Major league baseball player 1871. Played second base and right field for the Cleveland Forest Citys.
Veteran of the Civil War.
Hon. Caleb C. Johnson, closely associated with the legal and political history of Sterling and Whiteside county, his course reflecting credit upon the district which knows him as a progressive, public-spirited and honored citizen, was born May 23, 1844, in one of the pioneer log houses of the township of Ustick, about four miles northeast of Fulton. His paternal grandfather, John Johnson, was born in England and came to this country with his two brothers, Elias and ... . The two brothers both went south and all trace of them has been lost. John Johnson married first, Carol Conke, a native of Holland, and had six children; Sarah, Permelia, Abigail, Betsy, Jesse and Elias. He married, second, Rebeccka Ostrander, by whom he had one boy, John. He practiced law in Troy, New York, and won a reputation as a toted criminal lawyer, being a man of marked eloquence and oratorical power. He served his country as a soldier in the Revolutionary war and lived to a ripe old age.
His son Jesse Johnson, father of our subject, was born in Troy, New York, April 2, 1798, and when a small child lost his mother. His father having married again, he left home at the early age of twelve, and never again saw any of his people. He sailed on the lakes for some time and then returned to Lewis county, New York, settling near Lowville, where he met and married Miss Mary Webb, of West Hadley, New York, she being a daughter of Charles and Mary (Gilbert) Webb, both natives of the Empire state. Her mother lived to be 97 years of age.
Following his marriage, which took place in the year 1822, Jesse Johnson engaged in farming and in clearing land. About 1835 he removed with his family to Indiana, settling at Mishawaka, near South Bend, where a contract to dig a mill race was let to him. He was engaged as a contractor there for about two years. In 1838 he came to Whiteside county, Illinois, his objective point being Plainville. But he learned that a man by the name of Wing, who owed him a thousand dollars, was at Fulton. He therefore made his way to Fulton, and in the course of time effected a settlement, accepting pay principally in town lots. He was there just before the land came into market and made a claim of three hundred and twenty acres, which he entered and improved, continuing the cultivation and development of that property until 1853. There was a great deal of stone in the bluffs and with some of this he built a fine house. He had one of the most beautiful farms for stock to be found anywhere. In 1853, however, he left the farm and moved to Fulton, purchasing the ferry franchise across the Mississippi river, and in company with his son-in-law William Knight, putting on the first steam ferry that was ever operated on the river north of St. Louis. The boat was a nice side-wheeler called the "Sarah", named after his daughter, Sarah, the wife of William Knight and was built for Mr. Johnson at the large steamboat yards at New Albany Indiana. He brought her own Ohio to Cairo and thence up the Mississippi to Fulton. After operating the ferry for two or three years, he invested his means in town lots which rose continuously in value until Clinton was made the division town on the railroad. Mr. Johnson resided in Fulton until his death, which occurred October 12, 1876. His widow died April 18, 1879. He was the father of twelve children, all of whom reached maturity with the exception of Cornelia P., who died in infancy. Five of the children are now living. Cornelia P. (second) is the widow of Richard Green, of Fulton and is now living there; Henrietta, the widow of Charles A. Davidson, is now living in Kansas City, Missouri; Eliza N. the widow of Samuel Dennison, is also living in Kansas City MO; Anna M. the widow of William Reed of Fulton is now living with her son, George, in Louisiana; and Caleb C.
One son, Charles J. Johnson, went to Morrison IL about 1856 and practiced law there for a number of years, after which he went to Rock Island and later to Chicago, but eventually returned with his brother, Caleb C., and continued in the practice of law until he had attained an advanced age. He died at the home of his sister, Mary Ware, near Fulton, in July 1899. At one time he was judge of the county court of Whiteside county and was long regarded as a most powerful and eminent attorney.
Another son, Edward L. Johnson, served throughout the Civil war, enlisting in the First Nebraska Inf. as a private but died before he reached home, while his regiment was at Cape Girardeau, MO.
Cornelia P. (second) and Harriet married brothers, Richard and William C. Green, respectively both prominent residents of Fulton.
