My Genealogy Hound

TIMOTHY R. JOHNSON.
Timothy R. Johnson, one of the representative citizens and prominent farmers of Silver Lake township, Shawnee County, owning 160 acres in section 22, township 11, range 14, was born January 28, 1832, in Chautauqua County, New York, and is a son of John B. and Lucy (Merwin) Johnson.

The father of our subject was born at Keene, New Hampshire, and the mother was a native of Connecticut. They removed from New England to New York and from there, in 1836, to Washtenaw County, Michigan. Mr. Johnson bought a farm of 80 acres which he operated for 10 years and then sold. In June, 1846, he removed to Porter County, Indiana, purchasing a farm of 80 acres, on which he lived for 45 years. For the last 25 years of his life he made his home with our subject, accompanying him to Kansas in 1891, where he died on December 18th of that year, aged 84 years. Of the eight children, three survive, namely: Timothy R., of this sketch; Armena, married James Disbrow, a cooper, a resident of Michigan, and has two children,— Rose and Mary; and Hiram, of Basin, Montana, whose wife, Martha Olinger, died April 1, 1901, leaving two daughters,—Elsie, who resides at Spokane, Washington, with her husband and two children, and Florence, who is the wife of J. B. Felts, of Basin, Montana, and has two children.

Our subject acquired the greater part of his education in Michigan and when his school days were over he learned the carpenter’s trade. During his two years of apprenticeship, he received $8 a month for the first year and $14 a month for the second year and then went into business for himself. For the next 10 years he worked at the carpenter’s trade and then bought a farm, which he subsequently sold when he came to Kansas. On March 2, 1891, he bought his present farm in Silver Lake township. A stone house stood on the place and about the only other improvement was a very poor fence. These conditions did not at all meet with the approval of Mr. Johnson and the stone house was soon demolished and a handsome, modern, comfortable residence took its place. Mr. Johnson has put all his land under cultivation and he raises corn, wheat, potatoes and fruit, while his apple and peach orchards of 60 acres yield generously. He is a man of practical ideas, one who has been accustomed to industry all his life and he has proven himself as good a farmer as he was formerly considered a competent craftsman.

Mr. Johnson has also an honorable army record. He enlisted for service in the Civil War, in April, 1864, in Company C, 138th Reg., Indiana Vol. Inf., a 100-day regiment, and was mustered in at Indianapolis for garrison duty. Upon the expiration of his term he reenlisted in the 151st Regiment, Indiana Vol. Inf., for a year, and was honorably discharged September 9, 1865. He is a member of Silver Lake Post, Grand Army of the Republic.

Mr. Johnson was married February 2, 1852, to Mary H. Dille, who is a daughter of Hiram and Nancy (Reasoner) Dille, natives of Ohio, who removed to Indiana and there reared a family of 16 children, all of whom reached maturity. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have had these children: Floretta, who died October 14, 1855, aged two years, and was buried in Indiana; Celestia, who married Eri Hansford, a farmer and sorghum manufacturer, at Mencken, and has nine children,— John, of Topeka, Clara, wife of Arthur Ensminger, of Silver Lake, Mary, wife of Harry Shetrone, of Menoken, Allen, Hiram, Effie, Terry, Eri, Jr., and Lester; Malinda, deceased, who was the wife of J. C. Freer, of Silver Lake township; Minard, residing with his father who married Rosa Ritenour and has these children,—Oscar D., Bessie M., Floyd T. and Mary H.; Augusta, who married C. J. McCoid, a farmer of Silver Lake township, and has three children,—Ruth and Reuben (twins), and Harley; Effie, who married Riley D. Johnson, a farmer of Silver Lake township, and has one son, Nelson; and an infant who died aged four days.

Mr. Johnson has been identified with the Republican party since its formation, casting his first presidential vote for Gen. John C. Fremont. While he resided in Indiana he filled the office of justice of the peace and also served as school director. While not accepting office since coming to Kansas, he has taken a good citizen’s interest in public affairs and his fellow-citizens always know just where to find him on any important matter concerning public utilities. For many years he has been an Odd Fellow, belonging to the Encampment in Indiana, and is a member of Ohio Lodge, No. 136, I. O. O. F., of Silver Lake. With his family, he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church at Silver Lake, and in this body he is a deacon and trustee, and is also the leader of the Bible class. He is a man respected and esteemed wherever known.