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elcome to the Johnson Family Club's "Famous and Notable Johnsons -- Johnstons" section of our Johnson Family History. This portion of our History section honors those Johnsons - Johnstons who have achieved a degree of fame as well as those who have earned our respect and admiration, whether that be on a national scale or just prominence in one community. For those of you who have often asked the question of whether you might be related to anyone famous -- or at least who share your same name, this site will help with some answers.The most famous Johnsons have been in government service: two have served as President of the United States and one has served as Vice President. Several have been elected to the United States Congress as senators or representatives. Others have served as governors of several states and members of state legislatures and other elected offices.
In addition to politics, there are many Johnsons who have made their mark in the fields of entertainment such as motion pictures and television actors and actresses, writers, directors and producers. Still others have achieved prominence in education, the arts, journalism, sports, medicine, military service, religion and other endeavors.
If you have information on a Johnson - Johnston who became well-known (in any state), please send us a copy of it, along with any sources for the information (book, magazine, newspaper, etc.) to preserve in the Family Library.
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Johnsons - Johnstons who have served in the Continentinal Congress and the Congress of the United States.
Johnsons - Johnstons who served in the United States Congress, House of Representatives
Adna Romulus Johnson Sr. was born 14 Dec 1860 in Sweet Springs, Saline County, Missouri. He moved with his mother to a farm in Lawrence Co., Oh. in 1864. He attended the public schools. He later taught school for seven years and then studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1886. He graduated from the Law School of the University of Michigan in 1887. He set up law practice in Ironton, Oh. He was named prosecuting attorney of Lawrence County in 1889.
Adna was elected as a Republican representative in 1908 to the 61st US Congress and served from 4 Mar 1909 to 3 Mar 1911. He was re-nominated without opposition in 1910 but declined to accept. He resumed his law practice in Ironton. He also engaged in banking and was financially involved in several manufacturing operations. Adna served as president of the Ohio State Bar Association in 1933.
Adna married Dora Ricketts. They had at least one son, Adna R. Johnson Jr. Adna died 11 Jun 1938 in Ironton. He was buried at Woodland Cemetery there.
Albert Johnson was born 5 Mar 1869 in Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois. He attended schools in Atchison and Hiawatha, Ks. He then began his long career as a journalist and worked as a reporter for the St. Joseph Herald in Mo. and the St. Louis Globe-Democrat from 1888 to 1891. He was managing editor of the New Haven Register in Connecticut in 1896-1897; news editor of the Washington Post, Washington, DC in 1898 and moved to Tacoma, WA. That year to become editor of the Tacoma News until 1906. In 1907 he became editor and publisher of the Grays Harbor Washingtonian at Hoquaim, WA.
Albert was elected in 1912 as a Republican representative to the 63rd US Congress and served from 1913 to 1933. During his Congressional career, he served as Chairman of the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization.
During World War I, he was commissioned a Captain in the Chemical Warfare Service of the US Army. He was honorably discharged on 29 Nov 1918 at the end of the war.
Albert was defeated for reelection in the Roosevelt Democratic landslide of 1932. He returned to his newspaper and retired in 1934. He died in a Veteran's Hospital at American Lake, Wa. 17 Jan 1957. He was buried at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in Hoquaim.
Albert Walter Johnson was born 17 Apr 1906 in Smethport, McKean County, Pa. He graduated from Smethport High School in 1923 and attended Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania from 1926 to 1929.
He was elected to the Smethport Borough Council and served from 1933-1934. He then attended Stetson University Law School in Deland, FL. and received a LLB degree in law in 1938. He was admitted to the bar in 1939 and set up practice in Smethport. He was elected to the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives and served from 1947 to 1963. He served as Majority Whip in 1951 and as minority whip in 1955. He was majority leader in 1953, 1957 and 1963 and minority leader in 1959 and 1961.
In a special election on 5 Nov 1963, he was elected as a Republican representative to the 88th Congress and served other terms until 3 Jan 1977. He was defeated for reelection in 1976.
Albert died 1 Sep 1998 in Boca Raton, FL.