Caleb C. Johnson was reared in this county, spending the first eight years of his life on the home farm and then accompanying his parents on their removal to Fulton. He was educated in the common schools and at the Military Academy at Fulton, and entered from there into the life of the volunteer soldier, enlisting as a member of Co C 69th IL Vol. Inf. He re-enlisted in Co D 140th IL Inf and served until the end of the war. The regiment was principally engaged in guarding railroads and was badly cut to pieces by guerrillas.
His military service ended, Mr. Johnson returned to Fulton and in 1866 went to Morrison IL where he began reading law in his brother's office. In 1867 he was admitted to the bar. In 1868 he accepted a position as clerk on one of the large boats belonging to he Diamond Joe Line and found this a very delightful occupation. But in March 1869 he came to Sterling where he entered into partnership with Major Miles S. Henry. They opened a law office in the building where Mr. Johnson is now located and remained together until Mr. Henry's death in 1878. He was then joined by his brother in a partnership under the firm style of C.J. and C.C. Johnson, continuing together until 1893, at which time he went to North Dakota, having been appointed receiver of a national bank of Jamestown North Dakota, by James H. Eckels, comptroller of the currency. In 1896 after settling up the affairs of the bank, he returned to Sterling and again became actively engaged in the practice of law.
His name is familiar to all those who are at all acquainted with the legal history of Whiteside county. He has been retained by either the defense or the prosecution in a great many of the important cases tried in the courts of the district. He never fails to prepare his cases thoroughly for trial and the presentation of them indicates a mind trained in the severest school of investigation, and to which close reasoning has become habitual and easy. His deductions follow in logical sequence, and his marked ability is demonstrated by the many notable forensic victories he has won.
On the 15th of August 1871, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Josephine E. Worthington, a daughter of Eliphalet Bulkeley Worthington, long deputy clerk of Whiteside county circuit court, and Sarah (McShane) Worthington. They have one son, Jesse W. a graduate of the University of Wisconsin. He is now reading law in his father's office, having spent two years in the graduate Law School of the Caleb C. Johnson is an exemplary member of Rock River Lodge No 612, A.F. and A.M.; Sterling Chapter No 57, R.A.M. and Sterling Comandery, No. 57, K.T. of which he was the first eminent commander, serving for two and one half years. And he was also an officer in the grand commandery of Illinois.
Politically he is a democrat and has been honored by a number of official positions. At one time he served on the board of supervisors and was a member of the building committee that had in charge the erection of the clerk's office at Morrison. He served as city attorney for a number of terms first in 1869. In 1885 he was elected to the Illinois legislature and re-elected for the sessions of 1887, 1893, 1897 and 1903, he being at that time the nestor of house democrats. He also served in one or two special sessions. He was at every session a leader, taking an active part in the proceedings at all times. His complete knowledge of parliamentary law and usages, together with his natural ability as a political tactician and party leader, won for him in the session of 1893 the position of temporary speaker and organizer of the house, and afterward the chairmanship of some of the most important committees in the house. Under Cleveland's first administration Mr. Johnson was deputy collector of internal revenue and in 1888 he was a delegate to the democratic national convention of St. Louis. At present Mr. Johnson is out of politics, devoting himself entirely to his law practice, but performing faithfully the duties and demands made upon him incident to good citizenship. He is a member of the Wallace school board, president of the library board and a trustee of the Illinois Soldier's and Sailors' Home at Quincy. A few years ago he was associated with C.L. Sheldon in an attempt to induce the government to change the proposed line of the feeder for the Hennepin canal so that it would join Rock river at Sterling instead of at Dixon. These two gentlemen were sent to Washington for this purpose and succeeded in their mission, and Sterling is today consequently entering upon an industrial era of great promise. Mr. Johnson has always been a close student of those questions which are to the stateman and to the man of practical affairs of deep interest. His labors and efforts have been an essential factor in promoting the best interests of Sterling and Whiteside county and have borne fruit, not only in legislative halls but through the wider contact and friendship with men of the state.
