Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-12-11
JOSIAH JOHNSON.
Desth of an Old Time Citizen-Sketch of
His Life and Character.

His Life and Character.
! One of Sacramento's oldest and most re-
spected citizens died yesterday. Josiah
Johnson was a native of Waterville, n. Y,
and died at the ripe age of AZ. He was
elected County Supervisor in 1855 and
served two years He represented Sacra-
mento county ably in the State Senate in
1857 and 1858. He was chosen Third
Trustee of the city in 1864 and served with
distinction. In 1879 he was again called to
! the same post by the vote of the people and
. served faithfully and well for three years
more. He was for many years the efficient
| Superintendent of the Sacramento Valley
Railroad Company. He was always an
earnest friend of popular education,
but his views as to methods were strange,
| because advanced. He lived to see the peo-
| pie come over in a great measure TO his
| ideas on the subject which had mechapi-
cal training on hasis. He believed the
| trend of a chiid's tastes should be cOnsid-
cred, and its education carried on in that
direction, if possible. But he held that
manual training was an essential. So i'm
pressed was he with this idea that he
| founded in this city the first training school
upon the Pacific coast. Aided by friends
with means he converted the old Franklin
school building, now the Armory of
| the First Artillery Regiment, into
a machine shop and began his school, but
its support falling, Mr. johnson was COM
PEELED to abandon bis plans, much to his
chagrin. Within five years thereafter the
people of all the State were discussing the
| project OF teaching the mechanical arts, in
| public and in district trades schools, upon
very much the general lines laid down by
| Josiah Johnson. Mr Johnson was a man
of very general information. He was an
| original thinker, and was always looking
ahead; there was nothing pessimistic in
his ideas Not long ago he said to the
writer, referring TO agitation for local
improvem ents: " We must not expect
| help in improving the city from
| those who look backward. There is (nam-
| ing wealthy citizen and property -holder)
| and and ---; they look backward and
downward and into the pocket. They have
no perceptions or interests beyond them
selves. What has answered is good
| enough for them. There are old men, how
ever, as well as young, who look forward
! and upward. They are the men who will
| help put city to the front Mr. johnson
| was ii man Of clean type; he was scrupu-
| lousy neat, and everything he had any
thing 10 do with bad to be in order and
orderly. He entertained some views regard
| ing society, personal obligations and privi-
leges, and the duty of man to his fellows, that
| did not accord with generally accepted doc
| inDes and common practices. But before
| he died he found society coming over to
| his many ideas of DEVELOPMENT and con-
| seryation of individuality Mr.. johnson
was rather reserved, had no political arlbi-
tons, WAS thoroughly domestic in his
| tsstes and habits and never pushed his per-
| sonality 70 the front Of public view He
| lived the life of good man, upright, calm,
thoughtful and favoring all progressive eff
| forts, but not fearing to oppose that
bis judgment disapprov d. His de-
| liberation, cleanliness and freedom
| from political scheming commanded
| tor him the respect and esteem of his fell
low-citizens. There are none withou, their
| faults. Josiah Johnson had fewer than
most men, and they were not those that
were forced upon the community, but re-
lated solely to his firm convictions as to
methods OF living policies for society, and
the ethics of civilization. As to these he
| differed from most men, and was termed,
| therefore, eccentric. But he did not intrude
his views, ard none be entertained but were
held because of his belief that they were
aids to the advancement of the race He
was just man, exacting and doing justice
as be measured right, wrong. obligation
and duty be harmed no man, and per-
mitted no man to trespass upon his rights.
The memory of Josiah johnson will re-
main among the people as that of good
man, useful citizen and valued factor in
| social forces.