San Joaquin County
Biographies
HON. ROBERT S. JOHNSON
HON. ROBERT S. JOHNSON, one
of the prominent citizens of Stockton, is a native of Bedfordshire, England, born April 10, 1835, his parents being Robert B. and Ann (Smith)
Johnson. When he was eight years of age the family removed to America, locating in Montreal, and he
lived there eight years, and at Toronto two years, receiving his education at St. Bernard’s
College, Montreal. He went to Chicago from Toronto and engaged as clerk for C. M. Murray, the first
store-keeper on the west side. He next went with Frank Newhall, at No. 9 Clark street, with whom he remained eight years. While in Chicago
he took an active part in fire department matters, and ran with the old Fire King
along with C. P. Bradley and others whose names have occupied prominent places
in Chicago history. He was for five years foreman of Hope Hose
Company, and became chief engineer of the Chicago Fire Department. He went from
Chicago to Racine, Wisconsin, and there, in 1859, went with a party which he
organized there, to Pike’s
Peak. He returned to Racine
and then came out to California, via New
York and Panama, landing at San Francisco from
the steamer Orizaba. After spending some time looking about the State for
a favorable business opening, he located in Stockton, embarking in the produce and commission trade on the
levee. In 1867 he bought out the livery stable of George Fox, the oldest one in
the city, which was started by a man named Dallas. The livery business for Mr. Johnson is extensive,
and his stables are furnished with the best of stock and equipment.
Mr. Johnson was married at Racine,
Wisconsin, April 6, 1857, to Miss Mary Philomena Shaw, a native
of Maine, who died in Stockton in 1871. By that marriage there were three children,
viz: William Russell, Eva L. and Charles R. Mr. Johnson was again married, in
this city, to Miss Mary L. Chittenden, a native of Warsaw,
Hancock County, Illinois. She died on the 6th of November, 1889,
leaving two children, namely: Ida May and Roy Stephen.
Mr. Johnson was one of the strongest
supporters of the Government in this State when the Union
was endangered during the civil war, and in 1862 personally raised a company
for the defense of the old flag, which was mustered into the service as Company
K, First California Cavalry. He commanded that company until the close of the
war, their services being principally with Kit Carson, engaged in Indian
fighting, and confined mostly to Arizona, New
Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri. During this time, besides the almost constant
skirmishes which such service entails, Captain Johnson participated in some
eight or nine fights with Indians. He was discharged and mustered out at Fort Union in 1865, and returned to Stockton. He was one of the organizers of Rawlins Post, G. A.
R., and is one of the oldest Grand Army men, in point of service, on the
Pacific coast. He has always taken an active interest in the welfare of the
Grand Army, and has, in all, served five terms as Commander of Rawlins Post. In
1884 he was elected department inspector, and was elected in January, 1889,
Senior Commander, Department of California. He is also a member of the A. O. U.
W. Mr. Johnson is politically a stanch advocate of the principles of the
Republican party, and has always been an active worker in its ranks and a
leader in its councils. He has served six terms as a member of the City Council
of Stockton, and two terms as its president. At the general election of 1888 he
was elected to the General Assembly of California from this district, taking
his seat in January, 1889. He took an active part in the work of the session,
and came out with a remarkable record. He served on the following committees:
Labor and Capital, Municipal Corporations, Silk Culture and Military Affairs.
He introduced a number of important measures, and has the splendid record of
carrying them all to a successful issue and to approval by the Governor, as
follows: House Bill No. 48.--An act to amend an act in regard to county and
township government. House Bill No. 282.--An act to amend the code of civil
procedure. House Bill No. 299.--An act to provide for the erection and
furnishing of armories for the National Guard. House Bill No. 318.--An act to
make appropriations for deficiencies in armory rents. House Bill No. 50.--An
act for the benefit of Union veterans, providing that no veteran should be
buried as a pauper, and appropriating $50 in each case; approved March 15,
1889. House Bill No. 283.--An act providing for the maintenance, support and
discharge, in certain cases, of insane persons. An act to provide for
deficiency in the appropriating $40,000 for gas wells at the Eastern Insane
Asylum, Stockton. Resolution No. 4.--Relative to approval of charter of city of
Stockton. He also got a proper appropriation for the Eastern
Insane Asylum, though he does not get credit for it on the records. All in all,
this is a record of which any old campaigner in the halls of legislature might
well be proud--ten important measures undertaken, and all successful.
March 5, 1889, Mr. Johnson was appointed
one of the directors of the State Insane Asylum by Governor Waterman, his term
of office holding till March, 1893. On the board he is Chairman of the
Improvement Committee, and a member of the Auditing and Visiting Committee. Mr.
Johnson is one of the brightest and most enterprising of Stockton’s citizens, and has always taken an important part in all matters of
public welfare in which his city or county was interested.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 309-310. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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