[History of Whiteside County 1908 William Davis]
Veteran of the Civil War.
Hon. Caleb C. Johnson, closely associated with the legal and political history of Sterling and Whiteside county, his course reflecting credit upon the district which knows him as a progressive, public-spirited and honored citizen, was born May 23, 1844, in one of the pioneer log houses of the township of Ustick, about four miles northeast of Fulton. His paternal grandfather, John Johnson, was born in England and came to this country with his two brothers, Elias and ... . The two brothers both went south and all trace of them has been lost. John Johnson married first, Carol Conke, a native of Holland, and had six children; Sarah, Permelia, Abigail, Betsy, Jesse and Elias. He married, second, Rebeccka Ostrander, by whom he had one boy, John. He practiced law in Troy, New York, and won a reputation as a toted criminal lawyer, being a man of marked eloquence and oratorical power. He served his country as a soldier in the Revolutionary war and lived to a ripe old age.
His son Jesse Johnson, father of our subject, was born in Troy, New York, April 2, 1798, and when a small child lost his mother. His father having married again, he left home at the early age of twelve, and never again saw any of his people. He sailed on the lakes for some time and then returned to Lewis county, New York, settling near Lowville, where he met and married Miss Mary Webb, of West Hadley, New York, she being a daughter of Charles and Mary (Gilbert) Webb, both natives of the Empire state. Her mother lived to be 97 years of age.
Following his marriage, which took place in the year 1822, Jesse Johnson engaged in farming and in clearing land. About 1835 he removed with his family to Indiana, settling at Mishawaka, near South Bend, where a contract to dig a mill race was let to him. He was engaged as a contractor there for about two years. In 1838 he came to Whiteside county, Illinois, his objective point being Plainville. But he learned that a man by the name of Wing, who owed him a thousand dollars, was at Fulton. He therefore made his way to Fulton, and in the course of time effected a settlement, accepting pay principally in town lots. He was there just before the land came into market and made a claim of three hundred and twenty acres, which he entered and improved, continuing the cultivation and development of that property until 1853. There was a great deal of stone in the bluffs and with some of this he built a fine house. He had one of the most beautiful farms for stock to be found anywhere. In 1853, however, he left the farm and moved to Fulton, purchasing the ferry franchise across the Mississippi river, and in company with his son-in-law William Knight, putting on the first steam ferry that was ever operated on the river north of St. Louis. The boat was a nice side-wheeler called the "Sarah", named after his daughter, Sarah, the wife of William Knight and was built for Mr. Johnson at the large steamboat yards at New Albany Indiana. He brought her own Ohio to Cairo and thence up the Mississippi to Fulton. After operating the ferry for two or three years, he invested his means in town lots which rose continuously in value until Clinton was made the division town on the railroad. Mr. Johnson resided in Fulton until his death, which occurred October 12, 1876. His widow died April 18, 1879. He was the father of twelve children, all of whom reached maturity with the exception of Cornelia P., who died in infancy. Five of the children are now living. Cornelia P. (second) is the widow of Richard Green, of Fulton and is now living there; Henrietta, the widow of Charles A. Davidson, is now living in Kansas City, Missouri; Eliza N. the widow of Samuel Dennison, is also living in Kansas City MO; Anna M. the widow of William Reed of Fulton is now living with her son, George, in Louisiana; and Caleb C.
One son, Charles J. Johnson, went to Morrison IL about 1856 and practiced law there for a number of years, after which he went to Rock Island and later to Chicago, but eventually returned with his brother, Caleb C., and continued in the practice of law until he had attained an advanced age. He died at the home of his sister, Mary Ware, near Fulton, in July 1899. At one time he was judge of the county court of Whiteside county and was long regarded as a most powerful and eminent attorney.
Another son, Edward L. Johnson, served throughout the Civil war, enlisting in the First Nebraska Inf. as a private but died before he reached home, while his regiment was at Cape Girardeau, MO.
Cornelia P. (second) and Harriet married brothers, Richard and William C. Green, respectively both prominent residents of Fulton.
