John Charles Johnson
Dec. 5, 1920; Oregonian, p 24
"Pioneer of 1847 Passes"

   John Charles Johnson, son of Hiram Alvah Johnson, born in Pike county, Illinois, May 29, 1842; died in Corvallis, Or., December 3, 1920, aged 78 years, 6 months and 4 days.  He crossed the plains with his father and mother with ox teams in 1847.  They settled three miles from Jefferson, in Marion county, on a donation land claim.

   Fifteen years later, when the father moved to Jefferson to engage in the mercantile business, the subject of this sketch took up school teaching for two years or more, being married in 1864 to another pioneer, Violetta Gunsaules, who came across the plains with her parents, driving their ox teams and their milk cows, in 1853, settling near Jefferson, also. Following marriage they moved at once to his father's old donation claim.  After one year he purchased a part of the old home place and in 1869, selling this, he purchased a large stock farm three miles north of Scio, in Linn county.  In the spring of 1874 he moved to Scio, where he embarked in the general merchandise business, continuing this business, together with the handling of grain a portion of the time, up to 1890, when he retired from active business and moved to Salem, where they lived until December, 1913, when they removed to Corvallis.

   He became a member of the Masonic fraternity in 1865, and took the Royal Arch degree in 1887, still retaining his membership in the Scio lodge.

   He and his wife joined the Christian church in Jefferson in January, 1867, since holding their membership in this church in Scio, Salem and Corvallis.

   To this union there were born four boys and three girls.  Two of the boys died in Scio, Elmo when 9 years old and Clarence when 18 months old; the wife and five remaining children survive, the children being: Lizzie Daniel of Eugene, A. J. of Corvallis, Etta Simpson of Airlie, C. V. of Salem and Pearl Stuart of Tacoma, Wash.

   During his residence in Scio Mr. Johnson served several terms as city councilman and two terms as mayor.  He also served two terms as councilman at Salem.

   Mr. Johnson was always an ardent republican, and his one great wish for several months was that he might live to cast his last vote for Senator Harding for the presidency, which wish was granted.

   Funeral services will be held in Corvallis at 10 a.m. today and burial will be at 2 p.m. in the Salem Mausoleum.