Sacramento County
Biographies
FRED J. JOHNS
The identification of many successive
generations of the Johns family with England remained unbroken until James T.
Johns in young manhood left Great Britain for the newly discovered mines of the
far west. In common with the majority of the ambitious Argonauts of that
period, he embarked in mining pursuits, but he continued in the same industry
for a much longer time than many and he also met with a fair degree of success
in his ventures. For many years he held a position as foreman for the
North Star Mining Company, and meanwhile he acquired mining stock of his own,
so that ultimately he owned large interests in two gold mines of California. Among the miners of the early days he held a high
reputation for accuracy of judgment and energy of temperament. Nor was a
loyalty of devotion to his adopted country less in evidence among his most
pronounced qualities. At the time of coming to this country he was a mere
lad, and it was not until 1876 that he established domestic ties, his marriage
in that year uniting him with Miss Elizabeth Adams, who had the distinction of
being one of the first white children born in the northern part of
California. During the early development of Nevada county her father, William H.
Adams, held rank as a prominent man of affairs, a leading politician and for
several terms the incumbent of the office of sheriff.
In the family of James T. Johns there was
but one child, Fred J., whose birth occurred at Grass Valley,
Nevada county, Cal., September 13, 1878, and whose schooling was had in the little town where he
was born. Quite early in life he studied telegraphy and after he had
acquired accuracy in the art he became operator at Grass Valley for the Western Union Telegraph Company. At the
expiration of six years he resigned that position and began to assist his
father in mining affairs. In October, 1896, he came to Sacramento and
turned his attention to the realty business as a salesman for the Carmichael
Company, and it was not long before he had proved his value in that
connection. It is characteristic of him that he judges real estate values
with almost unerring precision and he possesses the further qualification of
finding without delay the kind of property a would-be buyer prefers. On the 1st of April,
1909, he opened an office on K street for a general real estate and brokerage business, but
later he removed to No.
1023 Ninth street,
where he has every modern convenience desirable in the management of his
business or in the personal comfort afforded by his quarters. Besides
being associated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent
Protective Order of Elks, for years he held official positions with the Native
Sons of the Golden West. During 1905 he was appointed a member of the
committee that was instrumental in promoting the celebration and electrical
parade commemorating Admission Day in Sacramento.
The marriage of Fred J. Johns and Miss Flo Robinette of Sacramento took place in this city in 1902. They are the parents
of three children, namely: Fred R., born December 18, 1904; California, who was born September 9, 1906, on Admission Day, and was named in commemoration of this
date, and Marjorie, born July 25, 1908.
Mrs. Johns gives earnest and capable assistance to the work of the English
Lutheran church, with which she is associated as a member, and in addition she
is also a member of the Tuesday club. Her father, John L. Robinette, was
the founder of the California Odd Fellow, the official organ of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows in the state, and was one of the leading state workers of
that organization. At the time of his death, in September of 1899, he was
so influential and so prominent in the order that, had his life been spared for
a few more years, he would have received the very highest honors within the
power of the fraternity to bestow. In his demise the order sustained a
heavy loss and his home city also was deprived of one of its most loyal and
patriotic men.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento
County, California, Pages 614-615. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1913.
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.