Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-12-04
Mr.. JOHNSON'S RISE.
How a Well Known Citizen Has
Advanced in This
Country.
FROM HUMBLE STATION TO FAME.

Age.
The Chicago Journal prints the fol-
lowing story of the rise OF j. q. john
son. well known in this city and Ike
wise a popular throughout the entire
jurisdiction of the order as he recent
general attorney of the Modern WOOD
men of American:
"A little less than thirty years ago
a man in overall~ and working blouse
laborcd by the day in the Sherman
house. With others he plastered the
hotel from g,rret TO cellar He was
John johnson. Il plasterer.
Last Monday Il big man dressed in
a frock coat conferred with score OF
men of national reputation in a room
in the same hotter. They were the
members of the democratic national
executive committee the leaders of
one OF the two great parties in the
country. They were shaping the next
years battle for millions of votes.
The big man in the frock coat was
one Of the foremost men of this inner
circle He was John Gilmore John
son. the active manager of the demo
cratic national committee.
The story of Mr.. Johnson's life i
nance in the story, but there's lots Of
hard work. Few persons know that
he man who will direct the national
campaign of the democratic party was
Il pla>tcrer working bv the day in
Chicago so years ago. Mr.. johnson
doesn talk much OF himself. He
speaks of and for other persons.
That's his business. He was never
-. -, I g.. H..
he never ran for one. Scores of men
have been elected to Office because
johnson ran them.
PIastered Several Other Hotels.
BY a peculiar coincidence Mr..
johnson worked at his trade in the
Clifton house. the Palmer house and
the fremont hou>a. a. We'll Is ut the
Sherman.
The Clifton house in those days was
a quiet and unpretentiouS sort of hos
telry. but it had an especially attrac-
tive dining room. A johnson worked
in this room. he thought to himself
that some day he would like to come
back o Chicago with enough money in
his pockets 10 afford putting up at
this mouse. This desire nee ime one
of the biggest am bitions the plaSterer
had. Mr.. johnson did come back 10
Chicago and to this hotel. He wa
easily able 10 pay for the privilege of
eating in the dining room. He wa
directing a national campaign. After
work ing down town for some time and
boarding in an hu III BILE lodmio@ house
on the West SIDE, johnson secured Il
Job at the Marine hospital in Lake
View. There he worked for nearly Il
year. In 1874. after two years labor
in Chicago, he left the city. Hard
work and good habits blcked. of
course. by good naturtl ability. laid
the foundation for this mechanics
success in / e.
The Son OF a Brooklyn Contractor.
MIR. johnson was the son Of Il mason
contractor of Brooklyn, and was the
second of family of eight children.
1t was. therefore. only natural that he
should become Il bricklayer and a
plastercr. He was scarcely ii years
of age when he was apprenticed. He
learned both trades and learned them
well.
just after the big fire he came to
Chicago from the south and went to
work ut his trade-Or. rather, trades.
He was then 20 years old. There was
bic demand for skilled laborers. so
John JohnsOn-it was John Johnson in
those days went to work on Field &
Letters warehouse. LAYING bricks. He
preferred the plasterer's vocation.
however. and secured employment at
the Sherman house, which was then
being rebuilt after the fire. He worked
ut this hotel for several weeks. He
helped plaster the diningrOom + the
Sherman house. the room in which he
and Senator j. X. Jones and other
leaders of the party dincd last Monday
noon.
That johnson was a good plaStcrer
is evidenced by the fact that the same
plaster i on the diningroom now.
Probably the dapper Mr.. Campau,
committeeman from Michigan, would
have been tremendously surprised if,
as they dined. Mr. johnson had told
him that no, besmear-d with white
and logged out in overalls, had plas-
tered that very room. creeping along
on the lofty scadolds-
My a. Years of Age.
Mr.. johnson i only A years of
aye. being born Feb. 22. 1852. in
BROOKLYN. He is of Irish descent. He
received a 2-year>' education in the
common schools. but left before
he could have been educated.
to take up the the trade ola plasterer.
In 1865 his family moved to Illinois.
settling in Chillicothe. In this state
johnson started out as n plaster
er and bricklaver. When about IS
wears of age he came to Chicago and
worked for n few months at his trade, |
and then went south. Two wears
later. in the winter after the big fire. |
ne returned To the city and worked |
on the various houels as described. |
his calling was humble. he |
earned good wages. plasterers being
paid So day at that period. He was |