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
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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) |
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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) |
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Second Wife and Children: Hannah Maria Goddard |
(7/2/1828-10/20/1919) (married 12/2/1850 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa) |
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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 JohnsonBook 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.