Johnson, Albert

JOHNSON, WILSON, STOKES

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 9/1/2009 at 07:46:43

Johnson, Albert

One of the owners of extensive farming interests in Jasper County is the gentleman whose name initiates this sketch. His valuable property has been acquired through his own efforts, his persistency of purpose and his determination, and the prosperity, which is the legitimate reward of all earnest efforts in today his. Mr. Johnson is easily the peer of any of his fellows in the qualities that constitute correct manhood and good citizenship. He is what he is from natural endowment and self-culture, having attained his present position solely through the impelling force of his own genius. He possesses not only those powers, which render men efficient in the material affairs of life, but also the gentler traits that mark genial and refined social intercourse. In his daily affairs he manifests a generous regard for his fellows and as a large-hearted whole-souled gentleman, actuated by principles of honesty, no man in the County merits and commands more fully the good will of the people.

Albert Johnson, of Lynnville, was born in Montgomery County, Indiana, August 19, 1840, and he is the son of Jervis and Malissa L. Johnson, both natives of Virginia, in which state the father grew up and engaged in farming until he was twenty-seven years of age, then came to Henry County, Indiana, locating at Dublin, and there engaged in manufacturing hats and eight years later he came to Montgomery County, Indiana, locating near Crawfordsville and there continued the manufacture of hats, also owned and operated a farm there. In 1851 he came to Lynn Grove Township, Jasper County, Iowa, and entered the old homestead of two hundred and forty acres from the government, near Lynnville, later adding one hundred and sixty acres more, which he improved, and there he carried on farming extensively until his death, in 1882. He was a member of the Friends Church. His family consisted of five sons, named as follows: Joseph, deceased; Albert, of this review; Jervis deceased; Charles lives at Hartford, Kansas; Henry lives in Grinnell, Iowa Albert Johnson attended school in Indiana and a short time after coming to Jasper County. His parents being pioneers here had plenty of hard work to do in getting a start, so he was compelled to do his share of the labor. They had come to Indiana from Virginia in a one-horse cart with all their belongings, the total value of which was practically nothing, and they immigrated to Iowa in a wagon, and upon their arrival in Lynn Grove they invited their neighbors for miles around to assist in building their first cabin. They became well known and influential here and developed a splendid farm, which is now owned by their son, Albert, of this sketch. The father was always a Republican and was during the days of slavery agitation a conductor on the "underground railroad." The day the subject was eighteen years of age his father sent him with a family of runaway slaves to J. B. Grinnell's residence, the next station.

Albert Johnson was married on June 24, 1903, to Anna J. Wilson, who was born in Wayne County, Indiana, February 6, 1858. She is the daughter of Gideon C. and Susan (Stokes) Wilson, both of whom spent their lives in Indiana, in which State Mrs. Johnson was born, at Milton, but they did not get acquainted until reaching maturity, having met in California, where Mrs. Johnson lived.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson reside in Lynnville, where they have a fine residence. He is a member of the Friends Church, and is an openhearted, genial gentleman whom everybody likes. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 826.