William Derby Johnson Jr. (1850 - 1923)

Born 2 May 1850 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Lucy Annie (Salisbury) Johnson — married 29 Nov 1869 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States

Husband of Lucy Elizabeth (Brown) Johnson — married 29 Mar 1877 in St. George, Washington, Ut

Husband of Charlesetta Prescott (Cram) Johnson — married 28 May 1879 in St George, Washington, Utah, USA

Descendants

Died 7 Oct 1923 at age 73 in Tucson, Pima, Arizona, USA

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William Johnson Jr. was a Latter Day Saint pioneer.

Biography

Born 2 May of 1850 in Council Bluffs, Iowa to parents William Derby Johnson Sr. (1824-1896) and Jane Cadwallader Brown (1832-1908). ^[1]

By wagon train the Johnson family traveled across the American midwest to reach Salt Lake City settlement in the spring of 1861 and at age 12 William drove one of the wagons. At 13 he was hauling Coal from Weber Canyon. At 15 he worked at Sickles and Humphrey's Sawmill.

Age 16, William enlisted, taking his father's place, for the Blackhawk War (1865-1872) which included an estimated 150 battles, skirmishes, raids and military engagements between the Mormon settlers and Native American tribes (Ute, Southern Paiute, Apache and Navajo) all led by local Ute war chief Antonga Black Hawk.

William also served in Sanpete County. He was then given the opportunity to attend Deseret University where he studied BookKeeping, Spelling, Arithmetic and Telegraphing. On his Pima County, Arizona death certificate his occupation is listed as accountant.

Age 17, William hired out to John W. Young to work on the Union Pacific Railroad in Echo Canyon. He returned to the university and received his diploma in Bookkeeping. Early in 1868 was asked to take charge of the Commercial Dept. and taught Bookkeeping.

Age 20, he left the University and was hired by Hyrum B. Clawson as bookkeeper for Z.C.M.I. Was called by Brigham Young to start a Commercial School in St. George, Utah.

Age 21, he went with his father, uncles and cousins to Kanab and a canyon 12 miles east to start the town of Johnson. Taught school in Kanab. Major Powells Party came to Kanab and William and became acquainted with John F. Stewart, Clem Powell, Francis M. Bishop, Stephen V. Jones, E. O. Beaman, Fred Dellenbaugh and Almon H. Thompson. They taught him Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Geology, Surveying, Map Drawing, Fossil Hunting and Photography. He was asked to join the Powell Expedition as a Topographer.

In 1872 he helped map southern Utah and northern Arizona and traveled down the Colorado River from the Dirty Devil River to Lee's Ferry with Fred Dellenbaugh, Jack Hillers and James Fennemore. He wrote a number of articles about the expedition that were printed in the Deseret Evening News.

Age 25, he was appointed Dep. Mineral Surveyor for Utah, elected County Surveyor and Justice of the Peace for Kanab. Called by Brigham Young as Assistant at the Deseret Museum he made a tour of the settlements collecting fossils and artifacts for the museum.

Age 26, he was ordained a Seventy and elected supervising clerk for the House of Representatives of the Utah Legislature. Studied Entomology and wrote articles for the Juvenile Instructor. Teaching school in Kanab. On the High Council of the Stake. Ordained Bishop of Kanab Ward.

Age 28, in the year 1878, he was elected to the Utah territory Legislature as a representative from Kane and Washington Counties. He was reelected in 1880.

Age 35, in the year 1885 he gathered up his extended family wives and children and left Kanab, Utah Territory for Chihuahua, Mexico to an area 13 miles due south from the border town of Columbus, New Mexico. The Mexican settlements were established to provide refuge for plural families escaping the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act.

He was set apart as a Healer to the Mexicans by Apostles George Teasdale, Erastus Snow and Moses Thatcher.

Age 36, in the year 1886, he 'laid out' the town of Diaz (creating a planned community) and called as Bishop of the Diaz Ward by George Teasdale. He was appointed as Agent for the Mexican Mission and conducted business as such.

Age 42, in the year 1892, he was set apart as Sup't of Church Schools for the Mexican Mission. He attended the 1893 dedication of Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City.