Caleb C. Johnson was reared in this county, spending the first eight years of his life on the home farm and then accompanying his parents on their removal to Fulton. He was educated in the common schools and at the Military Academy at Fulton, and entered from there into the life of the volunteer soldier, enlisting as a member of Co C 69th IL Vol. Inf. He re-enlisted in Co D 140th IL Inf and served until the end of the war. The regiment was principally engaged in guarding railroads and was badly cut to pieces by guerrillas.
His military service ended, Mr. Johnson returned to Fulton and in 1866 went to Morrison IL where he began reading law in his brother's office. In 1867 he was admitted to the bar. In 1868 he accepted a position as clerk on one of the large boats belonging to he Diamond Joe Line and found this a very delightful occupation. But in March 1869 he came to Sterling where he entered into partnership with Major Miles S. Henry. They opened a law office in the building where Mr. Johnson is now located and remained together until Mr. Henry's death in 1878. He was then joined by his brother in a partnership under the firm style of C.J. and C.C. Johnson, continuing together until 1893, at which time he went to North Dakota, having been appointed receiver of a national bank of Jamestown North Dakota, by James H. Eckels, comptroller of the currency. In 1896 after settling up the affairs of the bank, he returned to Sterling and again became actively engaged in the practice of law.
His name is familiar to all those who are at all acquainted with the legal history of Whiteside county. He has been retained by either the defense or the prosecution in a great many of the important cases tried in the courts of the district. He never fails to prepare his cases thoroughly for trial and the presentation of them indicates a mind trained in the severest school of investigation, and to which close reasoning has become habitual and easy. His deductions follow in logical sequence, and his marked ability is demonstrated by the many notable forensic victories he has won.
On the 15th of August 1871, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Josephine E. Worthington, a daughter of Eliphalet Bulkeley Worthington, long deputy clerk of Whiteside county circuit court, and Sarah (McShane) Worthington. They have one son, Jesse W. a graduate of the University of Wisconsin. He is now reading law in his father's office, having spent two years in the graduate Law School of the Caleb C. Johnson is an exemplary member of Rock River Lodge No 612, A.F. and A.M.; Sterling Chapter No 57, R.A.M. and Sterling Comandery, No. 57, K.T. of which he was the first eminent commander, serving for two and one half years. And he was also an officer in the grand commandery of Illinois.
Politically he is a democrat and has been honored by a number of official positions. At one time he served on the board of supervisors and was a member of the building committee that had in charge the erection of the clerk's office at Morrison. He served as city attorney for a number of terms first in 1869. In 1885 he was elected to the Illinois legislature and re-elected for the sessions of 1887, 1893, 1897 and 1903, he being at that time the nestor of house democrats. He also served in one or two special sessions. He was at every session a leader, taking an active part in the proceedings at all times. His complete knowledge of parliamentary law and usages, together with his natural ability as a political tactician and party leader, won for him in the session of 1893 the position of temporary speaker and organizer of the house, and afterward the chairmanship of some of the most important committees in the house. Under Cleveland's first administration Mr. Johnson was deputy collector of internal revenue and in 1888 he was a delegate to the democratic national convention of St. Louis. At present Mr. Johnson is out of politics, devoting himself entirely to his law practice, but performing faithfully the duties and demands made upon him incident to good citizenship. He is a member of the Wallace school board, president of the library board and a trustee of the Illinois Soldier's and Sailors' Home at Quincy. A few years ago he was associated with C.L. Sheldon in an attempt to induce the government to change the proposed line of the feeder for the Hennepin canal so that it would join Rock river at Sterling instead of at Dixon. These two gentlemen were sent to Washington for this purpose and succeeded in their mission, and Sterling is today consequently entering upon an industrial era of great promise. Mr. Johnson has always been a close student of those questions which are to the stateman and to the man of practical affairs of deep interest. His labors and efforts have been an essential factor in promoting the best interests of Sterling and Whiteside county and have borne fruit, not only in legislative halls but through the wider contact and friendship with men of the state.
