George F. Johnson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1662-1663 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	GEORGE F. JOHNSON is a prominent business man of Redfield, Spink 
county, and is now serving as register of deeds of said county. The 
original progenitor of the Johnson family in America immigrated hither 
in the early colonial period and located in New England, representatives 
of the name being found in various sections thereof at the present time. 
Franklin Johnson, the father of the subject, was a native of the state 
of Vermont, where he was reared to maturity. As a young man he removed 
thence to New Jersey, and there he married Miss Rispah Compton, who was 
born and reared in that state, and they became the parents of five 
children, of whom three are now living, the subject of this review 
having been the second in order of birth. He was born in this historic 
old town of Perth Amboy, Middlesex county, New Jersey, on the 5th of 
June, 1843, his father having been there engaged in the manufacturing of 
locks for a number of years. George F. received his early educational 
training in the schools of his native town and was about fifteen years 
of age when, in 1858, his parents removed to the west and settled in 
Waseca, Minnesota, as pioneers of the state. There the father engaged in 
the milling business, in which he continued during the remainder of his 
active career, and there his death occurred in 1893, at the venerable 
age of eighty-seven years, while his devoted wife died at the age of 
sixty-seven years. 

	The subject was associated with his father in the work of the mill 
at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war, and in March, 1863, at the 
age of twenty years, he enlisted as a private in Company A, First 
Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, which was commanded by Colonel Sully, who 
later became a general and distinguished himself in the Indian warfare 
of the west and northwest. The regiment proceeded to the national 
capital and shortly afterward Colonel Colvin assumed command. The 
regiment was assigned to the Army of the Potomac, and thereafter took 
part in every engagement in which this notable division of the Union 
forces was concerned until the close of the war, Mr. Johnson having 
received his honorable discharge, at St. Paul, Minnesota, in July, 1865, 
while the history of his regiment is the history of his record as a leaf 
and loyal soldier of the republic. 

	After the close of the war Mr. Johnson returned to Minnesota, and 
in 1871 he engaged in the hotel business at Janesville, that state, 
continuing to be identified with this enterprise until 1881, when he 
came to Redfield, South Dakota, and became the pioneer hardware merchant 
of the town. He has ever since continued to be identified with this 
important branch of trade, has built up a large and profitable 
enterprise and is one of the influential and honored business men of the 
county. The business is now conducted under the firm name of G. F. 
Johnson & Son, his only son having been admitted to partnership in 1890. 
In politics Mr. Johnson is a stalwart Republican, taking a lively 
interest in the party cause. He served as the first city recorder and 
treasurer of Redfield, and is incumbent of these positions at the 
present time, while in November, 1902, he was elected register of deeds 
of the county, in which office he is giving a most systematic and able 
administration of the important affairs entrusted to his charge. He is a 
member of George H. Thomas Post, No. 5, Grand Army of the Republic, and 
also of the Masonic fraternity, in which he is affiliated with Redfield 
Lodge, No. 34, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and Redfield Chapter, 
No. 20, Royal Arch Masons. 

	On the 19th of May, 1869, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to 
Miss Laura E. Storrs, who was born in Maples, New York, being a daughter 
of John and Sarah Storrs. The subject and his estimable wife are the 
parents of two children, Grace F., who is now the wife of Hubert W. 
Bartlett, of Lead, Lawrence county, this state, and Harry E., who is now 
associated with his father in the hardware business.