Randolph County, West Virginia Biography of HERMAN GORDON JOHNSON This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 553-554 Randolph HERMAN GORDON JOHNSON, newspaper editor and pub- lisher at Elkins, is one of the most influential men of Ran- dolph County, and one who is a compelling force in this part of the state. He was born near Meadowville, Barbour County, West Virginia, October 22, 1875, a son of Levi and Helen Angeline (Poling) Johnson. On the same farm on which Herman Gordon Johnson was born, his father and grandfather, John G. Johnson, came into the world. The great-grandfather, Levi Johnson, settled in Barbour County during the pioneer period of that part of the state, and he was a soldier in the American Revolution, serving from Virginia. He was born in England, from whence he came to the American Colonies, and after a time spent in New Jersey, came South to Virginia. Helen Angeline Poling, mother of Herman Gordon John- son, was born on a farm adjoining the one owned by the Johnsons, in Barbour County, and she was a daughter of Emory Poling. Mrs. Johnson died May 8, 1920, aged sixty- five years, but Mr. Johnson survives and is now seventy- three, and makes his home in Barbour County. Fanning has been his life work. Both the Johnsons and Polings were in sympathy with the Confederate cause during the war be- tween the North and the South, and Levi Johnson for many years supported the candidates and measures of the demo- cratic party, but for the past few years has been a repub- lican in politics. For a long time he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and his wife was also a member of the same denomination. They reared three sons and three daughters to useful manhood and womanhood. Growing up on his father's homestead, Herman Gordon Johnson early learned under his father's watchful instruc- tion the importance of industry and thrift and the true dignity of labor well performed. His preliminary educa- tion was obtained in the rural schools, and he was for three years a teacher in them during his early manhood. He entered the educational field in order to earn the money to further pursue his own studies, for he was ambitious and realized that it was only through the training of a higher education could he hope to carry out his ideals. He at- tended the Fairmont State Normal School, and then matricu- lated at the University of Nashville, Tennessee, but before completing his literary course there was offered a position as a reporter on the Nashville American, which he accepted and in that connection began his association with news- paper work. From 1896 to 1898 he remained with that newspaper, but in the later year accepted an offer to become manager of the Elkins Inter-Mountain, and was so em- ployed for over one year. Resigning then, Mr. Johnson took charge of the Mountain Echo at Keyser, West Virginia, in which he had bought an interest. Two years later he bought the Elkins Inter-Mountain, which he has since edited and published, being its sole proprietor, although he operates under the firm name of Inter-Mountain Printing Company. The Inter-Mountain is published as a daily every week day, and also as a weekly newspaper, and as an exponent of republican principles. Until 1907 the paper was issued only as a weekly, but in that year its scope was broadened and it has since been a daily as well. For twenty years Mr. Johnson has edited and managed his journal, and has made it one of the most modern and newsy papers in his part of the state. Always active as a republican, in 1918 Mr. Johnson was the republican nominee for the office of state senator from the Thirteenth Senatorial District, composed of Randolph, Upshur, Barbour and Pendleton counties. Elected by a gratifying majority, he took his seat in the Upper House of the State Assembly, and his record since doing so has been a clean and notable one, and his service has been characterized by more than average ability. As chairman of the Senate committee on education Mr. Johnson led his associates in recommending, and had enacted into laws, some of the most important educational measures now on the statute books. He was a strong advocate of what is known as the "depletion tax," a tax on coal, oil and gas. Mr. Johnson is a member of several fraternities, including the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Ancient and Accepted Order of Masons, in the latter of which he has been advanced to the thirty-second degree, Scottish Rite, and the Knight Templar degree, York Rite, and he is also a noble of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the Elkins Rotary Club, the Elkins Country Club and the Cheat Mountain and Alleghany Mountain clubs. As a member of the Presbyterian Church he finds expression for his religious faith. In 1899 Mr. Johnson married Miss Mary Barnes, of Elkins, who was born at Cumberland, Maryland. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of two children, namely: Bess Kathryn, who is a student in the School of Drama in the Carnegie Technical Institute; and Herman Gordon, Jr., who is a student in the Elkins High School. It is not an easy task to do full justice to a man like Mr. Johnson in a notice of this brevity, for he has entered into so many movements, both personally and through the medium of his paper, has inaugurated and carried to suc- cessful completion improvements of great importance, and never spared himself or his means in order to advance his community. In all of this he has been actuated by the highest principles of good citizenship and local pride, and his worth is fully appreciated by those who know him best. His nomination and election to the State Senate came as a just reward for years of great public service, and the honor was so accepted, although it brought with it added labors, for no man as earnest and conscientious as Mr. Johnson could accept such an office without exerting himself to the utmost to do the greatest amount of good. Always a friend of education, for years he had fought for better schools and higher standards for educators. As a member of the Senate he had the opportunity to score a victory over the reactionary element which had always opposed him; and the school children today are reaping the benefits. Mr. John- son has already accomplished much, but his friends contend that his career is not by any means closed, and that further honors will be offered him, for his constituents realize the fact that he is one who will look after their interests fear- lessly, resolutely and successfully, and because of that and their personal friendship for him will desire his advance- ment in office so that their rights may be properly pro- tected and honestly defended.