[History of Whiteside County 1908 William Davis]
Major league baseball player 1871. Played second base and right field for the Cleveland Forest Citys.
Veteran of the Civil War.
Hon. Caleb C. Johnson, closely associated with the legal and political history of Sterling and Whiteside county, his course reflecting credit upon the district which knows him as a progressive, public-spirited and honored citizen, was born May 23, 1844, in one of the pioneer log houses of the township of Ustick, about four miles northeast of Fulton. His paternal grandfather, John Johnson, was born in England and came to this country with his two brothers, Elias and ... . The two brothers both went south and all trace of them has been lost. John Johnson married first, Carol Conke, a native of Holland, and had six children; Sarah, Permelia, Abigail, Betsy, Jesse and Elias. He married, second, Rebeccka Ostrander, by whom he had one boy, John. He practiced law in Troy, New York, and won a reputation as a toted criminal lawyer, being a man of marked eloquence and oratorical power. He served his country as a soldier in the Revolutionary war and lived to a ripe old age.
His son Jesse Johnson, father of our subject, was born in Troy, New York, April 2, 1798, and when a small child lost his mother. His father having married again, he left home at the early age of twelve, and never again saw any of his people. He sailed on the lakes for some time and then returned to Lewis county, New York, settling near Lowville, where he met and married Miss Mary Webb, of West Hadley, New York, she being a daughter of Charles and Mary (Gilbert) Webb, both natives of the Empire state. Her mother lived to be 97 years of age.
Following his marriage, which took place in the year 1822, Jesse Johnson engaged in farming and in clearing land. About 1835 he removed with his family to Indiana, settling at Mishawaka, near South Bend, where a contract to dig a mill race was let to him. He was engaged as a contractor there for about two years. In 1838 he came to Whiteside county, Illinois, his objective point being Plainville. But he learned that a man by the name of Wing, who owed him a thousand dollars, was at Fulton. He therefore made his way to Fulton, and in the course of time effected a settlement, accepting pay principally in town lots. He was there just before the land came into market and made a claim of three hundred and twenty acres, which he entered and improved, continuing the cultivation and development of that property until 1853. There was a great deal of stone in the bluffs and with some of this he built a fine house. He had one of the most beautiful farms for stock to be found anywhere. In 1853, however, he left the farm and moved to Fulton, purchasing the ferry franchise across the Mississippi river, and in company with his son-in-law William Knight, putting on the first steam ferry that was ever operated on the river north of St. Louis. The boat was a nice side-wheeler called the "Sarah", named after his daughter, Sarah, the wife of William Knight and was built for Mr. Johnson at the large steamboat yards at New Albany Indiana. He brought her own Ohio to Cairo and thence up the Mississippi to Fulton. After operating the ferry for two or three years, he invested his means in town lots which rose continuously in value until Clinton was made the division town on the railroad. Mr. Johnson resided in Fulton until his death, which occurred October 12, 1876. His widow died April 18, 1879. He was the father of twelve children, all of whom reached maturity with the exception of Cornelia P., who died in infancy. Five of the children are now living. Cornelia P. (second) is the widow of Richard Green, of Fulton and is now living there; Henrietta, the widow of Charles A. Davidson, is now living in Kansas City, Missouri; Eliza N. the widow of Samuel Dennison, is also living in Kansas City MO; Anna M. the widow of William Reed of Fulton is now living with her son, George, in Louisiana; and Caleb C.
One son, Charles J. Johnson, went to Morrison IL about 1856 and practiced law there for a number of years, after which he went to Rock Island and later to Chicago, but eventually returned with his brother, Caleb C., and continued in the practice of law until he had attained an advanced age. He died at the home of his sister, Mary Ware, near Fulton, in July 1899. At one time he was judge of the county court of Whiteside county and was long regarded as a most powerful and eminent attorney.
Another son, Edward L. Johnson, served throughout the Civil war, enlisting in the First Nebraska Inf. as a private but died before he reached home, while his regiment was at Cape Girardeau, MO.
Cornelia P. (second) and Harriet married brothers, Richard and William C. Green, respectively both prominent residents of Fulton.
