Biography of Walter Wallace Johnson - McDowell County, West Virginia          


The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II,
page 238

WALTER WALLACE JOHNSON has effectively demonstrated his executive ability
and progressive business policies in his service as manager of the Welch
Sales Company, of Welch, McDowell County, this corporation being local
representative in the sale of the Ford automobiles and the Fordson trucks
and tractors, the business having been established by him and his elder
brother, J. Frank Johnson, Jr.

Mr. Johnson was born at Peerville, a village now known as English, in McDowell
County, and the date of his nativity was March 13, 1878. He is a son of J.
Frank and Marinda (Compton) Johnson, the former of whom was born at Bristol,
Tennessee, in 1830, and the latter in Buckhannon County, Virginia (now West
Virginia), in 1858. The parents were for many years residents of McDowell
County, and here the father died in 1908 and the mother in 1917. J. Frank
Johnson was reared in a home of comparative affluence and received a liberal
education. He was in his young manhood a successful teacher in the schools
of McDowell County, and he was called upon to serve in various local offices
of public trust, including those of county sheriff and county clerk, of which
latter he was the incumbent twenty-six years. As a soldier of the Union in
the Civil war he took part in many engagements, was captured by the enemy
on more than one occasion and was to have been shot, but contrived to make
his escape. He was a life-long democrat, but his two sons have been republicans
from the time of casting their first votes. Besides the two sons the family
circle included four daughters, all of whom survive the honored parents.

Walter W. Johnson continued to attend school until he was twenty-two years of
age, and thereafter was for a short time engaged in the teaming business. He
then became associated with his brother in establishing the Johnson Printing
Company, through the medium of which they were for sixteen years editors and
publishers of the McDowell Record, which they made an effective exponent of
local interests and also of the cause of the Republican Party. After their
retirement from the newspaper business they formed the present Welch Sales
Company, and erected a garage which in general facilities and equipment is
conceded to be one of the best in Southern West Virginia. The McDowell Record
was the first newspaper established in McDowell County and was founded by the
father of the subject of this sketch. He first published the paper at English
and later removed the plant and business to Welch, the county seat, where his
sons eventually succeeded him in the ownership and management of the business.
The elder of the two brothers, J. Frank Johnson, Jr.; is now a member of the
County Court of McDowell County and is extensively interested in coal development
in this section of the state, besides which he has served as county sheriff
and as mayor of the City of Welch.

As previously stated, Walter W. Johnson is a republican in political allegiance.
He is affiliated with the local Blue Lodge and Chapter of the Masonic Fraternity
and also with the Knights of Pythias, and his wife is an active member of the
Baptist Church.

August 1, 1907, recorded the marriage of Mr. Johnson and Miss Bessie Beard, who
was born in Gates County, Virginia, a daughter of James E. Beard. Mr. and Mrs.
Johnson have two children, Elizabeth and Thelma.


(Submitter note: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch.)


Submitted by C. J. Towery <ctowery@weir.net>

****************************************************************

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. Files may be printed or copied
for personal use only.

****************************************************************