My Genealogy Hound

Hamilton Johnson was born in Culpeper County, Va., July 20, 1830, the son of Clayton and Mary (Miller) Johnson natives of that State. The father came to Perry County, Ohio in 1834, and there lived until his death. Our subject was reared near the home of the Shermans and Gen. Sheridan. At sixteen years of age he left the farm, and learned the tinner’s trade, which he followed in Canton from 1851 to 1854. He married then, and bought out Harlan & Son, his former employers, and conducted the business as Johnson & Co., with his father-in-law and brother-in-law. Five years later he began his present business, and since 1869 has occupied his present store room with a large general hardware and tinware stock. He controls a large share of the county’s trade. Mary Clow, a native of Leeds, England, became his wife June 3, 1854. Their children are Allett D., Carrie J. (the wife of H. Ferguson) and Hattie L. Our subject was a Union Whig during his early years, but since the war has been a Republican. He assisted in recruiting a company for the Thirty-ninth Missouri regiment, and was a member of the home guards. He has served four terms as city recorder, several years on the city council, twice mayor of Canton, and in 1869 was an unsuccessful candidate for county tax collector, but ran 300 votes ahead of the ticket. He was an organizer of the first public school of Canton, and is now one of the board of education. He is a Knight Templar, is W. M. of the Masonic lodge, and has passed all the chairs in the I. O. O. F. Lodge. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is probably the oldest business man now doing business in Canton.