Wyandotte County Biographies
"Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas--Historical and Biographical"
Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890
Mrs. Sarah Johnson, of Kansas City, Kas., is a daughter of Joseph
R. and Nancy (Parish) Farrar, who were born in Kentucky, but were
married in Indiana, where the father followed the occupation of a
farmer, and there reared his children, all of whose births occurred in
that State. After the mother's death, which occurred in that State,
the father came West, and about 1855 settled in Leavenworth, where
he resided until his death, which occurred when he was about fifty-eight years of age. His father, William Farrar, was a native of Culpeper County, Va., but spent the greater portion of his life, and died, in
Kentucky. He was the father of seven children, of whom Joseph R.
was the eldest. His youngest son, Andrew Jackson Farrar, still survives, and resides with Mrs. Johnson. The Farrars are of Scotch-Irish descent and Mrs. Johnson, who was born in 1831, like her brothers and sisters, was reared to maturity in Indiana, and was married
there and had become the mother of three children before her removal
West. She and her husband settled in Leavenworth, Kas., in 1862,
and there made their home for about six years, when they came to
Kansas City, Kas., where Mr. Johnson purchased a large farm at $11
per acre, selling it afterward for S60,000. They then moved to Wyandotte, and here Mr. Johnson's death occurred, April 1, 1888, at the
age of seventy-two years. He was twice married, and by his first
wife became fhe father of nine children, his last wife bearing him
the following family: Thomas, Jennie (wife of Scott Odor), Ellen
(wife of Chris Austed), Belle (wife of William Smith), Ulysses, Benjamin, Willie, and four deceased. Mr. Johnson was a Henry Clay
Whig, afterward becoming a Republican, and for many years served
as one of the county commissioners, being a popular official and useful citizen. He was, as is his widow, a member of the Christian
Church, and is now sleeping his last sleep in Oak Grove Cemetery.
Charles B. Johnson, real estate dealer, Kansas City, Kas., On
April 30, 1840, in Tompkins County, N. Y., there was born to the
union of Henry L. and Ocee Ann (Brown) Johnson, a son, whom we
now take as the subject of this sketch. Charles B. was educated in
the common schools, and when quite young began learning the harness-maker's trade. He was reared on a farm in Ohio, whither his
father had moved in 1846, and followed his trade in West Bedford for
some time. Later he went to New Castle, the same county, and carried on his trade there until June, 1861. He then volunteered in the
United States Army, Company K, Twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. Givens, and entered the service on June ], 1861.
He went into camp at Camp Burt, Coshocton County, Ohio, and after
remaining there a month went to Camp Chase, Ohio. Thence, in July
of the same year, he went to Bellaire, Ohio, from there to Pittsburgh,
Penn., and later was ordered to Washington, but the order was countermanded. He was then sent back to Clarksburg, W. Va., but was
there taken sick with chronic diarrhea. He was taken to the hospital,
but the treatment being ineffectual, he, with some companions, escaped
from the hospital, and followed their company through the mountains,
camping in the very lines of the Confederates. After joining his command at Cheat Mountain Summit, W. Va., Mr. Johnson assisted in
erecting a fort and barracks, made of logs, with port holes. In September, 1861, they were surrounded by the enemy, for seven days had
some fighting, and were then relieved by other troops. They remained there for some time, and then went to Greenbrier, where they
were defeated, but afterward retreated to their old fort at Cheat Mountain Summit, W. Va. A month later they were ordered to Clarksburg, W. Va., thence to Louisville, Ky., under Gen. Wilson, and from
there into winter quarters at Camp Wycliffe, in Kentucky. In February of 1862 they were ordered to Bowling Green, Ky., to go into
the tight, marched on the enemy, fired on them, and caused them to
retreat. After this the command was ordered to West Point, Ky., and
from there they went by boats down the Ohio River to Paducah, under
Gen. Nelson. From there they went up the Cumberland River to
Fort Donelson, expecting to assist in the tight, but did not reach there
until the morning of the surrender. From there they went to Nashville, Tenn., were there at the surrender, and at that place Mr. Johnson was again taken ill, being in the hospital at Nashville for some
time. After recovering he was detailed as clerk, and served in that
capacity for nine months and twenty seven days. He was then discharged on a surgeon's certificate of disability � for heart and lung
