The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-06-17
A LIFE 10 BE PROUD OLE.

LAuRESs, April G,--When tho time comes
TO nominate n c'ndidats for congress Hrau,
the Fourth District the democr,is of Lau-
Iens will divide. The candidacy Of Jcseph
L. johnson brings him, of course. into
prominent notice, but distinct from that
his career has au interest and n Lesson OF il,
own.
Mr. johnson WAS horn near Brewerton in
the northwssteru section of Laursus county,
Oh the 2sth of February, 1858, and is there
for" just turned thir, four
In his infancy his father, a farmer in com.
Portable c rcumstauccs, Gisd, AMI tho small
estate in aud. which he lec wa, in some
way dissipa ed. The boy with only u
widowed mother TO provide, was forced for
the most art 10 make his own way. In his
boyhood he attended the ouuutry schools:
say two years and half in all 1T. IL
Daniel, Thomas Traynbam and II. S. Shu-
mate were his teichers. When he was Ii
Yeas old his mother died and the same ear
upon tho advice of q brother n-lsw, he set
ont to gain collegiate educa;;on aud tna-
circulated ut Erskiue. lie hadn't a dollar
hut he has been Ut work all Of his life aud
fel. that ho could go to college and make a
living too During the first year of the
c'nrse hc had to depend on the labor of his
hands to make expenses, cutting coriwo ID
anu picking cotton, among other things, in
vacation. One of his many expcdients wa.
hauling freight f,om the town of Doaalds
into Due West in an OK cart, which consti.
tutcd his cipitnl stock in business After
the young student ha gained tho sopho-
more class, au easier lime dawned ami lie
managed to make ends meet by sellidg books
ami teaching schoo! between sessions The
records OF Erskine will show his high stand
ing in scholarship, and tho PRECEDENT and
10 fv tn ,rl =.
which he was held.
The week following graduation in Juno,
1879, he opened school at Hodges where
he taught for year and half During
the summer vacation of 1880 he took the
census Of Cokesbury io~nship, doing the
necessary travelling on foot. That wa, the
nearest to any political office that he has
yet hold. In September, 1880, he entered
Vanderbilt University and remained there
eight months studying lng'c aud modern
languages SO much for youth in which
hori and constant manual and Intellectual
toll combnel to make man.
Leaving Vanderbilt, johnson commenced
the study of law at Llnrons under Col. J
W. Ferguson, and was admits cd IN 1852. lie
was successful as lawyer from the begin
nlng. The public records in Laurens Able
Vile, Greenvile and other counties will
prove tiat the firm of J,hnson & Richoy has
enloye" practice which will compare
farorabiy With any in the up country. Its
services on the part of creditors in the Nix
assignment litigation for instance, are we'll
known to tho readers Of the Ddiiy N,cs
While Mr.. Johnston has never before
been a candidate, or even active in politics,
close and critical study have made him n
specialist in questions of national politics
On the silver and tariff questions he has
informed himself thoroughly. lie fnvors
the free aud unlimited coinage Of silver and
Is a tariff r,formcc in the strict democratic
sense. lilo is n forct!e and fluent speaker.
If elected 10 congrc =, careful prcpara-
ration, the same sor. that he is accustomed
To give 10 Il law case or anything that he
undertakes. as well ~ grca. natural ability,
will bring 10 him immediate reputation and
influence.
MIR. Johnson is leading member of the
Methodist church, and ha. been for years.
Whatever the event of tho contest i, is
safe TO predict that Mr.. Johnsons cinya.s
will bs conducted on a high plane. Any
thing more or less than n business like, ear
nest, inquiring discussion of the issues is too
rspugnant to the character of the man 10 be
anticipated by those who know him. At. the
5hesglit.Bss@ @ ~ tx66sl 49,