"Portrait and Biographical Record of Hunterdon and Warren counties, New Jersey"
Chapman Publishing Company, New York and Chicago, 1898
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JOHN C. JOHNSON, M. D. No one in the medical fraternity of northern New Jersey is
more highly honored or thoroughly respected
and looked up to as an authority than the gentleman whose name stands at the beginning of this
sketch. For almost half a century a resident of
Blairstown, Warren County, and for a similar
period a medical practitioner of reputation for
skill and genuine ability in his noble work, he is
justly accounted one of the prominent citizens of
this community, and is entitled to a place of
honor in its annals.
The doctor comes from an old and highly respected family in these parts. The Johnsons
from whom he is descended were French-Huguenots (called Jansens), who emigrated from France
to Brussels and thence to Brooklyn, N. Y., and
later removed to Hunterdon County, N. J., in
the course of a generation or two. Henry Johnson, great-grandfather of our subject, was an
officer in the Revolutionary war, having the rank
of quartermaster. He was a native of Hunterdon County, subsequently removed to Sussex
County, where he owned and carried on a farm
near Newton until shortly before he died, at the
advanced age of ninety years. He was an elder
in and a prominent supporter of the First Presbyterian Church of Newton in its beginning, and
enjoyed the regard of everyone. His sou, Henry,
the next in descent to the doctor, died when but
fifty-two years old. He was born in Sussex
County and was one of the early settlers in Johnsonburg, where he was occupied in merchandising for some time.
The doctor's parents are William H. and Anna
(Couse) Johnson. The father was born in Sussex County, and passed nearly his whole life in
the town of Newton. In his active business life
he was engaged in carrying on a store in that
place, being ranked with the best and most substantial citizens of the town. He was an ardent
Whig, and was postmaster of Newton under the
first President Harrison and again under Taylor.
A faithful and consistent Christian, he exemplified in his early life the faith he professed, and it
was ever one of his chief objects to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate than himself.
He held membership with the Presbyterian
Church. He died in his home in Newton, July
9, 1S63, aged sixty-eight years. His wife, who
was equally active in the Presbyterian Church,
lived to attain her eighty-fifth year, her death
taking place in Newton also. In her family
there are five children who yet survive: Henry
W. (twin brother of the doctor), cashier of the
Dong Branch Banking Company; John C; Catherine H.; Samuel, surrogate of Sussex County;
and Mary, wife of William W. Woodward, a
merchant of Newton.
The birth of Dr. John C. Johnson occurred in
Lewisburg, Sussex County, October 21, 1S28,
and he grew to mature years in the pretty village
of Newton. There he entered upon his studies,
and having completed the general branches and
his classical course in Newton Academy he took
up medical study under the direction of Dr. John
R. Stuart, of his home town. Later he attended
lectures in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, graduating therefrom
March 8, 1850, with the degree of Doctor of
Medicine. June 3, 1850, he located permanently
in Blairstown, and now enjoys the distinction of
having been the longest engaged in practice here
of any physician in the place. Indeed, with but
two exceptions, he has been longer in active and
uninterrupted practice than any of the medical
profession in Warren County, and since 1852 he
has been a member of the Warren County Medical
Society, in which he has served both as president and secretary. He is, moreover, a member
and fellow of the Medical Society of New Jersey,
and in 1867 was its president. In the Presbyterian Church he has been an active and valued
member for many years. For thirty-four years
he has acted in the capacity of an elder, besides
serving in other positions, such as a trustee,
etc. He is also a director in the Blair Presbyterial Academy. The only office he has filled was
that of school trustee; he has never held a political position. He was first a Whig, afterward a
Republican.
January 15, 1862, Dr. Johnson married Anna
L. Howell, daughter of John R. and Sarah
(Armstrong) Howell. They have one child, a
daughter, Sarah A. All the family hold membership with the Presbyterian Church.
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