Adelbert P. Johnson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 92-93 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				ADELBERT P. JOHNSON.  

	Adelbert P. Johnson, of Yankton, was born in Bradford county, 
Pennsylvania, July 14, 1863. His father, H. H. Johnson, was likewise a 
native of that locality and came of German ancestry although the family 
has long been represented on American soil. The great grandfather was a 
native of Virginia and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. 
The same patriotic spirit was manifested by H. H. Johnson when at the 
time of the outbreak of the Civil war he joined the army, giving 
valiant aid to the Union cause. He made farming his life work and at 
different times was called to public office-offices of honor and trust 
in his county, the duties of which he discharged ably, conscientiously 
and capably. He was born and reared in Bradford county and throughout 
that section of the state where he was widely known was most highly 
esteemed. He died in 1909, having for five years survived his wife, who 
was in her maidenhood Miss Delilah Smith. She, too, was a native of 
Bradford county, Pennsylvania, where she was reared and educated, and 
there she passed away in 1904. Her parents were also natives of 
Bradford county but her great-grandmother was born in Germany.  

	Adelbert P. Johnson was the third in order of birth in a family 
of eleven children and, like the others of the household, had the usual 
experiences of those who spend their youth upon a farm. There is 
something in the free outdoor life which splendidly qualifies the 
individual for later duties. The common schools afforded him his 
educational opportunities and he worked with his father in the fields 
until he reached the age of eighteen years, when he became an employe 
of a cousin in the dairy business. He devoted two years to that work 
and in 1883 came to the west, settling in Yankton, South Dakota, where 
he obtained similar employment, spending four years at dairy work. He 
then took up a homestead, proved up on the same and thus became the 
owner of a good farm property in the northern part of Yankton county. 
After establishing his claim he returned to Yankton in 1887 and resumed 
work at the dairy business. He carefully saved his earnings through the 
succeeding year and in 1888 embarked in business on his own account as 
the proprietor of a dairy. Although he began on a small scale his trade 
grew rapidly and his business became a large and profitable enterprise, 
which he conducted until 1895, when he sold out in order to engage in 
the business of sinking artesian wells. In this he continued for two 
years, sinking a great many wells in Yankton county and winning a 
gratifying measure of profit from his efforts in that direction. In 
1898 he established a factory and began the manufacture of soft drinks 
in Yankton, conducting that business for seven years. It seems that all 
that he undertakes meets with gratifying returns, but the secret of his 
success is not hard to find as he is persistent, energetic and 
resolute. He disposed of that business in 1905 and through the 
succeeding three years was engaged in farming on his tract of one 
hundred and sixty acres of land adjoining Yankton. In 1908 he was made 
a member of the city police force and served through the succeeding 
three years. He was then chosen deputy county sheriff and proved 
efficient in that capacity. He is now first police of Yankton.  

	In 1891 Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Nettie L. Cram, a native 
of New York, and they have one child, Eunice D. Mr. Johnson is a member 
of Dakota Lodge, No. 1, I. O. O. F., and of the Fraternal Order of 
Eagles, No. 1486. He has always been a republican in his political 
views and has taken an active part in the work of the party.