William Johnson ~ born Richland County, Ohio
A Narrative History
of
The People of Iowa
with
SPECIAL TREATMENT OF THEIR CHIEF ENTERPRISES IN
EDUCATION, RELIGION, VALOR, INDUSTRY,
BUSINESS, ETC.
by
EDGAR RUBEY HARLAN, LL. B., A. M.
Curator of the
Historical, Memorial and Art Department of Iowa
Volume IV
THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Inc.
Chicago and New York
1931
DAVID NICHOL JOHNSON, county attorney of Louisa County, has been an able
lawyer of this section of Iowa for over a quarter of a century. His success as
a lawyer has been the accompaniment of a fine mind and character, and at all
times he has been faithful to the discharge of his duties and obligations as
a citizen.
Mr. Johnson was born in Clearcreek Township, Keokuk County, Iowa, May 12,
1877. His father, William Johnson, was born in Richland County, Ohio, and was
a child when the family moved to Iowa in 1854, being early settlers in Keokuk
County. William Johnson was a brave soldier of the Union during the Civil
war, being a captain of a company in the Thirteenth Iowa Infantry. He was
wounded at the battle of Shiloh, but remained with the colors until the end of
the war. After the war he was a farmer and merchant, and died in 1922, at an
advanced age. He married Helen Marquis, of Keokuk County, Iowa, who died in
1881. Of their five children the two now living are David N. and Mrs. Eva
Keifhaber of Manitoba, Canada.
David Nichol Johnson was reared on a farm in Keokuk County, attended public
schools there until 1897, and in the meantime had helped his father and also
hired out as a farm hand. For two years he taught school in Keokuk County,
and teaching paid part of his expenses while in the University of Iowa, where
he took the law course and graduated June 12, 1901. After graduating he
taught two years in Keokuk and Washington counties and in 1903 formally launched himself in the practice of law at Columbus Junction, during the first year having an associate Fred M. Molesberry. He then practiced alone, and remained at Columbus Junction for seventeen years. While there he served about ten years as justice of the peace and was secretary of the school board for five
years. He was also secretary of the local fair association two years.
Mr. Johnson was elected for his first term as county attorney in 1920, and
at that time he moved his home from Columbus Junction to Wapello. He has also
served as city recorder of Wapello. In 1926 he was again elected county
attorney and in 1928 reelected, and gives most of his time to the work of his
office. He is a member of the Sons of Veterans, the Knights of Pythias, the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Johnson married, September 6, 1899, Miss Mamie Goeldmer, of Clearcreek
Township, Keokuk County. She died December 14, 1917, the mother of three
children: Everette G., of Chicago; Mrs. Alice Stegal, of Muscatine; and Miss
Evelyn. The son Everette is an accomplished musician, and organized a well
known orchestra, called the Chicago Cadet Band.
Posted at this site with Debbie's permission
Debbie Clough Gerischer
http://iagenweb.org/history/index.htmhttp://iagenweb.org/history/index.htm
*check your facts, don't know how accurate.
census information:
June 26, 1900
Clear Creek Township, Keokuk County, Iowa
William Johnson, head, December 1837, 62, widow,farmer, Oh. Oh. Oh.
John P. son, July ????, 13, single, Iowa, Oh. Ind. at school
Nicholas, son, May 1877, 23, married 1, Iowa, Oh, Oh,(this must be David?)
Mamie, daughter-in-law, August 1881, 18, no children, Iowa, Germany, Iowa
1910 and 1920 census shows William's mother born in Virginia?