John Johnson is a son of Benjamin and Barbara Johnson, and his father was cousin to Andrew Johnson. He was born in Ashe county, North Carolina, February 23, 1820. He came to Texas from De Kalb county, Missouri, near St. Joseph, in 1861, and settled in Collin county, where he now resides. His wife was Miss Pollie Kimsey, of Missouri. They have had twelve children, of whom only five are living. Their names are Marian, Jane Bower, Elizabeth Holder and M. W. Johnson, and John. M. W. Johnson is an attorney at law at Paris, Texas, doing a large practice.

             Mr. Johnson is one of the characters of the State, and is perhaps as well known as any man in the State. He was a member of the State Legislature of Missouri in 1856, representing De Kalb county. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1875 in this State, and was Senator in the 18th and 19th Legislatures of Texas. Here he became distinguished alike for his zeal in all matters pertaining to land and the farming interests, he being a practical farmer, and for his individual characteristics, blunt, honest speech, straightforward ways and primitive simplicity of dress and manner. It is unnecessary to say that he is a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat. He is a member of the primitive Baptist church and prominent in the Masonic fraternity. He has the credit of having erected the finest block of brick buildings in the town of McKinney, and is considered one of the wealthiest men in Collin county.

            Mr. Johnson has been the architect of his own fortunes, and is certainly a self-made man. He had few or no advantages in early life, but on the contrary begun life under heavy disadvantages, such as would have discouraged one of less sterling qualities. His father died when John was only 13 years old, leaving a wife and two daughters and an orphan boy 6 years old, leaving no means whatever. The care of this family devolved upon John. The father died in Saline county, Missouri, in 1834. The family then removed to Johnson county, where they remained five years, John hiring out to make rails at 30 cents per hundred. All of his scant earnings he contributed to the support of his mother and sisters; removing thence to Platte county; Northwestern Missouri, young Johnson took a preemption claim, cleared a small farm and went to work. He remained here only two years. He sold the farm, receiving only $400 in money for it and moved again, this time to Buchanan county, where he preempted eighty-acres of land, cleared part of it and again went to farming. He followed this pursuit eight years and again sold out his preemption and other lands which he had bought, realizing this time $3000. He again moved, seven miles east in De Kalb county. Here he purchased another farm, on which he resided and worked until 1861, when he determined to emigrate to Texas. On his last sale in Missouri he realized $42,000. Arriving in Texas he rented a farm near McKinney for two years; meanwhile looking around for suitable investments, he then purchased a tract of 200 acres four miles east of McKinney, where he resided fifteen years. He engaged in stock raising in connection with his farming, and for five years drove cattle to Missouri. As the country was rapidly settling up and lands rapidly increasing in value, opportunity presented for handsome speculation for those who like Mr. Johnson had ready money to invest; an opportunity of which he availed himself with the result, as we have seen, of becoming one of the wealthiest men in the county.

             Mr. Johnson prides himself very much upon his record in the Constitutional Convention of 1875; it is a matter of record, that to him is due the honor of bringing into the treasury revenue from 35,000,000 acres of land on which no taxes had been paid for thirty years; and on his record with regard to regulating railroad charges; and in debating leading questions, he had to encounter Hon. John H. Reagan, one of the leaders of the body, especially on Johnson's homestead bill, which prevents one from mortgaging his homestead or in any way encumbering it. The bill passed as introduced by Mr. Johnson.

             When he announced himself for the Constitution Convention, he issued to the voters of his Senatorial District, a platform from which we cull the following extracts which are embodied in our Constitution; this is due to Mr. Johnson:

             “The interests of the country demand the insertion of a clause in the Constitution forbidding the taking of a higher rate of interest than the rate allowed by law prior to 1861, viz: 8 to 12 per cent."

             "That the members of the Legislature shall receive, as compensation, $5 for each day they shall be in attendance on, and 10 cents for each mile actually traveled to and from the place of convening the Legislature, by the most direct route. That no member of the Legislature shall be entitled to pay for more than 60 days at any one session."

             "The Legislature should exercise a control over the tariff of freight charges on all railroads chartered by the State, and require that all freights be in proportion to distance and that any discrimination for or against any place be forbidden."

             "That all lands belonging to non-residents be assessed in the county in which they lie, and in default of payment of taxes, should be subject to sale the same year when due. giving the owners the right of redemption. Also, that all parties holding any adverse claims against any real estate in this State be required to present their claims within two years or be barred."

             Mr. Johnson was returned to the upper house of the 18th and 19th Legislatures and served with distinction.