JOHNSON, Karl J.

JOHNSON, BRUSH

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 1/29/2011 at 15:29:14

Karl J. Johnson, the president of the Farmers National Bank of Osage, was born June 6, 1870, in the city where he still makes his home, and is a son of John H. Johnson, whose sketch is given above. He began his education in the common schools at the usual age, passing through consecutive grades to the high school, and he was a member of its first graduating class, which numbered but four members. He also pursued a course in the Cedar Valley Seminary, from which he was graduated in 1893. He entered upon his business career as assistant of his father in the Farmers National Bank, being made assistant cashier. In 1899 he attended the law department of the Iowa City State University and was grad­uated in 1900, after which he took up probate work. Returning to the bank, he was made its cashier and in March, 1914, he was elected to the presidency as his father's successor and still occupies that position. He is thoroughly conversant with every phase of banking and is familiar with the important problems that con­tinually confront the banker. While extending every possible courtesy to his patrons, he always carefully safeguards the interests of depositors and conducts the bank upon a most substantial and reliable basis.

On the 30th of October, 1900, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Julia Brush and they have become parents of two children, Dell Elizabeth and Kathryn Mary. Mr. Johnson has reached prominence in other fields aside from that in which he has directed his business activities. He has been elected to the thirty-third and thirty-fourth general assemblies of Iowa upon the republican ticket and gave thoughtful and earnest consideration to all questions which came up for settle­ment. He did important work on committees and aided largely in furthering legislation. He attends the Methodist Episcopal church and is serving on its board of trustees, while fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias.

He has done everything in his power to advance the interests and promote the upbuilding of Osage and at all times works for public welfare. He is, moreover, preeminently a business man and is now a director of the Home Trust & Savings Bank of Osage, of which he was formerly vice president, and is still a director and the president of the Business Men's Association of Osage.

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, page 313.