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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
INDEX
Source:
The County of Williams
A History of Williams County, Ohio,
from the Earliest Days with Special Chapters on Various Subjects,
including Each of the Different Townships;
Also a Biographical Department
By William Henry Shinn
PART 2
Published
Madison, Wis.
Northwestern Historical Association
1905
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ALVA SNYDER
JOHNSON, a prosperous farmer of Northwest
township, was born in Superior township,
Williams county, O., on Apr. 27, 1862. He
is the son of James R. and Rebecca (Larr)
Johnson, the former a native of Beaver
county, Pa., and the latter of Butler township,
Columbiana county, O., where she was born Aug.
16, 1830. His maternal grandparents were
George and Hannah (McNutt) Larr, the
latter a daughter of Benjamin and Hannah
McNutt, both natives of Redstone, Pa., who
came to Columbiana county, O., in an early day.
After his death at Mt. Union, his widow, in
1854, removed to to Jefferson township, Williams
county, where she ended her days. His
maternal great-grandparents were George and
Esther Larr. James R. Johnson, the
father of Alva S. Johnson, was reared on
a farm and educated in the common schools of his
native county. He was skilled in the art
of writing. On Aug. 26, 1861, he enlisted
as a private in Company A of the Thirty-eighth
Ohio volunteer infantry and died in the hospital
at Labanon, Ky., in March, 1862. In
politics he was first a Whig and then a
Republican. Of the eight children born to
James R. Johnson and wife five sons and
one daughter are still living. Alva S.
Johnson grew to manhood in Whiteley county,
Ind., and Northwest township, Williams county,
O., and received his education in the common
schools of those counties. His mother and
family came to Williams county in 1869, where
she has since resided. He has always
followed farming for a livelihood and now owns
fifty acres of valuable land, upon which he
built a substantial brick residence in 1903.
All this he has made by his own labor, having
started with absolutely nothing. In
politics he is an ardent Republican and has
served as township road supervisor. He is
a member of Northwest Lodge, No. 722,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1887
he was wedded to Miss Lola M. Smith, born
in Wood county, O., in September, 1865, the
daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Truckwell)
Smith, citizens of Hillsdale county, Mich.
To this union there has been born one son,
Louis Victor, born on Oct. 11, 1888,
educated in the common schools and a farmer by
occupation. James A. Johnson, a
twin brother of Alva S. Johnson, was born
in Superior township, Williams county, Apr. 27,
1862, and received his education in the common
schools. He is a farmer by occupation and
owns a farm of eighty-six acres of land.
In politics he is a Republican and has served
for some years as constable. He is a
member of Northwest Lodge, No. 722, Independent
Order of Odd Fellows. On Nov. 14, 1885, he
was wedded to Miss Lettie Stallman of
Steuben county, Ind., who only lived eleven
weeks after her marriage. Two years later
he married Miss Alice R. Rockey, a native
of Florence township, Williams county, and the
daughter of Jacob and Hannah (Mark) Rockey,
the former a native of Germany and the latter of
Florence township. To James A. Johnson
and second wife there have been born three
children. They are: Hulda May,
Elva Laota and Effie Celia.
Source: The County of Williams, A History
of Williams Co., Ohio, Part 2, Publ. Madison,
Wis., Northwestern Historical Assn., 1905 - Page
430 |
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SIMON
JOHNSON is one of those men of
progressive ideas and liberal business policy
who prove beyond all manner of doubt that the
vocation of farming and stock-growing can be
maintained at the same high standard of business
management and resultant profit that can any
other of the manifold calling to which men may
direct attention. He is one of the most
enterprising and successful representatives of
the agricultural industry that can be found in
Williams county, and is the owner of a find
landed estate in Springfield township.
Mr. Johnson was born in the adjoining county
of Fulton, on the 30th of April, 1852, and is a
representative of one of the honored pioneer
families of this section of the Buckeye state.
His father, George Johnson, was born in
Lincolnshire, England, in the year 1807, being
one in a family of seven children - five sons
and two daughters. In company with his
brother William, George Johnson came to
America and settled in what is now German
township, Fulton county, O., about the year
1835. They erected grist and saw-mills
three and one-half miles north of the present
village of Archbold, and the same were
familiarly known for many years as "Johnson's
Mills." The two brothers mentioned
continued the milling business in partnership
until the death of George, in 1855.
George Johnson was twice married.
His first wife bore the maiden name of
Hannah Donutt, and their marriage is said to
have been the first solemnized in what is now
Brady township, Williams county. They
became the parents of five children, one of whom
died in infancy, the other four attaining
maturity, namely: Sophia, Sabina, Mary
Ann and William Henry the last
mentioned having served as a soldier in the
Civil war, from August, 1862, until the close of
the great struggle which resulted in victory for
the Union arms. Of the four children it
may be stated that Sophia is deceased;
Sabina resides in Europe; Mary Ann is
a resident of Michigan: and William Henry
makes his home in Garrett, Ind. After the
death of his first wife, George Johnson
married, on the 16th of November, 1847, Miss
Catharine Krontz, who was born in
Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of
three children: Sarah who was born Sept.
19, 1848, and who is now the widow of William
Ufer being a resident of Springfield
township, Williams county; Solomon, who
was born Mar. 2, 1850, and who is a prosperous
farmer of Springfield township; and Simon
who is the immediate subject of this review.
