in southwest Missouri, Arkansas and Texas for over one year. Mr. Johnson's first purchase of land was eighty acres in Bear Creek township. This farm was hardly improved and an old log house which had been erected by a former proprietor served as the Johnson home for four years. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson then erected a substantial frame house. He set out a large orchard which bore bountiful crops of apples for many years until the past six years of drought practically ruined many of the trees. He added another eighty acres to his farm and then added forty acres, making two hundred acres in all in the Johnson farm. In April of 1879, James W. Johnson and Miss Mary McCloud of Morgan County were united in marriage. Mrs. Mary Johnson was born in 1858 in Morgan County, Missouri, and is a daughter of W. H. and Elizabeth (Adams) McCloud, the former of whom was a native of South Carolina and the latter a native of Indiana. Elizabeth (Adams) McCloud was the daughter of Adam Adams, a pioneer settler of Morgan County, Missouri, whose wife lived to the great age of ninety-two years. Mrs. Mary Johnson is one of the seven children born to her father's second marriage. He was father of six children by a former marriage. Her mother departed this life in February, 1898, her father having died in 1874. Three children were born to James W. and Mary Johnson, as follows: Barrington Salmon, born 1881, lives in Texas, married Jewell Rhodes, and has one child, James Samuel; Ewing McCloud Johnson, born April 1, 1893, enlisted in the department of mechanical service in the National Army for overseas service in the World War in behalf of world freedom, April 5, 1918; James Winkler, born April 21, 1896, married March 14, 1918, to Crystal E. Hood, daughter of J. C. Hood of Montrose, Missouri. Mr. Johnson was a life-long Democrat and prominent and active in the affairs of his party in Henry County. He was once a candidate for county judge and came within two votes of being elected. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and took a proper interest in religious work. He was affiliated with the United Confederate Veterans, Norvel Spangler Camp No. 668, Clinton, Missouri, and took a great interest in the affairs of this organization. Mr. Johnson was a man worth while who left an indelible impress upon the life of the community in which he spent so many active years. ==================================================================== JOHNSON, O. F. - b: 1841 Medina Co, OH source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 611 residence: Deepwater Twp O. F. Johnson. Among the prominent and leading business men of Montrose is the subject of this sketch, who was born in Medina County, Ohio, June 30, 1841. His parents were Hosea and Rachel (Ladd) Johnson, both natives of Vermont. O. F. moved with the family to Indiana in 1845 and settled in Noble County, where he grew to manhood on the farm, acquiring limited educational advantages, as the term of the public schools in those days consisted of only about three months, in the winter season. By self application he has become a man of good education. In September, 1861, he enlisted in Company F., 30th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served about fourteen months in the army, participating in the battles of Pittsburgh Landing, Corinth, Bowling Green and several other important engagements. After his discharge, in October, 1862, he returned to Indiana and devoted his attention to teaching in the states of New York, Michigan and Indiana. Mr. Johnson was married in St. Joseph County, Indiana, September, 1870, to Miss Margaret Burden, of that county and a daughter of William and Catherine Burden. After teaching in St. Joseph County for about two years Mr. J. came to Missouri in April, 1872, and located near Appleton City, in St. Clair County, where he purchased land and improved a farm, also being engaged in teaching for three terms of school. In June, 1877, he moved into Montrose, embarking in the mercantile business. He carries a large stock of hardware, furniture, farm implements and deals extensively in grain, and is doing a most remunerative business. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have one child, Burr, who was born July 22, 1880. Mrs. J. is a member of the Christian Church. ==================================================================== JOHNSON, Oley - b: 1848 Hudixwahl, Sweden source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 564 residence: Springfield Twp Oley Johnson, farmer and stockman, Springfield township, Henry County, is a native of Sweden who came to America and made good in the land of his adoption. Mr. Johnson was born in Hudixwahl, Sweden, March 23, 1848, the son of Jonas and Christina (Pearson) Johnson, who were parents of two sons. The parents of Oley Johnson came to America in 1868 and made a settlement in Cooper County, Missouri, where Jonas Johnson died. His wife, Christina Johnson, died in Springfield township, Henry County, Missouri, May 7, 1901. When he had attained the age of twenty years, Oley Johnson with his parents and brother decided to come to America in search of a home and fortune. He crossed the ocean and made his way to Pettis County, Missouri, in 1868, there finding employment on the railroad and any honest labor he could obtain. In 1873 he located upon a farm of eighty-two and one-half acres owned by Captain Henry in Springfield township, Henry County, and has prospered as the years have passed. During that same year he invested his savings in a fine farm of 160 acres in Benton County, Missouri. Mr. Johnson is recognized as one of the progressive and enterprising farmers of his township and is well-to-do. Mr. Johnson was married December 16, 1903, to Mrs. Maude Johnson, widow of his brother, Perry, who prior to her marriage was Miss Maude Rogers, born in Columbia, Missouri, August 16, 1876, the daughter of Robert C. and Maria (Clay) Rogers. Robert C. Rogers was a native of West Virginia and his wife was born at Carlisle, Kentucky, a daughter of John W. Clay, first cousin of the great statesman, Henry Clay, of Kentucky. Robert C. Rogers was a brick mason by trade and came to Henry County, Missouri, in 1880, locating in section 9 of Springfield township upon an eighty acre farm. In 1892 Maude Rogers and Perry Johnson were married. Perry Johnson was born in Sweden on April 2, 1849, and accompanied his brother Oley to America. He died June 17, 1901, leaving three children: Edgar O., in the National Army, was married to Lena Bullock June 23, 1918; James Clay, now a soldier in the National Army, fighting in behalf of the free peoples of the world against the military oppression of Germany; Mary Christina Johnson, the only daughter, was married to Logan Taylor July 18, 1918. Mr. Johnson is a Republican and has served as school director of District No.7. He is a stockholder in the Windsor and Calhoun Elevator Companies and takes an active and influential part in all civic movements. ==================================================================== JOHNSON, Ruel W. - b: 1835 Wood Co, VA source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 816 residence: Springfield Twp Ruel W. Johnson, farmer and stock raiser, was born August 20, 1835, in Wood County, Virginia, his parents being Phineas Johnson, a farmer and blacksmith by trade, born May 6, 1809, in Pennsylvania, and Abigal (Ross) Johnson, born July 25, 1813, and originally from Ohio. They were married December 12, 1833, and had eleven children, eight of whom are living. They were residents of Clark County, Missouri, at one time for ten years, removing thence to Henry County, Missouri. The education of R. W., was received in Wood County, Virginia, previous to the age of fourteen years. He left home in 1860, and went to Clark County, Missouri, remaining until the following year, when he enlisted under Captain Watts, commander of what was called the Fox Rangers, a regiment of cavalry, which was soon organized into a regiment under Colonel Green, operating during the summer in Northern Missouri. Moving south in the fall, he joined General Price before Lexington, and served with him during the war, finally surrendering at Shreveport, Louisiana. He then returned to Clark County, Missouri, and from there went to McDonald County, Illinois, but a few months later locating in Bolivar County, Mississippi. After a comparatively short time he returned to Missouri, and in less than a year found himself once more in the south, at Jackson, Mississippi. He returned to his father, in Henry County, in August, 1867, and with the senior Johnson joined in farming for nearly seven years. December 15, 1873, he married Mrs. Martha Wears, of Henry County, Missouri. By this union there was but one son. Mrs. J. died May 20, 1875. In 1877, January 20, he married Mrs. Eliza Chalmers, also of this county. They have a farm of forty acres, located on section 29. He was elected a justice of the peace in 1882, but declined to qualify. Politically he is a Democrat. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by the Henry County MOGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~mohenry/henryco.html Contact the Henry County Coordinator for comments or corrections. ====================================================================