Andrew Johnson served in the US House of Representatives from Tennessee (see US Government, President)
Anton Joseph Johnson was born 20 Oct 1878 in Peoria, IL., the son of C. W. and Mary Johnson. He attended the University of Missouri School of Agriculture at Columbia, Mo. From 1898 to 1901, he served as first sergeant of Company G, Fifth Infantry, Illinois National Guard. He He was engaged in agriculture in Peoria County from 1913 to 1921 and in dairy products manufacturing at Macomb, IL. from 1926 to 1938. He served as President of the Illinois Milk Dealer's Association from 1931 to 1936; President of the Illinois Dairy Products Association in 1937.
Anton was elected as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives, 76th Congress and four succeeding terms. He served from 1939 to 1949. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1948. He was elected Mayor of Macomb in 1949 but resigned after serving two years of his term. He died 16 Apr 1958 and was buried in Springdale Cemetery, Peoria.
Benjamin Crow ("Ben"; "Boss Ben") Johnson was born 20 May 1858 near Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky, the son of William Johnson and Nancy Crow. He graduated from St. Mary's College, Marion Co., Ky. in 1878 and from Louisville University Law School in 1882. He was admitted to the bar the same year and began practice in Bardstown.
Ben was elected as a Democrat to the Kentucky State House of Representatives in 1885 and 1887. He served as Speaker of the House.
On 10 Jul 1893, President Grover Cleveland appointed him as Collector of Internal Revenue for the Fifth Kentucky District.
In 1905, Ben was elected to the Kentucky State Senate and served until he resigned on 5 Nov 1906 when he ran for the US Congress. He was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representatives of the 60th Congress and served nine succeeding terms from 4 Mary 1907 to 1927. During his tenure, he served as Chairman of the Committee on the District of Columbia. He declined to be a candidate in 1927.
Ben also served as a delegate at large to the Democratic Party National Conventions in 1912 and 1920. After he retired from Congress, he resumed his law practice at Bardstown. He died 4 Jun 1950 there and was buried at St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Byron Lindberg Johnson was born 12 Oct 1917 in Chicago, IL. His family moved to Oconomowoc, WI. In 1927. He received a BA degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1938 an MA in 1940 and a Ph.D. in 1949. He became a statistician and economist for the state of Wisconsin from 1938 to 1942. He then worked for the Bureau of Budget from 1942 to 1944 and the Social Security Administration in Washington from 1944-1947.
He became a professor of economics at the University of Denver, in Denver, Co. in 1947 and held this position until 1956. He was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1955 and 1956. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress in 1956. He became an assistant to Gov. Steve Nichols in 1957 - 1958. In 1958, he was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representataives of the 86th Congress and served from 1961 to 1965. He was appointed Professor of Economics at the University of Colorado in Feb 1965. He was an unsuccessful candidate to Congress in 1972. He served as a member of the Board of Regional Transportation District from 1982-1984 and as vice chairman in 1983 and chairman in 1984. He served as professor emeritus at the Univ. of Colorado.
Calvin Dean Johnson was born 22 Nov 1898 in Fordsville, Ohio County, Kentucky. His family moved to St. Clair County, IL. in 1904, where he attended public schools.
From 1922 to 1944, Calvin was engaged in general contracting. He was a member of the St. Clair County School Board from 1926-1928 and the St. Clair County Board of Supervisors from 1930-1934. He was elected as a Republican to the Illinois State House of Representatives and served from 1935 to 1941.
He was elected as a Republican to the House of Representatives of the 78th US Congress and served from 1943 to 1945 but was defeated for reelection in 1944 and 1946. He became an executive assistant to the vice president of Remington-Rand, Inc. in Washington from 1952 to 1968, when he became involved in public relations. He died in Belleville, IL. 13 Oct 1985.
Cave Johnson was born 11 Jan 1793 in Robertson County, Tennessee. He was a son of Thomas Johnson and Mary Noel who moved from Kentucky to Robertson Co. soon after their marriage. Cave was a grandson of Henry Johnson Sr. and Rachel Holeman, who moved from Lancaster Co., Pa. to NC and then to Ky.
Cave attended Cumberland College at Nashville, Tn. and then sudied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1814 and began practice at Clarksville, Tn. He became prosecuting attorney for Montgomery County in 1817. He was elected as a Jacksonian Democrat to the House of Representatives of the 21st Congress and served three more terms from 1829 to 1837. While in the House, he served as Chairman of the Committee on Private Land Claims. He was unsuccessful in his bid for a fifth term in 1836. He was reelected as a Democrat to the 26th Congress and two more terms after that and served from 1839 to 1945. During this period, he served as Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs and on the Committee on Expenditures on Public Buildings and the Committee on Indian Affairs.