George Johnson died on the 28th of
November, 1855, and in August, 1861, his widow
became the wife of John Coy, of
Springfield township, and on the 20th of the
same month she brought her family to Mr. Coy's
home, in said township. Of this second
marriage two children were born - Elmer J.,
who was born Nov. 7, 1863, and who died in
Chicago, Ill., Jan. 30, 1899, and Uriah C.,
who was born Jan. 8, 1868, and who is a
successful farmer of Williams county, residing
on the old homestead, south of Stryker.
Catharine (Krontz) Coy was born May 13,
1829, being one in a family of ten children, and
she died at the home of her only daughter,
Mr. Sarah Ufer, on the 10th of December,
1902. She was a devoted member of the
Methodist Episcopal church, as was also her
first husband, George Johnson. Simon
Johnson was reared in Fulton and Williams
counties, having been about nine years of age at
the time of his mother's second marriage and
attendant removal to Williams county. He
secured his educational discipline in the common
schools and remained on the home farm until he
had attained to his legal majority, since which
time he has been engaged in farming and
stock-growing on his own account. He was
married in the year 1876 and then located on his
present homestead, which is most attractively
situated in Section 16, Springfield township.
He first secured one hundred acres, to
which he later added an adjoining sixty acres,
so that the homestead now comprises a quarter
section, while, a short distance from the home
place, he owns another well improved farm of
eighty-four acres, the same being in charge of
his elder son, who resides upon and operates the
place. Mr. Johnson has personally
cleared more than sixty acres of wild land, and
he has installed on his farms effective systems
of tile drainage. He erected his present
substantial farm residence in 1883, and five
years later remodeled his barn, while the other
buildings on his homestead are of excellent
order. Mr. Johnson gives his
attention principally to diversified
agriculture, conducted on scientific principles
and with the aid of modern facilities, and he
also raises Shorthorn cattle, Chester White
swine and a good grade of draft horses. He
has never held office, but takes a loyal
interest in local affairs, being a stanch
Democrat in his political proclivities.
Both he and his wife are members of the
Methodist Episcopal church and are also
identified with the local organization of the
Grange. His landed possessions in
Springfield township have an aggregate area of
three hundred and sixty-four acres, and a
portion of the land is leased to good tenants.
On the 19th of March, 1876, Mr.
Johnson was united in marriage to Miss
Lucinda Wieland, who was born in Defiance
county, O., Feb. 14, 1857, being a daughter of
John G. and Rosina C. (Kurtz) Wieland.
John G. Wieland was born in Wurtemburg,
Germany, Nov. 5, 1823, being one of the eleven
children of Gottlieb and Frederica Wieland.
Of the children only two attained years of
maturity—John G. and Barbara, the
latter becoming the wife of Theobold
Fisher, of Tonawanda, N. Y., where she died
in March, 1873. The family immigrated to
America in 1831, settling on a farm near
Tonawanda, Erie county, N. Y., where the father
died in 1856, his wife having passed away in
1851. John G. Wieland came to Ohio
in 1851, locating in Tiffin township, Defiance
county, where he still resides, being the owner
of an extensive farm. Apr. 9, 1849, he
married Miss Rosina C. Kurtz, who was
born in January, 1828, in Germany, having had
four sisters and three brothers. Three of
her sisters came to America in 1840, and in 1848
she also came to the United States.
John G. and Rosina C. Wieland became the
parents of six children, namely: John A.,
Emma L., Sophia, Barbara M., Lucinda and
Wesley J. Emma L. died May 11, 1879, and
Sophia passed away December 18, 1890. Mrs.
Rosina C. Wieland died Dec. 9, 1861,
and on May 20, 1862, Mr. Wieland married
Sarah Moon, who was born in Defiance
county, O., in July, 1838, being a daughter of
Jacob and Elizabeth Moon. Six
children were born of the second marriage,
namely: Evaline, Christopher B., George
B., Harriet, Cora A. and Fannie.
In conclusion is entered a brief record
concerning the four children of Mr. and Mrs.
Johnson: Elmer Solomon Johnson was
born Feb. 28, 1879, and was graduated in the
high school at Stryker as a member of the class
of 1894. Thereafter he was successfully
engaged in teaching school for five years, after
which he completed the scientific course in the
tri-State Normal College at Angola, Ind.
On the 26th of March, 1903, he was united in
marriage to Miss Anna Bell Young,
daughter of Samuel and Susan Young, and
he then took up his residence on one of his
father’s farms, in Springfield township, as
previously intimated in this context.
Alta Maud Johnson was born September 11,
1880, and she likewise was graduated in the
Stryker high school, in the class of 1895.
After teaching five terms in the district
schools she entered the Tri-State Normal
College, Angola, Ind., where she completed her
classical course, being graduated as a member of
the class of 1902. On the 28th of August,
of that year, she was united in marriage to
Charles H. Brady, of Gaston, Ind., who was
graduated in the same college in the same year
that she was, and they have been teaching in the
public graded schools of Muncie, Ind., ever
since their marriage, Mr. Brady
having been superintendent for six years, while
Mrs. Brady has held the position
of principal for four years. Charles
Simon Johnson was born Jan. 2,
1883, and died Jan. 19, 1885. Edward
Frankland Johnson was born Oct. 8, 1889, and
he is a member of the class of 1906 in the
Stryker high school at the time of this writing,
while he assists his father in the work of the
home farm.
Source: The County of Williams, A History of
Williams Co., Ohio, Part 2, Publ. Madison, Wis.,
Northwestern Historical Assn., 1905 - Page
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