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 1852, Clinton County
From The history of Clinton County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the (1882)
JOSEPH R. JOHNSON, farmer, P. 0. Ogden, was born May 24, 1852, in Clinton County, Ohio, near Gurneyville. He is the son of Lewis and Rachel Johnson. He was reared to manhood on a farm, receiving but an ordinary English education. On January 1, 1875, he married Miss Minerva J. Bennett, 'daughter of Henry H. and Nancy Bennett. They are the happy parents of two children — Irvin H. and Mary Anna. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are both of them consistent members of the Friends’ Church. Mr. Johnson, in his political views, is a stanch Republican. ‘He owns eighty-five acres of good land, located about one and one-half miles west of Sligo Village. Mr. Johnson is a young man of industrious habits, and we trust will ever be a useful man to the community in which he resides.
As printed in The history of Clinton County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1882. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.