In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1862
From The daily news' history of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. : from the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1898 : preceded by a short history of Missouri : supplemented by biographic (1898)
JAMES M. JOHNSON of the law firm of Johnson, Rusk and Stringfellow, is a native of St. Joseph, where he was born in July, 1862. Graduated from the St. Joseph high school, then read law with Crosby & Rusk and was admitted to the bar in January, 1884. After a short association with W. K. James, he formed a partnership with J. M. Wilson, and in 1893 joined the firm of Dowe, Johnson & Rusk, the
Mr. Craighill was engaged in dairying up to the time he was appointed city license inspector, April 17, 1899. He is a Democrat.
As printed in The daily news' history of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. : from the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1898 : preceded by a short history of Missouri : supplemented by biographic (1898). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: W. K. James
The printed record stops around 1898. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.