Joseph E. Johnson

WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY     (Washington County, Utah)

JOSEPH ELLIS JOHNSON

(pioneer and early settler, merchant, publisher)

BIOGRAPHY

Joseph Ellis Johnson was born April 28, 1817.

In 1864 or 1865, Johnson moved to St. George.

He was the original owner of the lot at 173 N. Main Street also described as Plat A, Block 30, Lot 6 on the old pioneer map of St. George. He built a garden and nursery supply store on that property.

Johnson was a notary public, an auctioneer and commission merchant, and a fruit tree & grape vine by mail salesman.

In 1868-1869 he published "Our Dixie Times", afterward "The Rio Virgen [sic] Times". In 1870 he published the "Utah Pomologist and Gardener" (a monthly) for several years.

In 1876 he went to Silver Reef and put up a store and printing office, but sold part of the office before the paper was fairly started. In 1879 it was burned out, with others. He restored the store immediately, but on a larger scale.

In 1882, Johnson once again moved at his church's call, this time to settle what would become Tempe, Arizona. However, his strenuous efforts all his life finally caught up with him, and he passed away on December 17, 1882.


FAMILY

Parents and Siblings:
    Ezekiel Johnson
    Julia Ellis Hills Johnson
        Joseph Ellis Johnson
        Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
        Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
        Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
        Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx

(xx/xx/1773-1/13/1848)   (married xx/xx/xxxx)
(9/26/1783-5/30/1856)
(4/28/1817-12/17/1882)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)

First Wife and Children:
    Harriet Eloise Snider Johnson
        Mary Julia Johnson
        Harriet Josephine Johnson
        Joel Elmer Johnson
        Diadamia Wheeler Johnson
        Benjamin Willard Johnson


(9/4/1823-6/17/1905)   (married 10/6/1840 in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois)
(xx/xx/1841-xx/xx/1928)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Richards)
(xx/xx/1850-xx/xx/1892)   (married Horatio Pickett)
(xx/xx/1853-xx/xx/1912)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/1856-xx/xx/1899)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Carlton)
(xx/xx/1866-xx/xx/1939)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)

Second Wife and Children:
    Hannah Maria Goddard


(7/2/1828-10/20/1919)   (married 12/2/1850 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa)

Third Wife and Children:
    Eliza Perkins Saunders
        Charles Ellis Johnson
        Jessie Ellica Johnson
        Emily Maud Johnson
        Rosemary Johnson Johnson  
        Joseph Ellis Johnson
        Gladiolus Ednetta Johnson
        George William Johnson
        Benjamin Franklin Johnson
        Seth Guernsey Johnson
        Rufus David Johnson


(2/19/1840-3/23/1903)   (married 6/xx/1856 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa)
(xx/xx/1857-xx/xx/1926)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/1860-xx/xx/1881)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Miller)
(xx/xx/1863-xx/xx/1934)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Knowles)
(1/22/1866-xx/xx/1958)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/1868-xx/xx/1871)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/1870-xx/xx/1872)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/1873-xx/xx/1943)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/1876-xx/xx/1931)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/1879-xx/xx/1953)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/1882-xx/xx/1968)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)


PHOTOS

Photos on the web:
Collection of photos of Joseph E. Johnson


REFERENCES

J.E.J. - Trail to Sundown: Cassadaga to Casa Grande, 1817 to 1882, The Story of Pioneer Joseph Ellis Johnson
Book by Rufus David Johnson
Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1961. 516pp.
See the cover.

Wikipedia article on Joseph E. Johnson

Biography and photos of Joseph E. Johnson

Joseph Ellis Johnson photograph collection at the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah

Ezekiel and Julia Hills Johnson posterity group on Facebook

Julia Hills Johnson
A research report by Elaine Young, Ph.D.