Caleb C. Johnson was reared in this county, spending the first eight years of his life on the home farm and then accompanying his parents on their removal to Fulton. He was educated in the common schools and at the Military Academy at Fulton, and entered from there into the life of the volunteer soldier, enlisting as a member of Co C 69th IL Vol. Inf. He re-enlisted in Co D 140th IL Inf and served until the end of the war. The regiment was principally engaged in guarding railroads and was badly cut to pieces by guerrillas.
His military service ended, Mr. Johnson returned to Fulton and in 1866 went to Morrison IL where he began reading law in his brother's office. In 1867 he was admitted to the bar. In 1868 he accepted a position as clerk on one of the large boats belonging to he Diamond Joe Line and found this a very delightful occupation. But in March 1869 he came to Sterling where he entered into partnership with Major Miles S. Henry. They opened a law office in the building where Mr. Johnson is now located and remained together until Mr. Henry's death in 1878. He was then joined by his brother in a partnership under the firm style of C.J. and C.C. Johnson, continuing together until 1893, at which time he went to North Dakota, having been appointed receiver of a national bank of Jamestown North Dakota, by James H. Eckels, comptroller of the currency. In 1896 after settling up the affairs of the bank, he returned to Sterling and again became actively engaged in the practice of law.
His name is familiar to all those who are at all acquainted with the legal history of Whiteside county. He has been retained by either the defense or the prosecution in a great many of the important cases tried in the courts of the district. He never fails to prepare his cases thoroughly for trial and the presentation of them indicates a mind trained in the severest school of investigation, and to which close reasoning has become habitual and easy. His deductions follow in logical sequence, and his marked ability is demonstrated by the many notable forensic victories he has won.
On the 15th of August 1871, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Josephine E. Worthington, a daughter of Eliphalet Bulkeley Worthington, long deputy clerk of Whiteside county circuit court, and Sarah (McShane) Worthington. They have one son, Jesse W. a graduate of the University of Wisconsin. He is now reading law in his father's office, having spent two years in the graduate Law School of the Caleb C. Johnson is an exemplary member of Rock River Lodge No 612, A.F. and A.M.; Sterling Chapter No 57, R.A.M. and Sterling Comandery, No. 57, K.T. of which he was the first eminent commander, serving for two and one half years. And he was also an officer in the grand commandery of Illinois.
Politically he is a democrat and has been honored by a number of official positions. At one time he served on the board of supervisors and was a member of the building committee that had in charge the erection of the clerk's office at Morrison. He served as city attorney for a number of terms first in 1869. In 1885 he was elected to the Illinois legislature and re-elected for the sessions of 1887, 1893, 1897 and 1903, he being at that time the nestor of house democrats. He also served in one or two special sessions. He was at every session a leader, taking an active part in the proceedings at all times. His complete knowledge of parliamentary law and usages, together with his natural ability as a political tactician and party leader, won for him in the session of 1893 the position of temporary speaker and organizer of the house, and afterward the chairmanship of some of the most important committees in the house. Under Cleveland's first administration Mr. Johnson was deputy collector of internal revenue and in 1888 he was a delegate to the democratic national convention of St. Louis. At present Mr. Johnson is out of politics, devoting himself entirely to his law practice, but performing faithfully the duties and demands made upon him incident to good citizenship. He is a member of the Wallace school board, president of the library board and a trustee of the Illinois Soldier's and Sailors' Home at Quincy. A few years ago he was associated with C.L. Sheldon in an attempt to induce the government to change the proposed line of the feeder for the Hennepin canal so that it would join Rock river at Sterling instead of at Dixon. These two gentlemen were sent to Washington for this purpose and succeeded in their mission, and Sterling is today consequently entering upon an industrial era of great promise. Mr. Johnson has always been a close student of those questions which are to the stateman and to the man of practical affairs of deep interest. His labors and efforts have been an essential factor in promoting the best interests of Sterling and Whiteside county and have borne fruit, not only in legislative halls but through the wider contact and friendship with men of the state.
