William Franklin Johnson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 393-394 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				WILLIAM FRANKLIN JOHNSON.  

	William Franklin Johnson is the proprietor of the Spearfish 
Hotel, one of the leading hotels in the Black Hills country. He was 
born in Fayette county, Ohio, August 16, 1870, a son of George R. and 
Margaret Jane (Farr) Johnson, both natives of Ohio, the former born In 
Clinton county and the latter in Fayette county. The grandfather, 
George Johnson, commonly known as "Squire," was a native of Virginia 
but settled in Ohio in pioneer times, becoming a very influential man 
in political and social circles there. He was loved and admired by all 
who knew him and enjoyed the friendship of all with whom he came in 
contact. He served as justice of the peace for many years. The father 
was always a farmer and on removing westward to Iowa in March, 1880, 
settled in Madison county, where he remained for about five years and 
then went to Fremont county. After living in that locality for a number 
of years he removed to Page county and afterward became a resident of 
Taylor county, Iowa, where he now resides. He has put aside active 
business cares and is enjoying a well earned rest, making his home in 
Conway. His wife passed away in 1910.  

	William F. Johnson, the eldest in a family of seven children, 
attended school in Ohio and was a pupil in various country schools in 
Iowa following the various removals of his parents. He started out in 
life on his own account when eighteen years of age and after working 
for others as a farm hand for two years he returned to his father's 
place and remained there for a brief period. He was thus engaged at 
intervals for a number of years, dividing his time between work for 
others and upon the old home, but in April, 1895, he went to Billings, 
Montana, where he was employed in a tannery until the latter part of 
June. He next went to Grand Forks, North Dakota, where he worked 
through the harvest season, but in the fall he made his way to Sioux 
City, Iowa, where he engaged in husking corn through the fall. In the 
winter of 1895-6 he remained at home with his father and on the 10th of 
July of the latter year came on to the Sioux reservation in South 
Dakota. He was employed by a Mr. Rook until the 1st of September and 
afterward was in the employ of a Mr. Kocher in a trading store on the 
reservation until the 1st of January, 1897, when he removed to the 
Black Hills. He lived for a time at Trojan, working in the mines until 
May, 1910. He next went to a place on Iron creek, working in what is 
known as the Ruby until December 1, 1910, when he located in Spearfish 
and engaged in the hotel business, conducting the Queen City Hotel 
until February 14th. At the solicitation of friends and the traveling 
public he closed up the Queen City and took charge of the Spearfish 
Hotel, which is the only first class hotel in the city and is one of 
the best in the Black Hills country. He now devotes his entire time to 
the hotel business, for which he is well qualified. He is a popular and 
genial host, is constantly looking after the welfare and comfort of his 
patrons and keeps his hotel at all times up to the highest standards.  

	In July, 1899, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Miss 
Katherine Miller, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and a daughter of Mr. 
and Mrs. Jacob Miller, both of whom were born on the River Rhine in 
Germany, but in early life came to the United States and settled at 
Cleveland, Ohio. The father engaged in farming near that city and 
afterward removed to Cuming county, Nebraska. In 1884 he took up his 
abode in northwestern Nebraska, near Rushville, and still remains upon 
a farm there. Mrs. Johnson was the second in order of birth in a family 
of eight children. By her marriage she has become the mother of three 
children: Harlan F., born March 22, 1900; Opal Irene, born July 31, 
1901; and Gladys Evelyn, born March 15, 1903.  

	Mr. Johnson holds membership in the Odd Fellows' lodge, in which 
he has passed through all of the chairs, and he also belongs to the 
local lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, in which he has 
been recording secretary for three years. In politics he is 
independent, voting without regard to party ties. He has served as 
township clerk in Terry township, Lawrence county, for one year, but 
has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking, preferring 
always to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs. His has 
been an active life and the intelligent direction of his efforts has 
brought him the measure of success which he now enjoys.