Biographies
FONTAINE JOHNSON
FONTAINE JOHNSON—Sacramento has long been famous for such gifted members of the legal profession as Fontaine Johnson, the senior member of the firm of Johnson & Lemmon. He was born at Colusa, Cal., on October 3, 1884, the son of Julian W. and Lottie J. (Raker) Johnson, the former a native of California, while the mother came from Illinois. Grandfather Johnson had crossed the Great Plains in 1849, impelled hither by his vocation as preacher; and once here he became a preacher and a farmer. Julian Johnson has been principal of one grammar school in Sacramento for thirty-three years. Another son, Matt F. Johnson, Julian’s brother, was a judge on the Superior Bench of California in Sacramento County for a number of years; and a brother of Mrs. Julian Johnson, John E. Raker, was for several years congressman from the second district in California. Mr. and Mrs. Julian Johnson were married in California.
Fontaine Johnson attended the grammar and high schools, graduating from the latter in 1904, and in 1908 he was given the coveted degree of Bachelor of Laws from the University of California. He began his actual practice of law in January 1909, choosing Sacramento for his field; and since then he has been more than successful. The following year he joined in partnership to establish the firm mentioned, above. Their reputation both for a knowledge of the law and for exceptional fidelity to the interests of every client has brought them a patronage constantly growing to a most gratifying degree.
At Sacramento, in 1917, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Nina D. Sutliff, of Sacramento, the daughter of the well-known physician, Dr. F. B. Sutliff, of that city, and both husband and wife are well and pleasantly known in fraternal circles. Mr. Johnson is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason, and a member of the Divan of Ben Ali Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S.; he is an Elk, and also belongs to Sunset Parlor, Native Sons of the Golden Wet. He was a director of the Chamber of Commerce, and is a past president of the Rotary Club. He belongs to the ranks of the Republicans, but he votes independently in local matters. He served in the World War as a member of the Field Artillery at Louisville, Ky., and was a captain in Company G, 159th Infantry, N.G.C. After his discharge from duty, upon the signing of the armistice, Mr. Johnson resumed the law practice he had entered upon prior to enlistment.
Transcribed by Gloria Wiegner
Lane.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County,
California With Biographical Sketches, Page
403. Historic Record Company,
© 2007 Gloria
Wiegner Lane.