HON. J. G. JOHNSON Chairman Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee AN ARTICLE EXTRACTED FROM THE PEABODY NEWS 1901 Contributed by Charmaine Keith (charmain@southwind.net) 13 October 1998 --------------------------------------------------------------------- KSGENWEB INTERNET GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY COPYRIGHT NOTICE: In keeping with the KSGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Peabody News 1901 J. G. Johnson came to Marion from Peoria Co. Ill. 23 years ago with his family, then consisting of Mrs. Johnson and their six weeks old boy. Their first summer was spent on the farm on which J. L. Heath now lives, five miles south of Peabody. After a year or two spent in the neighborhood they removed to Peabody which has been their home since. ?????????????????????? at the house building trade in those days and the mechanics with whom he worked still speak of his proficiency in his particular branch of that business. He was later associated with Alfred Dean, afterward with J. A. Sawyer in the coal and produce chipping business and while in that line he built and operated the Peabody creamery, the first in Marion count. Mr. Johnson's opportunities for an education had been quite limited, consisting of but two years in the public schools before his twelfth year. But he had neglected no means of self improvement and while his time was very fully occupied in the support of his family he still found time to read law and passed a creditable examination and was admitted to the bar by Judge Doster, now Chief justice of our Supreme Court. He almost immediately became associated in the practice with J. F. Hess, Esq., and the firm conducted a very successful and profitable business both here and in Chicago up to 1899, when by reason of the demands of personal business on Mr. Johnson's time the partnership was dissolved. In the fall of 1890 the Fraternal Benefit Society, known as the Modern Woodsmen of America was reorganized at its Head Camp meeting in Springfield, Ill., and Mr. Johnson, who was a delegate from the Peabody Camp, was elected a member of its first board of directors, which body managed the entire business of the order. He retained this position until 1895, when a law department for the order was created and he was elected its first General Attorney, retaining this position until 1899. During the term of his official connection with the order it grew in number from 50,000 and is now the largest order of its kind in the world. While connected with the Woodsmen he assisted in organizing the Royal Neighbors of America, a kindred order now having 100,000, members and has from the first been a member of the Board, which is charged with its business management. He has also been president and Vice President of the National Fraternal Congress, the most notable annual assembly of representatives of fraternal beneficiary societies in the United States. Having made a specialty of the law governing these orders and their relations with their members he is recognized throughout the country as probably the foremost exponent of that branch of the law, his services being in constant demand by many of the leading orders as counsel in important cases. He was one of the Kansas delegates to the Head Camp of the Modern Woodsmen, which met at St. Paul, Minnesota, this month. Mr. Johnson is a life long democrat. He was Postmaster at Peabody during President Cleveland's first term, this being the only public office he ever held. He has been a leading member of his party in this state for many years, and has been a member of every party Convention for the past twenty years. He was a delegate to the National Convention at Chicago in 1890 and a delegate at large to the National Convention at Kansas City in 1900. He was elected to represent this state on the Democratic National Committee in 1896 and re-elected in 1900. He was a member of the Campaign Committee which managed Mr. Bryan's campaign in 1896 and is now chairman of the executive committee of the National Committee, which position gave him a very responsible part in the second campaign of Mr. Bryan, last year. He is now in charge of the Democratic National Headquarters in Chicago. When we said above that the position of Postmaster was the only public office Mr. Johnson has ever held, we overlooked the very interesting fact in this connection that he was clerk of the school board south of town before moving to Peabody and that he served for many years on the school in this city, always taking an active and intelligent interest in the welfare of the schools. While Mr. Johnson's duties compel him to spent a part of his time elsewhere, he has constantly improved his Peabody home until it is one of the most commodious and elegant homes in the city. His family how comprises his wife, their daughter and two sons, and Mrs. Johnson's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Will. --------------------------------------------------------------------- KSGENWEB INTERNET GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY COPYRIGHT NOTICE: In keeping with the KSGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------