Albert B. Johnson

ARNOLD, FOSTER, JOHNSON, LEASURE, ZWIGLEY

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 6/29/2006 at 16:27:50

Albert B. Johnson, who is residing upon his fine farm on section n, Ohio township, is one of the wealthy and well known farmers and stockmen of that township. He was born on the 5th of October, 1853, in Lee county, Iowa, a son of William G. and Sarah J. (Leasure) Johnson. The father, whose birth occurred at Windsor, Ohio, July 12, 1826, was of Irish descent and the mother, who was born in Westmorland county, Pennsylvania, August 13, 1832, was of Welsh and German lineage. Her father was a descendant of Zwigley, the great religious reformer. When but a boy Mr. Johnson came west with his parents, the family settling in Missouri in 1840. Five years later they removed to Lee county, Iowa, and there he grew to manhood and was married. Although he was a farmer he also preached the Gospel, being from 1862 until his death a minister of the Missionary Baptist church. In 1855 he returned to Missouri but at the time of the Civil war was compelled to leave that state on account of his northern sympathies and went again to Lee county, Iowa, where he died in January, 1910. He survived his wife for a decade, as she was called to her reward in 1900.

Albert B. Johnson remained with his parents until he was twenty-two years of age and in his boyhood and youth gave much of his time to the acquirement of an education. He first attended the district schools and the graded school at Farmington, Iowa, and supplemented the knowledge thus acquired by study at the State Normal School at Kirksville, Missouri. Upon beginning his independent business career he went to Nevada, where for a time he engaged in silver and gold mining, and then returned to Iowa, where he was married. In 1876 he located upon the farm in Ohio township where he has since resided. His father early trained him in agricultural pursuits, and the knowledge of the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the stock which he learned in boyhood enabled him to farm successfully when he began operating land on his own account. He has always been progressive and willing to utilize the discoveries of investigators along agricultural lines and in his work has always used the latest machinery. As he prospered he purchased more land and now owns six hundred and forty acres in Ohio township. He now rents the farm land but stocks the grazing land himself, buying cattle and hogs which he feeds and sells at a good profit. He is one of the extensive stockmen of the county and one of the leading men in his township. He has a number of interests aside from his land, as he is a stockholder and director of the Truro Savings Bank and one of the organizers and president of the Farmers' Mutual Telephone Company of Truro.

On the 16th of October, 1876, Mr. Johnson was married in Madison county, Iowa, at the home of the bride's parents in Ohio township, to Miss Mary T. Foster, a daughter of Reuben and Barbara E. (Arnold) Foster. Her father was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, on the 14th of March, 1828, and is of Pennsylvania Dutch, English and Scotch descent. His wife, who was born in the same county on the 21st of August, 1830, is also of Pennsylvania Dutch stock. They were married on the 25th of April, 1852, in Ohio and in the fall of the following year removed to Eddyville, Iowa, where the father farmed for a year. He came west with a party of settlers, there being thirteen wagons in the train, and it took thirty-one days to make the trip. In 1855 the Foster family located in Madison county and the father entered land in Ohio township, where he resided for twenty-five years. At the outbreak of the Civil war he answered the call of his country and served until disabled, when he returned to his farm in Ohio township. At length, however, he and his wife removed to St. Charles, Iowa, where they resided for four years, but in 1914, on account of Mrs. Foster's ill health, they took up their residence with their daughter, Mrs. William Black, of Ohio township. In 1912, while residing at St. Charles, they celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary.

Mr. Johnson is a republican in his political views and beginning in January, 1895, served for six years as a member of the board of county supervisors. He is now trustee of Ohio township and his record as a public official is a highly creditable one. He and his wife are both affiliated with the Ohio Baptist church, of which he is now deacon. For a number of years he was treasurer of the church and is one of its influential members. His wife belongs to the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Although he has always given strict attention to his business affairs he has never allowed his work to cause him to forget the duties that he owes to his community as a good citizen and many measures that have contributed largely to the public good have profited from his cooperation In fact he can always be depended upon to aid in any way possible the material, moral and social advancement of his community.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915,” by Herman Mueller.