[History of Whiteside County 1908 William Davis]
Veteran of the Civil War.
Hon. Caleb C. Johnson, closely associated with the legal and political history of Sterling and Whiteside county, his course reflecting credit upon the district which knows him as a progressive, public-spirited and honored citizen, was born May 23, 1844, in one of the pioneer log houses of the township of Ustick, about four miles northeast of Fulton. His paternal grandfather, John Johnson, was born in England and came to this country with his two brothers, Elias and ... . The two brothers both went south and all trace of them has been lost. John Johnson married first, Carol Conke, a native of Holland, and had six children; Sarah, Permelia, Abigail, Betsy, Jesse and Elias. He married, second, Rebeccka Ostrander, by whom he had one boy, John. He practiced law in Troy, New York, and won a reputation as a toted criminal lawyer, being a man of marked eloquence and oratorical power. He served his country as a soldier in the Revolutionary war and lived to a ripe old age.
His son Jesse Johnson, father of our subject, was born in Troy, New York, April 2, 1798, and when a small child lost his mother. His father having married again, he left home at the early age of twelve, and never again saw any of his people. He sailed on the lakes for some time and then returned to Lewis county, New York, settling near Lowville, where he met and married Miss Mary Webb, of West Hadley, New York, she being a daughter of Charles and Mary (Gilbert) Webb, both natives of the Empire state. Her mother lived to be 97 years of age.
Following his marriage, which took place in the year 1822, Jesse Johnson engaged in farming and in clearing land. About 1835 he removed with his family to Indiana, settling at Mishawaka, near South Bend, where a contract to dig a mill race was let to him. He was engaged as a contractor there for about two years. In 1838 he came to Whiteside county, Illinois, his objective point being Plainville. But he learned that a man by the name of Wing, who owed him a thousand dollars, was at Fulton. He therefore made his way to Fulton, and in the course of time effected a settlement, accepting pay principally in town lots. He was there just before the land came into market and made a claim of three hundred and twenty acres, which he entered and improved, continuing the cultivation and development of that property until 1853. There was a great deal of stone in the bluffs and with some of this he built a fine house. He had one of the most beautiful farms for stock to be found anywhere. In 1853, however, he left the farm and moved to Fulton, purchasing the ferry franchise across the Mississippi river, and in company with his son-in-law William Knight, putting on the first steam ferry that was ever operated on the river north of St. Louis. The boat was a nice side-wheeler called the "Sarah", named after his daughter, Sarah, the wife of William Knight and was built for Mr. Johnson at the large steamboat yards at New Albany Indiana. He brought her own Ohio to Cairo and thence up the Mississippi to Fulton. After operating the ferry for two or three years, he invested his means in town lots which rose continuously in value until Clinton was made the division town on the railroad. Mr. Johnson resided in Fulton until his death, which occurred October 12, 1876. His widow died April 18, 1879. He was the father of twelve children, all of whom reached maturity with the exception of Cornelia P., who died in infancy. Five of the children are now living. Cornelia P. (second) is the widow of Richard Green, of Fulton and is now living there; Henrietta, the widow of Charles A. Davidson, is now living in Kansas City, Missouri; Eliza N. the widow of Samuel Dennison, is also living in Kansas City MO; Anna M. the widow of William Reed of Fulton is now living with her son, George, in Louisiana; and Caleb C.
One son, Charles J. Johnson, went to Morrison IL about 1856 and practiced law there for a number of years, after which he went to Rock Island and later to Chicago, but eventually returned with his brother, Caleb C., and continued in the practice of law until he had attained an advanced age. He died at the home of his sister, Mary Ware, near Fulton, in July 1899. At one time he was judge of the county court of Whiteside county and was long regarded as a most powerful and eminent attorney.
Another son, Edward L. Johnson, served throughout the Civil war, enlisting in the First Nebraska Inf. as a private but died before he reached home, while his regiment was at Cape Girardeau, MO.
Cornelia P. (second) and Harriet married brothers, Richard and William C. Green, respectively both prominent residents of Fulton.
