The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1909-09-23

tuesday afternoon and on each side
of the streets through which the
cortege passed were hundreds of
people with bowed heads. School
children scattered flowers along the
route of the solemn procession. The
special train reached St. Paul at 5
O'Clock, and the remains we're accom-
panied from the depot by several
companies of militia and placed in
the rotunda of the state capitol,
where yesterday they were viewed by
thousands of people.
The funeral services will be held
this afternoon from the Presbyterian
church at st. Peter, Governor John
sons native town, and the body will
be buried beside that OF his mother.
John A. johnson was the first
native OF the state of Minnesota to be
elected its chief executive. He was
born in settlers cabin near st.
Peter, July %, 1861, and his early life
was that of the pioneer children of his
day. When he was a year old the
Sioux Indians in the western part of
the state rose against the whites. The
Johnsons fed to St. Peter as the
nearest haven of refuge and remained
there until the Indians were driven
from the state. John A. Johnson's
schooling was of the most primitive
sort. He attended the little country
school few miles out of St. Peter
until he was II years old and the
amount of education he acquired in
those days was not prodigious. The
family for the most part was in
straitened circumstances. The father
was a blacksmith. he left the family
nothing when he died and Mrs. John
son was compelled to take in washing,
which the boy and his brothers de-
livered.
That Governor Johnson was indebt.
ed to his mother for the mental and
moral qualities that brought him
prominence is we'll attested by the
residents of St. Peter who kew the
family.
John johnson was not quite Is when
he was called upon to become pro-
wider. His first work was in grocery
store, where he labored so manfully
and faithfully that he attracted the
attention of Henry Jones, the village
druggist. Beginning as a lad of Is,
he remained with Mr.. Jones for ten
years, learning thoroughly the duties
OF q pharmacist.
1t was while in the drug store that
he acquired his education. He read
everything that came his way, ex-
hausting the book supply OF the vii
lage and the private libraries of his
friends. History and literature in
particular attracted him.
From the drug store young Johnson
went to the St. Peter Herald as editor.
He had no experience in newspaper
work and had done no writing, but
the democrats of the city recognized
him as man of energy and resources
as we'll as of ability. They advanced
him the money which in 1856 made
him joint proprietor with II. J. Essler
in the St. Peter Herald. i.
he was married on June l, 1894, to
Miss Gilmore M. Preston, who was a
teacher of music and drawing in the
st. Peter parochial school. She was
a graduate of the Catholic sisters
school at Rochester.
John A. Johnson's first venture in
politics was in 1858. He then ran
against c. r. Davis for the legislature
and was defeated. This satisfied him
for ten years, but in 1898 he accepted
the nomination for the state senate
against Professor C. J. Carlson of
Gustavus Adolphus college and was
elected. He was member of the state
senate for two terms and was then de-
feated by Chas. A. Johnson, repub-
lican.
John A. johnson was thrice elected
governor of Minnesota-in 1904, 1906
and 1908.