Sacramento County
Biographies
HIRAM W. JOHNSON
Hiram W. Johnson, present governor of
California, was born in Sacramento September 2, 1866, the son of Grove L.
Johnson and his wife, nee Miss Anne de Monfridy. He
was educated in the public schools of this city, and graduated from the high
school at the age of seventeen. He studied law in the office of his father
during the following year, and at the age of eighteen entered the University of
California in the class of '88. He soon became recognized as a leader from his
aggressive disposition and it is stated that the students used to say that
"a freshman is boss of the whole university." He was pitcher of the
college nine in his day and his son, Hiram, Jr., became its catcher. Reared in
a political atmosphere, it is not surprising that he mixed in the interclass
politics of the university and attained a commanding position. He was elected
editor of the "Blue and Gold" in his junior year, but did not enter
upon the duties of the office. Cupid had marked him for his own, and in his
twentieth year he left the university to marry Miss McNeal, daughter of
Archibald McNeal, a Sacramento pioneer. By her he has two sons, Hiram W.
Johnson, Jr., and Archibald McNeal Johnson.
After his marriage Mr. Johnson entered his
father's law office, and with his elder brother, Albert M. Johnson, entered
into partnership with his father. The partnership did not endure long, however,
on account of political differences, and the brothers set up a separate office.
He plunged into politics as a practical reformer, and became a frequent
delegate to city, county and state conventions of the Republican party, twice splitting the Sacramento delegation on the
issue of railroad domination. He and his brother made and won a
sensational campaign against heavy odds and won the election of George H. Clark
for mayor of the city. He moved to San Francisco in 1902, with his brother, and
they opened a law office. Albert died about a year later, and Hiram continued
to practice alone. He was engaged in the "graft prosecutions" for a
time, but withdrew from the prosecution to make Langdon's campaign for district
attorney. When Heney was shot, however, he took up Heney's work, and was successful in convicting Abe Ruef.
In 1910 Mr. Johnson was nominated as the
progressive Republican for governor, and won by a handsome plurality. In 1912
he was nominated at the convention of the Progressive party to run on the
ticket for vice-president with Theodore Roosevelt, but was defeated, winning,
however, eleven of the thirteen electors for California. His aggressive nature
is still prominent and through his influence a number of radical reforms in
state affairs have been inaugurated.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Pages 836-837. Historic
Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.