Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-14
HUMBLE START AND BUSY LIFE
WON SUCCESS FOR JOHN G. JOHNSON

q John Graver Johnson--and very few
knew his middle name-was born in Chest
e nut Hill In 1s4t. His father was a black
smith and his mother milliner. and when
child young johnson trudged around in
K that exclusive suburb delivering the hats
that his mother trimmed
II was early in life that he started the
powers of concentration and work. work
work that later gained him his place In the
world. Although going TO school and de-
Hvering hats for his mother. he studied
MS regular lessons and In addition men1or-
tzed many OF Shakespeare's plays, being
able to repeat many of them at length
Memory training OF this sort continued
Z when he entered the Central High School
y when In his early teens graduating there
from with the degree OF bachelor of arts
In 1858. He then entered the law office
of Benjamin Rush and studied there with
great application for several years, win
ming thereby the degree OF master Of arts
from the Central High School several years
After his graduation.
ENLISTED IN CIVIL. WAR
II is not generally known that John G.
johnson ever served in defense OF the
Y United States, but such was the case. Dur
p ing the crest of the Civil War in 1863
which was just after he had been admitted
Ito the bar. the armies OF General Lee
started on their drive into Pennsylvania
me philadelphia artillery regiments and was
sent to Gettysburg. He never saw active
service and returned to this city starting
I'm the practice of law with Powers, Wal
lace and Judson.
n Seven years later Johnson married tho
mother of Colonel Edward dew. Morrell
and the simplicity that marked their marital
life was In complete accord with the charac-
sterfstics that stamped him as a man set
apart from the rest
II was in his wife and mother that the
great lawyer centered his affections. AL
though his mother died but four years ago
~ tne age OF ninety -one up to the moment
'of her death he sent her those affectionate
Sits that mean little intrinsicaly, but that
reveal the direction of the thoughts
At the time when his mother was sink
mg, Mr. johnson remarked to friend
that 1t seemed though his mothers i'll
ness was the only trouble he had. When
his mother died It stripped him of the two
ne loved best. his wife having died two
years previous and he withdrew even more
into his isolation.
During his life. the barrister and his
wife were comfortable in their domesticity.
They seldom went out and preferred the
quiet of home to balls and other social
afairs.
Il is related of Mr.. johnson that on one
|Of the few occasions hes ventured out
= friend found him all alone In the draw
ing room OF one of the old Walnut street
houses. The other guests had gone out
Tor refreshments and Mr.. johnson was
asked II he wouldn't go with them.
NO. j couldn't face a struggle like that"
he replied with a SMILE
"A u was this smile, democratic, human and
sympathetic, that revealed the real johnson
AZ being man who was generous and un-
seiish and not cold and impassive. as he
WAS supposed to be. Although he didn't
believe in organized charities, his gifts to
those who needed them We're large
~ The lawyer himself demonstrated this
eoncretely when he discharged a boy in his
office one day for being too slow" The
next day he sent check for years sal
ary to the boys mother
That was the way this dominating figure
Of Americas legal stage did things Abb
solutely without regard TO what people