Evansville and its men of mark
Evansville, Ind.: Historical Pub. Co., 1873, 464 pgs
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HON. ALVAH JOHNSON
Was born near Boonville, Warrick County Indiana, on the 15th of
November 1825.
His father K K Johnson was originally from Delaware, his family
removed to Kentucy when he was a child and settled In Warrick County
1818.
Alvah assisted his father on the farm, attended school in the winter,
and being of studious disposition, he employed his leisure hours in
studying the books that were out of his regular course at school.
At the age of nineteen having after recieved a fair English
education, he entered the State University at Bloomington and
graduated in 1848.
He then commenced the study of law and was admitted to the practice
in 1851.
He began his profession at Boonville and was elected County Recorder
his first of stay in the place.
On June 1st the year 1852 his was married to Miss Jane Parrott,
daughter of Rev Robert Parrott and sister of Hon. Wm Parrott of this
city.
He held office of recorder fur years, and in 1859 was elected County
Treasurer, in 1861 was reelected to the same position.
On the 4th of July 1861, Mr Johnson delevered an address at
Boonville, which was not only a masterly argument
for the preservation of the Union, but greatly assisted in the
awakening enthusiasm of the people in that section.
His course at this time led to his nomination for Congress by the
friends of the prosecution of the war, and he was heartily endorsed
by the Republican Party. The opposition paid him compliment of
bringing out its strongest man Hon. John Law,and thus furnished
palpable evidence of his stature with his political oponents.
Mr Johnson was defeated as he expected he would be, but by a minority
much less than the average in the district. Judge Law was in the
zenith of his popularity unsurpassed by any of the prominent men in
this part of the state, and this fact in connection with the new
issues of Lincoln proclaimation suddenly presented to the people ,
naturally affected the result.
In the winter of 1863 Mr Johnson removed to Evansville and engaged in
the practicce of his profession.
In 1864 he was appointed Provost Marshal of the first district and
was instrumental in raising the 143rd and 144th Regiments. After the
close of the war he gave up his practice on account of ill health and
attended mainly to his real estate buisness.
His health not approving in 1869 his spent the summer in Europe
visiting Great Britain and Central Europe.
His letters to the journal were favorably commented upon by the press
as giving a true picture of European life, manners and customs as his
desciptions of cities , especially of Venice were written in a style
well worthy of a high place in the standard of foreign correspondence.
On his return his gave his undivided attention to his real estate
buisness and this in connection with duties as director of the First
National Bank occupied his time.
Thi sketch of Mr Johnson would not be complete without mentioning
that he is a man of unblemished moral character and for over twenty
years a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and a liberal
benefactor to all religious and philanthropic enterprises of the day.
Both as a buisnessman and citizen Mr Johnson carries with him the
esteem of the community.
Having begun his life poor , he has raised himself to the position of
a trusted financier and enterprising capatalist.
Surely his life career has been a success.
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3/16/04
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