Henry Johnson

As printed in 1915

HENRY JOHNSON.

As president of the Johnson & Wyth Company of Cedar Falls, Iowa, who conduct a large hardware, plumbing and heating business, Henry Johnson is an important factor in commercial circles of that city. He was born in Denmark in 1837 and in 1862 emigrated to America, settling in Chicago. In 1863 he enlisted in the Seventy-fifth Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry for service in the Civil war and remained with the regiment until the conclusion of peace, being mustered out at Springfield, Illinois, in 1865. He returned to Chicago, where he entered the grocery business, in which connection he remained until 1870. He then sold out his interests there and came to Cedar Falls, establishing a grocery store on Main street which he conducted for a year. After selling that store he located upon his two hundred and twenty-acre farm four and one-half miles from Cedar Falls and for seven years concentrated his energies upon farm work. He then rented his land and came again to Cedar Falls, establishing a drug and grocery business which he conducted for eighteen years. At the end of that time he engaged in the hardware, plumbing and heating business and has since remained active in that line. He is the executive head of the Johnson & Wyth Company and much of the success of that concern has been due to his knowledge of business conditions, his foresight and financial acumen. The business of the company has grown steadily and promises to continue to do so as the goods carried are of the highest quality, while the prices are reasonable. Mr. Johnson is a director of the First National Bank of Cedar Falls and owns stock in a number of manufacturing concerns of this city. He also owns considerable residence property in Cedar Falls from which he derives a gratifying addition to his annual income.

Mr. Johnson was married in Chicago, in 1868, to Miss Louisa Frandsen, a native of Denmark. Of the children born to them three died in infancy, the others being as follows: Harry, cashier of the First National Bank of Cedar Falls; Louis, who is a partner in and treasurer of the Johnson & Wyth Company; Nettie, a graduate of the Cedar Falls high school, who is bookkeeper and stenographer for that company; Josie, the wife of W. A. Waterman, a resident of Rockford, Illinois; and Eva, who died when nineteen years of age.

Mr. Johnson is independent in his political views and was for thirteen years a member of the school board. His family belong to the Protestant Episcopal church and are helpful in its work. He is a Knights Templar Mason and also belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Danish Brotherhood of America. He has never regretted coming to this country as he has risen to a position of prominence through utilizing the opportunities that he found here. He is thoroughly American in spirit and is one of the valued citizens of his adopted city.

As printed in History of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its people (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.