On 5 Mar 1845, President James Knox Polk appointed Cave as the Postmaster General of the United States and he served until 3 Mar 1845. In 1850 and 1851, Cave served as Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court. From 1854 to 1860, Cave served as President of the Bank of Tennessee. He was appointed Commissioner to settle the affairs of the United States and the Paraguay Navigation Co. During the War for Southern Independence, Cave was elected to the Tennessee State Senate but was not permitted to take his seat by the yankees occupying the state.
Cave married Elizabeth Dorch about 1831 in Tn. He died in Clarksville, Tn. 23 Nov 1866. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery there.
Charles Johnson was born in Chowan County, North Carolina in the mid-1700's. He was a planter.
In 1781, he served in the Continental Congress and again in 1784 and 1785 but did not attend the last Congress. He was elected to the North Carolina State Senate from 1781 to 1784 and 1788 to 1790 and again in 1792.
He was elected to the US House of Representatives of the 7th Congress and served from 4 Mar 1801 until his death in Bandon near Edenton, NC 23 Jul 1802.
Charles was buried at Edenton Cemetery.
Charles Johnston was born 14 Feb 1793 in Salisbury, Connecticut, son of Archibald Johnston Jr. and Rebecca Loveland. He studied law and was admitted to the bar.
In 1838, Charles was elected as a Whig to the House of Representatives of the 26 Congress and served from 1839 to 1841. He was defeated in his reelection bid in 1840. He resumed his law practice until he died at Poughkeepsie, NY 1 Sep 1845. He was buried in the Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery but was reburied at the Rural Cemetery in 1861.
Charles Clement Johnston was born 30 Apr 1795 at the Johnston estate of Longwood, near Farmville, Prince Edward County, Virginia. He was a son of Peter Johnston Jr. and Mary Wood and a brother of Congressman Joseph Eggleston Johnston and uncle of Congressman John Warfield Johnston.
Charles was educated at home. He moved with his parents to Panicello near Abingdon, Va. in 1811. He later studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1818. He practiced law at Abingdon.
In 1830, he was elected as a Jacksonian Democrat to the US House of Representatives for the 22nd Congress and served from 4 Mar 1831 until he drowned at the docks in Alexandria, Va. on 17 Jun 1832. He was buried at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington.
Clete Donald ("Don") Johnson Jr. was born 30 Jan 1948 in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended school in Franklin County, Ga. and received a bachelors degree from the University of Georgia in 1970, a J.D. degree in law from the Univ. of Georgia School of Law in 1973 and a LL.M. degree from the London School of Economics in London, England in 1978.
Don served in the US Air Force from 1973 to 1977. He was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1973 and served as a staff attorney for the US House Ways and Means Committee in 1973.
Don was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia State Senate and served from 1987 to 1993. He was elected as a representative to the 103rd US Congress and served from 1993 to 1995. He was defeated for reelection in 1994.
David Emmons Johnston was born 10 Apr 1845 in Pearisburg, Giles County, Virginia. He attended public schools. During the War for Southern Independence (1861-1865), he enlisted in the Confederate States Army and served four years in the 7th Regiment of Virginia Infantry, Kemper's Brigade of Pickett's Division.
He was admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1867 and began law practice in Pearisburg, Va. He moved to Mercer County, WVA in 1870 and set up practice there. He was elected prosecuting attorney from 1872-1876. He was elected as a Democrat to the West Virginia State Senate in 1878. He resigned and served as Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit from 1880 to 1888.
He was elected as a Democratic representative to the 56th US Congress and served from 1899 to 1901. He was defeated for reelection in 1900. He moved to Portland, Or. In 1908 and resumed his practice of law there. He died there 7 Jul 1917. He was buried in Mount Scott Park Cemetery.
Dewey William Johnson was born 14 Mar 1899 in Minneapolis, MN. He attended the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis and the YMCA Law School. He was engaged in insurance. He was elected to the Minnesota State House of Representatives and served from 1929 to 1935. He was defeated in a bid for Congress in 1934.