1898 he traveled to Denver, Colorado in order to conduct business with various mining industry representatives.

In the year 1912 when William was 62 years old the Colonia Diaz LDS colony, population about 623, was overrun by Mexican banditos who set fire and destroyed all property chasing the colonists across the international border. They were given brief warning. The Mexican Revolution had begun in earnest. The Poncho Villa rebels who destroyed Colonia Diaz followed the settlers back across the border into Columbus, New Mexico destroying several homes and businesses before returning to Mexico. It was this international act of aggression that triggered the infamous career of (later) General George S. Patton Jr. who was ordered by President WIlson to develop and execute military procedures for combatting the Chihuahua desert gorilla fighters. For a time the fleeing settlers were scattered from Columbus, New Mexico to El Paso, Texas. A short time later William Derby Johnson family gathered and relocated to Tucson, Arizona.

While residing in Tucson, Arizona, age 73 years, on 17 October 1923, ^[1] with two of his wives still living, Lucy Elizabeth Brown and Mary Agnes Riggs, he passed away and with much ceremony befitting his active life. He was buried on 18 October 1923 at Pioneer Cemetery, Tucson, Arizona, USA. On horseback leading the casket brigade and parade of mourners was his eldest surviving son Zeno Martel Johnson Sr.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Pima County, Arizona Death Records. Dept. of Health and Vital Records (online public db). Accessed 6 May 2023. Source Text: "JOHNSON, WILLIAM DERBY (Jr.) Birthplace: COUNCIL BLUFF, IA., date 1850.05.02. Death 1923.10.17, Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. Parents WILLIAM DERBY JOHNSON (Sr.), Birthplace: POMFORD, NY and JANE CADWALLADER BROWN, Birthplace: BURLINGHAM, OH" https://usgenwebsites.org/AZPima/deathj.htm

• 1850; 1870; 1880; and 1920 US Federal Census
• Utah, Select County Marriages, 1887-1937: W. Johnson. Spouse: Lucy E. Brown. Child: Harriet P. Johnson.
• "Utah Military Records (Territorial Militia Service Cards), 1861-1970: William Derby Johnson Jr.; Private in W. Casper's BN. IMF. 1 June to 30 Sept. 1866; pg.,157; Dec. #19 only."
• "US Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007: Wm D. Johnson. Spouse: Lucy Brown. Child: Zeno Martel Johnson."
• Arizona Death Records 1887-1960: William Derby Johnson, age 73. Birth 2 may 1850 at Council Bluff, IA. Death 17 Oct 1923, Pima County, Arizona. Spouse: Mrs Lucy Elizabeth Johnson. Parents: William Derby Johnson and Jane Cadwallader Brown. Informant of death: Mrs Lucy Elizabeth johnson. Father's bplace: Pomford (sic), New York. Mother's bplace: Burlington, Burlington, Ohio. Occupation: Accountant. Industry: Colonization. Cause of Death: Brights Disease.
• The following published newspaper articles directly pertain to William D. Johnson Jr and were obtained from subscription based repository [www.Newspapers.com]:
• Deseret Evening News; 1 Aug 1891; pg.,9. Pub. Salt Lake City.
• Graham Guardian; 17 Feb 1899; pg.,1. Pub. Safford, AZ.
• The Salt Lake Herald; 14 Jun 1891; pg.,16. Pub. SLC, Utah
• The Salt Lake Herald; pg.,3; 21 May 1898; Pub. SLC, Utah
• The Salt Lake Herald; pg.,5; 4 Aug 1891; Pub. SLC, Utah
• The Salt Lake Tribune; 19 Jun 1910; pg.,6. Pub. SLC, Utah
• The Salt Lake Tribune; 2 Aug 1910; pg.,6. Pub. SLC, Utah
• The Salt Lake Tribune; 3 Aug 1910; pg.,6. Pub. SLC, Utah
• Much information in the biography was obtained from: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18170159.

See Also

• International Genealogical Index (R) CONT (Copyright (c) 1980, 2002, data as of August 6, 2004) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Johnson-10808 created through the import of various gedcom uploads including: Marc B and Alice Neff.
• Contributions by direct descendant Leigh Anne (Johnson) Dear (1953-)