Robert Johnson

ROBERT JOHNSON.

Robert Johnson was born in Springfield township, Clark county, Ohio, January 20, 1832, a son of James and Helen (Johnston) Johnson. The father was born near Pettigo, County Donegal, Ireland, of Scotch ancestry, and at that time the surname was spelled Johnston. He grew to maturity and was married in his native land. In 1824 he crossed the Atlantic to the United States, coming direct to Clark county, Ohio, where he purchased a farm of one hundred acres south of the city of Springfield. This he improved and made his home throughout his remaining days, his death occurring in 1872, while his wife passed away in 1869. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Robert Johnson, the fifth in order of birth of their eight children, was educated in the district schools near his home, and on the 21st of April, 1849, removed to Springfield, where he became an apprentice to the carpenter's and joiner’s trade, receiving forty dollars and board for his first year’s service and sixty-two dollars for the second year’s work. Before he attained his majority he laid off and built unaided a double flight of continued rail stairs, a thing which

` had not been previously done in Springfield.

He, at that time, in partnership with his brother, James Johnson, took a contract for thé erection of a house at a cost of fifty-five hundred dollars. He followed contracting and building until 1865, when he went to the Pennsylvania oil fields, where the recent discovery of oil and the development of wells had given rise to a new industry which was proving a profitable one and was destined to play an important part in commerce. e For two years Mr. Johnson successfully continued in business there, operating under the firm name of Law, Johnson & Company, and then disposing of his oil interests in 1867, he returned to Springfield, where in September of that year he joined Amos Whiteley, W. W. Wilson, J. W. Taylor, Walter Craig, William H. Oglevee and others in the organization of the Champion Machine Company, which was formed for extending the business of the manufacture of Champion reapers and mowers that were then being made by the firm of ‘Whitely, Fassler & Kelly. The first board of directors of the new company was composed of Amos Whiteley, W. W. Wilson, Robert Johnson, Walter Craig, Thomas McKee, O. S. Kelly and William H. Oglevee Mr. Johnson was elected secretary and superintendent and acted in those capacities for fifteen years. In 1873 the Champion Malleable Iron Company was formed for the manufacture of malleable iron for the three concerns-—the Champion Machine Company, Whiteley, Fassler & Kelly and Wardner, Mitchell & Company, and of the new company Mr. Johnson became a director and the secretary. Its shops were built east of Linden avenue and the business instituted on a successful basis. In 1874 the three concerns named above organized the Bar & Knife Company for the purpose of manufacturing cutter bars, knives and sections and continued to do a very extensive business until 1884, Mr. Johnson also acting as the secretary and as a director of that company, which built the factory now owned and operated by the Focs Gas Engine Company. In 1881 he disposed of his interests in the Champion Machine Company, the Champion Malleable Iron Company and the Champion Bar € Knife Company and in 1882 he became connected with the upbuilding of the city in another direction, for in that year he erected a block on Main street opposite the First Presbyterian church, still known as the Johnson block. In 1883 he acquired an interest in the manufacturing concern of Mast, Foos € Company, of which he was chosen vice-president, acting in that capacity for fourteen years,

' On the ist of November, 1883, Mr. Johnson was instrumental in inaugurating a business which has proven of the greatest benefit to the city as well as the individual stockholder, contributing greatly to the industrial activity and in consequence to the commercial prosperity of Springfield. Associated with E. L. Buchwalter, C. E. Patric, Richard H. Rodgers, Charles S. Kay and others, he bought out Thomas, Ludlow

& Rodgers and organized the Superior Drill Company for the purpose of extending the manufacture of Superior grain drills, which had already won favor and patronage on the market. The company was incorporated with a capital stock of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and Mr. Johnson became the first vice president and has served continuously in this position. The first directors of the company weré E. L. Buchwalter, Robert Johnson, C. E. Patric, Thomas F. McGrew and Charles S. Kay. The business was extended until it outgrew the original quarters on Limestone street and in 1898 the original factory in which Mr. Johnson had been interested as a member of the Champion Machine Company, at the corner of Gallagher and Monroe streets, was purchased, and with the increased facilities the business was extended until it now employs five times the original capital and gives employment to about five hundred men, it being now the second in extent and importance of any manufactory of the city. - In 1892.Mr. Johnson acquired an interest in the Hoppes Manufacturing Company, a concern enjoying an excellent reputation for the character of its goods all over the country, and of this company Mr. Johnson is the vice president and director. He is also a stockholder and director in the Springfield Coal & Ice Company, which was the first company to manufacture artificial ice in this city. He is financially interested in the Foos Gas Engine Company, now occupying the old works of the Champion Bar & Knife Company, engaged in the manufacture of gas and gasoline engines, many of which have been shipped to various European countries as well as to all sections of the United States. Of this company Mr. Johnson was formerly the vice president and is now a director. For some years he was a director of the Springfield National Bank, and in 1902 he erected a fine brick and steel department store on High street between Limestone street and Fountain avenue, five stories in height, one hundred feet front and one hundred and forty-five feet deep, this being the first steel skeleton structure of the city.

Mr. Johnson has always been a Republican in politics, but never an aspirant for office, although he served as a member of the city council for the third ward from 1882 until 1886 and was president of council one term.