He served as Minnesota Deputy Commissioner of Insurance and State Fire Marshall in 1935 and 1936. In 1936, Dewey was elected as a Farmer-Laborite Party candidate to the House of Representatives of the 75th Congress and served from 1937 to 1939. He was defeated in a bid for reelection.
Dewey resumed his insurance business in Minneapolis and also engaged in retail radio sales. He died in Minneapolis 18 Sep 1941. He was buried at Lakewood Cemetery.
Elizabeth Johnston was born 18 Nov 1939 in Columbia, South Carolina, the daughter of Olin DeWitt Talmadge Johnston and Gladys Elizabeth Atkinson. Her father served as Governor of South Carolina and as a United States Senator. She attended schools in Kensington, Md. and Spartanburg, SC. while her daddy was in Congress. She graduated from Columbia College, Columbia, SC in 1961 and did graduate study at the University of South Carolina 1961-1962. She was a recruiting officer for the Peace Corps 1962-1864 and for VISTA, 1965-1967. She became directdor of a Head Start program 1967-1968 and was a staff assistant for US Representative James R. Mann 1969-1970. She was elected to the Spartanburg County Council 1975-1976 and was elected as a Democrat to the South Carolina State Senate 1979-1986.
Elizabeth was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representatives of the 100th US Congress in 1986 and to two more terms and served from 1987 to 1993. She was defeated for reelection in 1992, the victim of a nasty negative campaign by the so-called "Christian" Coalition. Opponents distributed 75,000 door hangers that said Elizabeth "Covers Up Cocain Sales" in the US Post Office. Coalition pastors distributed 200,000 "voter guides" which grossly misrepresented her politics and personally. Posters calling her "Lesbian Liz" were plastered over the district. The Republicans had learned the art of deceitful political warfare well from Richard Nixon--and continue this "art" today. Good government servants such as Elizabeth have little chance against such tactics.
Francis Johnson was born 19 Jun 1776 in Caroline County, Virginia. He studied law and was admitted tothe bar. He moved to Woodford Co., Ky. in 1796 and to Bowling Green, Ky. in 1807. He was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1812, 1813 and 1815.
Francis was elected as a Representative to fill a vacancy caused by death to the House of Representatives of the 16th US Congress . He was reelected three more terms and served from 13 Nov 1820 to 3 Mar 1827. While in office, Francis served as Chairman of the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.
In 1829, he moved to Louisville, Ky. and resumed the practice of law. He served as the Kentucky Commonwealth Attorney for the 5th District. He later became an unsuccessful candidate for governor. He died at Louisville 16 May 1842. He was buried in an old family cemetery which later became a city playground.
Frederick Avery Johnson Jr. was born 2 Jan 1833 in Fort Edward, Warren County, NY, the son of Frederick Avery Johnson Sr. and Esther Carpenter. He graduated from Glens Falls Academy, NY. He then became engaged in banking and the wool business in New York City. He later returned to Glens Falls and became a banker there. He became president of the village of Glens Falls.
He was elected as a Representative to the 48th US Congress and reelected for a second term, serving from 1883 to 1887. He did not seek reelection. He died at Glens Falls 17 Jul 1893. He was buried at Bay Street Cemetery.
Fred Gustus Johnson was born 16 Oct 1876 near Dorchester, Saline County, Nebraska. He attended rural schools and graduated from Dorchester High School in 1893. He later graduated from the University of Nebraska Law Department in 1903 and was admitted to the bar that year. He began law practice in Dorchester and also engaged in farming. He moved to Oxford, Nb. in 1909 and to Hastings, Nb. in 1911, where he continued as an attorney.
He was elected to the Nebraska House of Representatives 1907-1909 and 1917-1919. He served in the State Senate from 1919-1920. Fred was elected as a Republican candidate as Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska in 1923 and 1924. He served as a delegate to the Republican Party State Conventions from 1900 to 1938.
In 1928, Fred was elected as a Republican representative to the 71st US Congress and served from 1929 to 1931. He was defeated for reelection in 1930 and again in 1932. He resumed his law practice and engaged in an agricultural-industrial business in Hastings from 1934-1938 and at Charleston, Mississippi from 1941-1943. He was elected Judge of the Adams County, Nb. Court and served from 1945 until his death 30 Apr 1951. He was buried in Parkview Cemetery.
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