trouble. Returning home to Ohio, he remained in Coshocton County
for some time, and then went to Mount Vernon, Knox County, of the
same State. There he worked at his trade with George Hawk for nine
months, after which, in 1864, he moved back to Bladensburg. From
there he went to Roscoe, carried on a shop there for two years, and in
the fall of 1867 moved to New Castle, Coshocton County, Ohio, where
he made his home until 1886. In 1874 he patented the Diamond Trace
Buckler, for which he received $1,000, and while a resident of that
city he held the office of justice of the peace, resigning that position
after serving a few months on his fourth term. He was also proprietor of the Union Hotel, New Castle, for five years, and made considerable money at this. Mr. Johnson has been twice married, his first
union being with Miss Martha Baltzall, a native of Bladensburg, Ohio,
on March 7, 1863. She was the daughter of Joseph and Lydia Baltzall, and died on July 12, 1865. The fruits of this union were two
children, both of whom died in infancy. Mr. Johnson's second marriage was on July 7, 1867, to Miss Charity E. Fulkerson, a native of
Coshocton County, Ohio, and to them were born four children � two
now living: George W. and Robert M. Blanche died at the age of
thirteen years, and another (Mabel) died at the age of eighteen months.
The eldest son is now in the laundry business with his uncle, M. J.
Fulkerson. Mr. Johnson sold his property in Ohio in 1886, moved to
Kansas City, Mo., and there remained for nearly two years. He then
crossed the line to Kansas City, Kas., and engaged in merchandising,
which he carried on for a year. He began dealing in real estate shortly
after coming here, and has owned three farms, besides considerable
real estate in both Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kas. He also
owns property in Guthrie, Ind. T. He has been quite fortunate since
locating here, and is a prominent business man. He gets $24 per month
a member of the G. A. R., and although formerly a Republican, is now a Democrat, and believes in tariff reform. In 1874
he invented the Brace Collar, patented it, and made over $5,000 out of
it. He is quite an inventive genius. The parents of Mr. Johnson
were natives of New York, were married there, and in 1846 moved to
Ohio, where the father carried on farming and basket-making. He
was a member of the Baptist Church, and in his political views was a
Republican. Grandfather Johnson was a native of Ireland, and was
a Revolutionary soldier on the side of the colonists.
James R. Johnson was born in Oldham County, Ky., on July 10,
1843, and is a son of James T. and Matilda A. (Twistler) Johnson, the
former born in Kentucky, February 21, 1816, and the latter in Pennsylvania. The father was reared in his native State and Indiana and
about 1857 came to Kansas, and besides farming, followed various occupations near Leavenworth for two years, when he came to Kansas
City, purchasing some land near Armourdale, which he afterward
sold for $800 per acre. He soon after moved to Kansas City, and here
passed from life on April 1, 1888. A more complete history of his life
may be found in the sketch of Mrs. Sarah E. Johnson. James R.
Johnson grew to manhood in Kansas, and there received State of Indiana common-school advantages, remaining with his father until he entered the army, which was on September 9, 1861, and received his
discharge on October 7, 1865, daring which time he served in Company F, Seventh Kansas Cavalry, Army of the Cumberland, and took
part in the battles of Corinth, Tupelo, Kossuth, Baldwin, Hamburg
Landing, and a number of minor engagements. He followed Price
on his raid, also Van Dorn. After the war Mr. Johnson followed
various pursuits, and at one time filled the position of deputy marshal,
and for six or seven years was a policeman at Kansas City, and had
charge of the night force at that time, and is also serving as bailiff
of the court house. He was wounded by a gun- shot at Kossuth, Miss.,
on August 27, 1862, and also received a sunstroke about July 1, 1864,
and since 1871 has received a pension of IS per month for these injuries. He is now a member of the G. A. R., the U. V. U., and in his
political views is a stanch Republican. He has just returned from
Boston, and besides this place, during his trip Ea.st, he visited New
York, Baltimore, also Washington Cincinnati and St. Louis. He
was married in Wyandotte County to Miss Helen E. Dilley, by whom
he has one child, Charley L. His wife's people were Virginians, but
she was born in Ohio and inherits both French and German blood
from her ancestors. Mr. Johnson is one of the well to-do residents of
this section and is an honorable and upright man in every worthy particular.