Caleb C. Johnson was reared in this county, spending the first eight years of his life on the home farm and then accompanying his parents on their removal to Fulton. He was educated in the common schools and at the Military Academy at Fulton, and entered from there into the life of the volunteer soldier, enlisting as a member of Co C 69th IL Vol. Inf. He re-enlisted in Co D 140th IL Inf and served until the end of the war. The regiment was principally engaged in guarding railroads and was badly cut to pieces by guerrillas.
His military service ended, Mr. Johnson returned to Fulton and in 1866 went to Morrison IL where he began reading law in his brother's office. In 1867 he was admitted to the bar. In 1868 he accepted a position as clerk on one of the large boats belonging to he Diamond Joe Line and found this a very delightful occupation. But in March 1869 he came to Sterling where he entered into partnership with Major Miles S. Henry. They opened a law office in the building where Mr. Johnson is now located and remained together until Mr. Henry's death in 1878. He was then joined by his brother in a partnership under the firm style of C.J. and C.C. Johnson, continuing together until 1893, at which time he went to North Dakota, having been appointed receiver of a national bank of Jamestown North Dakota, by James H. Eckels, comptroller of the currency. In 1896 after settling up the affairs of the bank, he returned to Sterling and again became actively engaged in the practice of law.
His name is familiar to all those who are at all acquainted with the legal history of Whiteside county. He has been retained by either the defense or the prosecution in a great many of the important cases tried in the courts of the district. He never fails to prepare his cases thoroughly for trial and the presentation of them indicates a mind trained in the severest school of investigation, and to which close reasoning has become habitual and easy. His deductions follow in logical sequence, and his marked ability is demonstrated by the many notable forensic victories he has won.
On the 15th of August 1871, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Josephine E. Worthington, a daughter of Eliphalet Bulkeley Worthington, long deputy clerk of Whiteside county circuit court, and Sarah (McShane) Worthington. They have one son, Jesse W. a graduate of the University of Wisconsin. He is now reading law in his father's office, having spent two years in the graduate Law School of the Caleb C. Johnson is an exemplary member of Rock River Lodge No 612, A.F. and A.M.; Sterling Chapter No 57, R.A.M. and Sterling Comandery, No. 57, K.T. of which he was the first eminent commander, serving for two and one half years. And he was also an officer in the grand commandery of Illinois.
Politically he is a democrat and has been honored by a number of official positions. At one time he served on the board of supervisors and was a member of the building committee that had in charge the erection of the clerk's office at Morrison. He served as city attorney for a number of terms first in 1869. In 1885 he was elected to the Illinois legislature and re-elected for the sessions of 1887, 1893, 1897 and 1903, he being at that time the nestor of house democrats. He also served in one or two special sessions. He was at every session a leader, taking an active part in the proceedings at all times. His complete knowledge of parliamentary law and usages, together with his natural ability as a political tactician and party leader, won for him in the session of 1893 the position of temporary speaker and organizer of the house, and afterward the chairmanship of some of the most important committees in the house. Under Cleveland's first administration Mr. Johnson was deputy collector of internal revenue and in 1888 he was a delegate to the democratic national convention of St. Louis. At present Mr. Johnson is out of politics, devoting himself entirely to his law practice, but performing faithfully the duties and demands made upon him incident to good citizenship. He is a member of the Wallace school board, president of the library board and a trustee of the Illinois Soldier's and Sailors' Home at Quincy. A few years ago he was associated with C.L. Sheldon in an attempt to induce the government to change the proposed line of the feeder for the Hennepin canal so that it would join Rock river at Sterling instead of at Dixon. These two gentlemen were sent to Washington for this purpose and succeeded in their mission, and Sterling is today consequently entering upon an industrial era of great promise. Mr. Johnson has always been a close student of those questions which are to the stateman and to the man of practical affairs of deep interest. His labors and efforts have been an essential factor in promoting the best interests of Sterling and Whiteside county and have borne fruit, not only in legislative halls but through the wider contact and friendship with men of the state.
[History of Whiteside County 1908 William Davis]
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