In Clark county Mr. Johnson was married to Adelaide T. Humphreys, a daughter of William Humphreys, and they have six living children: Effie, now the wife of K. M. Burton; Nellie, the wife of Randolph Coleman; Frank C., who is assistant manager of the sales department of the Superior Drill Company; Clara, the wife of A. M. McKnight, of New York city; Jessie, the wife of Luther L. Buchwalter, of Springfield; and Ben P., who is with the Superior Drill Company. The parents are members of the High Street Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Johnson has been a trustee for some years. For fifteen years he has been a trustee of Ferncliff cemetery; is also an active member of the Associated Charities, and in 1898 was one of the incorporators of the Methodist Home for the Aged, located at Yellow Springs. The interests which have made claim upon his time and co-operation have been varied for anything which tends to the betterment of conditions for mankind or the improvement of the city receives his endorsement and assistance. His efforts in industrial fields have been particularly beneficial to Springfield. At the time he became interested in manufacturing very little business of that character was carried on here and he has witnessed the entire and the splendid growth of manufacture here, while in the city’s progress in this direction he has been a most potent factor,—the dominant spirit in many enterprises whose value to the commercial activity of Springfield cannot be overestimated. His keen foresight, utilization of opportunity and executive force have enabled him to formulate and execute many plans whereby the avenues of trade have been broadened, while Springfield has gained prestige as a productive center that places it far ahead of many cities of greater size in the Union.

As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ROBERT JOHNSON, the subject of this sketch, was born January 20, 1832, in Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of James and Helen (Johnston) Johnson.

James Johnson was born in County Donegal, Ireland, and in 1824 he emigrated to America, bringing with him his family. His objective point was Clark County, where he bought a farm of 100 acres of wild land, south of Springfield. The remainder of his life was taken up with clearing, developing and improving this farm, on which his wife died in 1869 and his death occurred in 1872. They were the parents of eight children.

Robert Johnson attended the district schools of Springfield Township until 1849, when he came to Springfield, leaving his brothers to assist his father in operating the farm. He had a natural aptitude for carpenter's and joiner's work, to which he served an apprenticeship, and later he engaged with his brother in building and contracting at Springfield until 1865. The oil industry was then springing up in Pennsylvania and he went to that state and became financially interested in the oil fields there. In 1867, Mr. Johnson returned to Springfield, where he became associated with Amos Wliiteley, J. W. Taylor, W. W. Wilson, Walter Craig and others in the organization of The Champion Machine Company, which with added capital and wider trade relations, was to succeed the Whiteley, Fassler and Kelly firm, which was then manufacturing the Champion reapers and mowers.

Mr. Johnson was made secretary and superintendent of the Champion Machine Company and served as such for fifteen years. When the Champion Malleable Iron Company was formed in 1873, Mr. Johnson became its secretary and a member of its directing board. In the following year the Bar and Knife Company was organized by the above concerns, which continued successfully to carry on business imtil 1884, and until 1881 Mr. Johnson was a member of its board of directors and its secretary. In 1882 Mr. Johnson built a fine block on West Main Street, which has ever since borne his name.

In 1883 Mr. Johnson again became connected with large industrial enterprises, acquiring an interest in the manufacturing concern of Mast, Foos and Company, of which he was chosen vice-president, and he also later associated himself with the capitalists who organized the Sujaerior Drill Company. This company was incorporated with a capital stock of $250,000, and Mr. Johnson has served during its existence as its vice-president. The first board of directors of this company were: E. L. Buchwalter, Robert Johnson, C. E. Patric, Thomas F. Mc- Grew and Charles S. Kay. This corporation was a few years ago taken into the American Seeding Company, and forms the Superior Drill division of that combination of manufacturing plants, Mr. Johnson retiring from active service therein. In 1892 he acquired an interest in the Hoppes Manufacturing Company, of which he is vice-president, and is also a large stockholder in the Foos Gas Engine Company, of which he was formerly vice-president. He has been more or less concerned in the growth and success of many other lesser concerns. He is a director and stockholder in the Springfield Coal and Ice Company, which manufactured the first artificial ice used here. Mr. Johnson owns a large amount of real estate and he has done much to improve the city and add to its business facilities. In 1902 he built the first steel skeleton structure in Spring-field, a magnificent brick structure on High Street, between Limestone and Fountain Avenue, five stories high, with a frontage of 100 feet and a depth of 115 feet, which is utihzed as the Edward Wren department store. He owns a beautiful home at No. 580 East High Street.

Mr. Johnson was married to Adelaide T. Humphreys, and they have the following children: EfiEie, who married K. M. Burton; Nellie, who became the wife of Randolph Coleman; Frank C, who is vice-president of the American Seeding Company; Clara, who married A. M. Mc- Knight; Jessie, who married Luther L. Buchwalter; and Benjamin P., who is connected with the American Seeding Company. The family belong to the High Street Methodist Episcopal Church. For many years Mr. Johnson has been a trustee of the church and of Ferncliff Cemetery. He has always been prominent in the city's benevolent work and in spite of his absorbing business interests, has never neglected civic duties or evaded a citizen's responsibilities.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.