Dr. Thomas H. Johnson (colored), a prominent physician as well as
a worthy citizen of Kansas City, Kas., was born in Albemarle County.
Va., July 4, 1844, being a son of Dr. Robert and Eliza Johnson, who
were also natives of that State. He spent his early life in his native
State, receiving the advantages of the common schools, and in 1866
went to Washington, D. C., where he remained about two or three
years, giving his attention to the shoemaker's trade, which he had
learned in his boyhood. His next place of residence was Syracuse,
N. Y., but a year later went to Springfield, Mass., and at the end of
six months to Boston, Mass., his attention during all this time being
devoted to his trade. In 1871 he determined to take Horace Greeley's
advice and "go west," and his first location was made at Junction
City, Kas. In early life he had resolved to fit himself for the practice
of medicine, and during all the subsequent years, which he spent at
his trade he still held to this resolution, and his leisure moments were
devoted to the study of medical works. Being a first class workman
at his trade, he gradually accumulated means, but this calling being
insufficient to satisfy the cravings of his nature he determined to abandon it, not however, until he had resided in the following places: Abilene, Lawrence, and lastly in Kansas City in 1877. The following
year he returned to Lawrence and labored as actively in the practice
of his profession as he had previously done at shoemaking, and won
quite a reputation for himself as an able practitioner. In the fall of
1878 he removed to Leavenworth, Kas., but from that place, in the fall
of the following year, he returned to Kansas City, which place has
since been his home. He took his first course of medical lectures in
the Medical Department of the Nebraska State University at Lincoln,
during the fall of 1873, and in the spring of 1874, but during the
years of 1886-87 and 1887-88 he attended the California Medical College, formerly of Oakland, but now of San Francisco, and was graduated
from this institution as an M. D. in the spring of 1887. He made a
specialty of the treatment of chronic diseases, and he has built up a
reputation for himself which extends beyond the limits of the State.
He has, in the past, traveled quite extensively while practicing his profession, and he now has patients in some of the remotest parts of the
United States. Dr. Johnson possesses a tine intellect, and as he has
devoted many years of his life to his calling, he is known to be an
able practitioner, and is now in possession of a large and lucrative
practice. He is the owner of valuable property at No. 318 Minnesota
Avenue, which he bought and improved in 1883. He is a man of
pleasing and agreeable manners, and he and his estimable wife have a
large circle of friends and acquaintances. He is a devoted member
of the Republican party, and socially is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He belongs to the Kansas State Medical Society, the California State Medical Society, and he and Mrs. Johnson are members
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was married October 27,
1871, to Miss Georgia A. Payne, a native of Virginia.
Henry F. Johnson (colored), is a prominent ex-grocer of Kansas
City, Kas., and the property of which he is now the owner has been
acquired by ceaseless industry, united with a strong and determined
effort to succeed in life, and the result of his labors have far exceeded
his expectations, although fully deserved. He is a native of New
Orleans, La., his birth occurring there on July 19, 1848. In August,
1863, he enlisted in the war, becoming a member of the Seventeenth
Louisiana Infantry, but the following February, was honorably discharged on account of physical disability, and immediately following
the war began working at the carpenter's trade in his native State, a
calling he continued to pursue there until 1879. In that year he
removed to Kansas City, Mo., where he remained two years, removing
in 1881 to Kansas City, Kas., where he engaged in the grocery business, meeting with the best of success. He did an extensive and paying business until February, 1890, when he retired from active life.
He has by economy and judicious management accumulated considerable property and his attention is now chiefly given to its successful
management. He is the owner of an express line consisting of four
teams, and this enterprise nets him quite a nice little sum annually.
In his political views he is independent, and has served one term as a
member of the city council. Socially, he belongs to the A. F. &
A. M. and the I. O. O. F., and as a man and citizen he commands
the respect and esteem of all, for he has always proved himself honorable in every particular, an enterprising, an industrious, and a law-abiding citizen. Miss Mary A. Lewis, a native Louisianian, became his
wife in September, 1870, and their lives since that time have been
happy and contented.
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