GALLIA COUNTY OHIO - BIO: JOHNSON, James W. (published 1928)
***********************************************************************
OHGENWEB NOTICE:  All distribution rights to this electronic data are
reserved by the submitter.  Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted
material will require the permission of the copyright owner.
***********************************************************************
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Gina M. Reasoner
AUPQ38A@prodigy.com 
January 17, 1999
***********************************************************************

WEST VIRGINIA In History, Life, Literature and Industry
The Lewis Publishing Company 1928 - Volume 5, page 49

James W. Johnson. In the mining district of Logan and the surrounding
counties of West Virginia there can be found no community whose
improvements are more conducive to the welfare of the workers and their
families than the thriving little town of Lorado. Unfortunately it has been
only in recent years that many of the large employers of labor have come to
the realization of the needs of their employees, but the Lorado Coal Mining
Company had this in mind when, in 1915, they sent James W. Johnson to this
locality in the capacity of superintendent. Much of the credit for the
planning and laying out of Lorado must be given to Mr. Johnson, a life long
mining man, under whose supervision this has been made into one of the best
mining communities of Logan County.
Mr. Johnson was born June 6, 1863, at Niles, Ohio, and is a son of Thomas
and Arma (Slater) Johnson. Thomas Johnson was for many years a minister of
the Methodist Episcopal Church and was also interested in coal mining in
various fields. His death occurred in 1907 and that of his worthy wife in
1917. They were the parents of nine children, of whom two, Edward and
Thomas, were organizers of the Lorain Coal and Dock Company, of Lorain,
Ohio, of which the Lorado Coal Mining Company is a part, Edward now being
chairman of the Board of Directors, while Thomas has retired.
James W. Johnson received only limited educational advantages, in his
youth, and he was but twelve years of age when he started out to make his
own living. At the start he was employed in the coal mining industry, in a
humble capacity, and through industry and fidelity worked his way upward
through the various positions, learning the business in all its details. In
1915, at the time of the organization of the Lorado Coal Mining Company,
Mr. Johnson came to this place in the capacity of superintendent and
immediately began his work of laying out and improving it. This work has
gone unremittingly through the years until Lorado is now one of the
outstanding mining districts of Logan County. The company has spent
thousands of dollars under Mr. Jonson's direction to make living conditions
better for the employees and their families. Every building in the town is
painted white, which alone makes it attractive, while many of the miners
own their own homes, which are sold to them on easy payments. In addition
there is a community church, a theatre, a drug store, a club, a restaurant,
a railway station and other improvements. Sanitary conditions prevail
throughout, the company being solicitous as to the health of the men in its
employ. Mr. Johnson is known as a experienced and thorough mining man and
capable executive, and while a strict disciplinarian has the friendship and
loyalty of the men under his charge, who know that he will give them
justice under all conditions and circumstances.
On September 22, 1889, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage with Miss Cora
Nelson, who was born September 22, 1867, at Nelsonville, Ohio, the town
which was named after her paternal grandfather, who was a large land-owner
in that community. Her father, John Nelson, was also the owner of which
property, but died in 1882, in middle life, his death being hastened as a
result of wounds received during the war between the states. Mrs. Johnson's
mother died in 1912, having borne her husband four children. To Mr. and
Mrs. Johnson there were born five children: Rena, of Lancaster, Ohio, the
widow of Doctor McCann, a former physician of that place; Wilber N., of
Carey, Ohio; James Dowd, a World war veteran, who saw two years of service
in France, where he was badly gassed; Mary E., the wife of F. F. Benson, of
Lancaster, Ohio; and Stanley E., a vocalist of note, whose home is in New
York City.


==== Maggie_Ohio Mailing List ====