Raymond W. Johnson Biography Barbour County, WV ********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ********************************************************************** Submitted by: Valerie Crook The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 575-576 Barbour RAYMOND W. JOHNSON, of Philippi, has a genius for business. That is demonstrated in the remarkable success he has made from a start from nothing to an independent fortune when in years he is just about where most men are getting fairly settled into their vocations. He educated himself commercially as experience demanded knowledge, planned his career and worked to the plan. He is a native of Barbour County, and a representative of one of the older families here. His great-grandfather, the first of the name in Barbour County, came from Ire- land and was one of the eleven brothers who settled in dif- ferent portions of West Virginia, one locating in Harrison County, another at Cove in Taylor County, one near Mor- gantown and some in the Valley of Virginia. The grand- father of the Philippi business man was John G. Johnson, who was born in Glade District of Barbour County and spent all his life there. His was a career of usefulness and good citizenship. He owned a farm and also owned and operated a water mill at the head of Teters Creek on Mill Run. In connection with the grist milling machinery he installed carting machines, the only ones in this region. The old grist mill is still being operated, but the carting machinery has long since disappeared. John G. Johnson was a staunch democrat and Methodist. He married Kate Parsons, daughter of Job Parsons. The town of Parsons was named in honor of this family. Their children were: Richard M.; Levi, who is one of the old farmer residents of Glade District, where he was born; Robert F., who lives on the old homestead and runs the mill there; William Worth, who moved to the State of Idaho and died there; Eliza, who married Jacob V. Wilmoth and spent her life in Barbour County; Caroline, who died at the old family home, the wife of Arthur Hudkins; Emily, who married George Skidmore and lived and died near Elkins; and Lu- cinda, who was the wife of James Elliott and died in Bar- bour County. Richard M. Johnson, father of Raymond W. Johnson, was born in Glade District May 10, 1840, and devoted his career to farming and the manufacture of lumber. He acquired a fair education, was a very ardent democrat, but never went into public life. He is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, South, and with his wife resides at Parsons, Tucker County, West Virginia. His wife was Nancy Gainer, a native of Barbour County, born November 14, 1841, a daughter of Samuel P. Gainer. She is a member of the same church as her husband. Their children were: Orvilla D., who died unmarried; Orlando, associated with his brother Raymond at Philippi; James, a farmer in Glade District; William Worth, a garage man at Buckhannon; Troy, a farmer in Randolph County; Johnny G., who died unmarried; and Raymond W. Raymond W. Johnson was born in Glade District May 15, 1887. He was a farmer's son and lived on the farm un- til he was sixteen. When he left home he had only the edu- cation supplied by the country schools. .For three years he worked in the lumber woods. He had been accustomed to hard labor from early youth, and the strenuous work of the field and the woods was the school in which his destiny was shaped. He drove team and sawed timber, and after leaving the woods he engaged in the livery and dray busi- ness at Parsons. This was the enterprise which supplied him with the capital he brought to Philippi in 1910 and turned to account in the livery business. Five years later he sold out in response to the demands of the farm and en- gaged in the garage business. With N. S. Parks as a partner he built at the entrance of the old historic bridge of the city a brick garage 50x150 feet, with a two story front. For the first two years he had the local agency for the Chevrolet car, and since then has been the authorized Ford agent for this locality. This business is known as the City Garage, of which he is active manager. His business interests have been accumulating rapidly in recent years. In 1920 he resumed the lumber business as a manufacturer. He operates his mill on Laurel Moun- tain and ships the product in the rough. He still continues his farming operations in Glade District and has another farm in New Interest District of Randolph County. At times he has bought and sold real estate and has improved much property in Philippi. On June 4, 1907, at Cambridge, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Mr. Johnson married Cedocia May. Her father, Salathiel May, married Miss Arbellon Wolf, both natives of Preston County, West Virginia. Mrs. Johnson, who was born October 26, 1884, had the following brothers and sis- ters: Miss Isis May; Lenora, wife of Albert Harper; Cyrus, who lives on the Eastern Shore; Ella, wife of Clay Scott and a resident of Philippi; Mrs. Anice Hoddonott, of Cambridge, Maryland; Percy May; and Lloyd, who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have two sons, Johnny Lester, born September 19, 1908, and James Vance, born June 17, 1912. Mr. Johnson is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and Modern Woodmen of America. While his ancestors were all democrats, he has been a republican since casting his first ballot for president.