William Gould Johnson

Brief Life History of William Gould

When William Gould Johnson was born on 2 October 1884, in Allentown, Alma, Allegany, New York, United States, his father, William George Johnson, was 65 and his mother, Martha C. Doty, was 37. He married Zelah Adeline Dodson on 4 July 1905, in Bolivar, Allegany, New York, United States. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 4 daughters. He lived in Chama, Rio Arriba, New Mexico, United States in 1935 and Granby Township, Newton, Missouri, United States in 1940. He died on 28 August 1946, in Bell Gardens, Los Angeles, California, United States, at the age of 61, and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States.

Photos and Memories (14)

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Family Time Line

William Gould Johnson
1884–1946
Zelah Adeline Dodson
1887–1952
Marriage: 4 July 1905
Donald George Johnson
1906–1906
Neil Owen Johnson
1907–1994
George William Johnson
1908–1996
Thelma Blanche Johnson
1910–1961
Marion Francis Johnson
1914–2007
Billy James Johnson
1919–1941
Bettie Zane Johnson
1921–1989
Sidney Joe Johnson
1925–1961
Wanda Lee Johnson
1927–1996

Sources (29)

  • William G Johnson, "United States Census, 1910"
  • William Gould Johnson, "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994"
  • William Gould Johnson, "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918"

World Events (8)

1885 · The First Skyscraper

The Home Insurance Building is considered to be the first skyscraper in the world. It was supported both inside and outside by steel and metal that were deemed fireproof and also it was reinforced with concrete. It originally had ten stories but in 1891 two more were added.

1886

Statue of Liberty is dedicated.

1901 · Assassination of Mckinley

President William McKinley was shot at the Temple of Music, in the Pan-American Exposition, while shaking hands with the public. Leon Czolgosz shot him twice in the abdomen because he thought it was his duty to do so. McKinley died after eight days of watch and care. He was the third American president to be assassinated. After his death, Congress passed legislation to officially make the Secret Service and gave them responsibility for protecting the President at all times.

Name Meaning

English and Scottish: patronymic from the Middle English and Older Scots personal name Johan, Jo(h)n (see John ) + -son. It was often interchanged with Jenson and Janson . In North America, this surname has absorbed cognates from other languages, e.g. Norwegian, Danish, or North German Johnsen , Johannesen , Johannsen , Johansen , Jansen , Jantzen , and Jensen , Swedish Johnsson (see below), Johansson , Jonsson , and Jansson , Dutch Janssen , German Janz , Czech Jansa 1, and Slovenian Janša (see Jansa 2) and Janežič (see Janezic ). Johnson (including in the sense 2 below) is the second most frequent surname in the US. It is also the second most common surname among Native Americans and a very common surname among African Americans.

Americanized form (and a less common Swedish variant) of Swedish Johnsson: patronymic from the personal name John, a variant of Jon (see John ). Compare 1 above.

History: Surname Johnson was brought independently to North America by many different bearers from the 17th and 18th centuries onward. Andrew Johnson (1808–75), 17th president of the US, was born in Raleigh, NC, the younger son of Jacob Johnson and Mary (or Polly) McDonough. Little is known of his ancestors. The 36th president, Lyndon B. Johnson, dates his American forebears back seven generations to James Johnston (sic) (born c. 1662) who lived at Currowaugh, Nansemond, and Isle of Wight counties, VA. — Noted early bearers also include Marmaduke Johnson (died 1674), a printer who came from England to MA in 1660; Edward Johnson (1598–1672), a colonial chronicler who was baptized at St. George's parish, Canterbury, England, and emigrated to Boston in 1630; and Sir Nathaniel Johnson (c. 1645–1713), a colonial governor of Carolina, who came from County Durham, England.

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

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