The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1913-01-09
JOSIAH CLARK JOHNSON.

MIR. Johnson's life Ia taken from the
Bonne Terre Register.
Clark Johnson, as he was familiar.
ly called, was conspicuous charac.
ter in the history of st. Francois
county and the State OF Missouri.
His father, Josiah johnson, settled
where Doe Run now stands more
than 100 years ago securing the
grant OF land from the Spanish Gov
ernment which at that time had pos
session of this territory. Since
Spain relinquished her rights to
this territory by treaty made Oct.
/, 1900, Josiah Johnson must have
been one of the first settlers in the
county.
Clark Johnson was born at Four.
| chernault, Washington Co., July
9th 1896, where his father had moved
after settling at Doe Run. He was
one of the II children boys and
b girls and is survived by two sis.
ters. Mrs. Emily Gregory aged 81 Of
Marionville, Mo-, and Mrs. Almeda
Robinson aged 81 of DeSoto, Mo.
Young Johnson secured the educo.
tion furnished In those pioneer days
In the schools of Washington Co.
In April ls47 at the age OF 2l he en-
listed for the Mexican war, re-
cruiting station having been estab-
lished at Potosi. In lSiS he was
mustered out and in lSi9 Joined the
wild rush to California gold fields in
company with u number of men
from this county who made the trip
In OK wagons. After four years of
gold mining ho returned to Mo-, aud
began mercantile business ot Bel
grade. He then moved his business
to Big River Mills this county
where he sold goods including the
years OF 1858 to 1855; 1t was here he
met and married Rebecca Jane
Hill, daughter of John w. Hill, the
one time owner of large tract of
land near where East Boane Terre
now stands. This John w. Hill
was relative OF the immortal Gen
eral Lew Wallace.
To the union of Clark ] Johnson and
Jane Hill were born 3 children
namely; Mrs. NJ. l.. Horton who
makes her home with j. w. Heller,
Mrs. g. W. DeLisser of Newark n
j., Mrs. J. w. Helber deceased,
John b. Johnson st. Louis, Mrs.
w. 7. Halle and J. II. Johnson OF
Pennington, j. l.. Johnson Flat
River and &. w. Johnson Green
willie ). G.
Mrs. Jennie Taylor, grandmother
of Firmin Halle both of whom live
here, was one of the brides maids |
at the marriage of johnson and his +,
wife,
From merchandising he went to !
farming on part of the old Hill
farm until 1891 when he moved to
St. Louis and engaged In the stone
quarry and brick yard work. Much |
OF his property was destroyed In the |
great cyclone of 1896 after which he
retired from active business. He
came to the home Of MFR, Helber last
October, realizing that he had but
a short time allotted him. During
the Christmas time he requested to
see his seven living children all of
whom visited him, some spending
quite little time with him. He
was life long active church member
having joined the Baptist Church at
the age OF q. He had also been and
lived Free Mason.
In the absence of Rev. z. r.,
Spence, Rev. X. II. Ramsey of Flat
River conducted the funeral SER
vices and the burial was made In
the Bonnie Terre cemetery.
MIR. Johnson was remarkable
man In many particulars. He was
a volumnious reader. With a fond
ness for reading and u most reten-
tive mind few men have more scrip
ture at their command than Mr..
Johnson had. Current events and
history claimed mach attention and
until almost the last day of his life
he had some one sean the newspa.
per and read to him the matters of
real news. His eye sight never
failed him and he could read with
out glasses up till few days before
his death when he became too feeble
to hold The paper. 1t is said that
the St. Louis Republic had been
read In mis- home since the founding
,f that paper In 1908.
His life was we'll rounded In years
and In works. He closed the chap
.er Of his life's book on the first day
'f New Year and If years were
numbered in eternity as they are
,ere he would begin a new life on
he first day OF the New Year.