Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-19
DR.. ALLEN JOHNSON,
NOTED HISTORIAN,
IS KILLED BY AUTO
Literary Society President
Was Engaged on important
Biography Dictionary.
| NATIVE OF BAY STATE
NEARLY 81 YEARS OLD
Mrs. Ruby Cav Succumbs at
Charlottesville From Car
Injuries.

DR.. Allen johnson, who had won
recognition as one OF the leading nus
torians of the United States, was killed
last night when struck by an automobile
at Connecticut and Rhode Island
avenues.
Samuel Cherosky of 407 Rhode Island
avenue northeast, the driver, was re-
leased in custody of his attorney, pend
ing an inquest at IL o'clock tomorrow
morning.
DR.. johnson was proceeding across
the intersection, and Cherosky was
turning off Connecticut into Rhode
Island avenue at the time, police re-
ported.
Cherosky took the injured man to
Emergency Hospital, where he died a
short time later. Doctors said death
was due to shock, though he received
head injuries and broken leg and arm.
DR.. johnson would have been 81 years
old the 29th of this month. Death
interrupted a work that his associates
said today would have crowned fitt1ngly
a notable career-preparation of The
Dictionary of American Biography.
Designed eventually 70 contain 20
volumes incorporating the biographies
of some $4,000 notable Americans who
have died, the undertaking to which
DR.. johnson had devoted the past five
years had reached the stage where the
sixth volume was in preparation.
Native Of Massachusetts.
Allen johnson was born in Lowell,
Mass, January 90, 1870, the son OF
Moses Allen johnson and Elmira Shat
tuck johnson. He studied successfully
at Amherst, the University OF Leipzig,
Ecole des Sciences Politiques in Paris
and Columbia University, and then In
structor in history at Lawrenceville,
where he remained two years. For the
next seven years he occupied the CHAIR
of history at Grinnell, five years more
were spent as professor of history and
political science at Bowdoin, and then
in 1910 DR.. johnson became learned
professor of history at Yale, where ne
remained until 1925.
Meanwhile he had found time to pro-
duce several historical writings, nclud-
ing the "Intendant Under Louis XIV,
"Stephen A. Douglass" Readings in
American Constitutional History,
Union and Democracy" Jefferson and
His Colleagues" THE Historian and
Historical Evidence" and others. From
l9lS-192l he also was editor OF enron
icles of America.
In 1900 DR.. johnson married Helen
K. Ross of Germantown. One son was
born to them, Allen Sheppard johnson,
who survives his father. Mrs. johnson
died in 1921.
Coming to Washington in 1926 as
editor in chief of The Dictionary OF
American Biography, published under
auspices of the American Council OF
Learned Societies, DR.. johnson directed
the formation of the organization for
production of the work and then
| launched into its preparation. Inc ol-
geography was described today as one OF
| the most distinguished and scholarly
works undertaken in years.
Literary Society President.
He also entered the scholarly activ-
tiles of the Capital and was president OF
| the Literary Society of Washington
Host to the society at meeting at the
washington Club as late as Saturday
! night, news of his sudden death came
as a particular shock to DR.. Johnson'S
associates.
| DR.. johnson also was member of the
Cosmos Club, the Graduate in New
Haven, and Yale and Century Clubs II
New York.
| He was a Phi Beta Kappa and Delta
Kappa Epsilon and also had been
honored with membership in the Amer
lean Historical Association, Maine His
torical Society and American Anti
| quarian Society.
DR.. johnson resided at 23l0 Con-
! necticut avenue and maintained an Of
flee in the Hill Building.
His son was expected to arrive In
Washington today, and it was said fu-
neral arrangements then would be
made.
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