Daniel B. Johnson
The quiet pursuits of farming have been the life occupation of Daniel B. Johnson, and his is one of the attractive and valuable farms of Fairmount Township. His home is on Section Two, close to the Madison County line, and his post office is Summitville in the latter county. Mr. Johnson is of an old North Carolina family, and represents the fourth generation of its residence in the State of Indiana.
His great-grandfather Reuben Johnson, a native of North Carolina was married there, and after the birth of his children, Daniel, Joseph, William, Charles and Ann Jeanette, left the south and with wagons and teams migrated across the mountains and over the great middle plains to eastern Indiana, arriving in Nettle Creek Township of Randolph County, he selected a home of one hundred and sixty acres in the wilderness, built a log house of hewed logs from the poplar timber, and there he and his wife lived until death came to them at a good old age. They were among the pioneers of the old-school Baptist faith in that vicinity, and did much to organize the church of that denomination. From the early days the Johnson family has been identified with the Democratic party.
Daniel Johnson, grandfather of Daniel b., was born in North Carolina about one hundred years ago. His early youth was spent partly in his native state and partly in Randolph County, Indiana, and adjoining the old homestead. His brothers, Joseph and William, did the same, and altogether the Johnson's occupied a full section of land in Nettle Creek Township. The death of Daniel Johnson occurred on his farm, when he was nearly eighty years of age. His brother William was past ninety, and Joseph also lived to a good old age. The other brothers and sister owned land and lived in Nettle Creek Township. Daniel Johnson married Elizabeth Bookout, who came from Virginia, and who died on the homestead in Nettle Creek Township when an old woman. They were both members of the old-school Baptist faith, and Daniel was a Democrat.
Of their children, Reuben was the oldest, and was born in 1837. His death occurred in Fairmount City, May 9, 1900. In 1871 his home was established in Madison County, where he lived on eighty acres in Van Buren Township until his retirement. After that his residence was in Fairmount City from 1892 until his death. Reuben Johnson married Sarah Hastings, who now lives at the corner of Walnut and Adams Street in Fairmount, and was seventy-six years of age on July 4, 1913. Her father Carter Hastings was from Randolph County, North Carolina, and one of the pioneer settlers in Fairmount Township, where he entered land direct from the government near the corporation limits. His home continued there until his death. Carter Hastings was a man much above the average in material prosperity and in his influence and character, was active in the Untied brethren Church, and his wife was also a communicant of the same faith. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Row of North Carolina, and she preceded her husband in death, though she was likewise quite an old woman. Of the children of Reuben and Sarah Johnson, those besides Daniel B. are mentioned as follows:
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Sophronia, whose home is in California, ahs two sons and two daughters.
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Mary is the wife of William Lewis of Fairmount Township, a farmer and shoemaker and has two sons.
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Robert lives in Van Buren Township of Madison County, where he is a farmer, and by his marriage to Amelia Beck, has two sons and two daughters.
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Martha is the wife of Alva Thom,. a farmer in Van Buren Township of Madison County, and has one son and two daughters.
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Amanda is the wife of William T. Leach, a farmer in Madison County and they have one son.
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Nancy Ann, who died in 1907, was the wife of John Duncan of Fairmount, and of her three sons and two daughters all are now dead except one son.
Daniel B. Johnson was born in Fairmount Township December 15, 1857. His education was that afforded by the public schools, and his active career has been entirely spent as a farmer. His present estate on Section Two comprises forty acres, and has the first class improvements which are so characteristic of the better Grant County farms. His crops are those staple to Grant County, and all his grain is fed to stock raised on the place. A good red barn and a comfortable house are features which indicate the progressive character of the proprietor.
Mr. Johnson was married in Fairmount Township in 1879, to Miss Mellicent Hiatt, who was born in Fairmount Township, February 7, 1858. Reared and educated in this locality, since her marriage she has proved an excellent helpmate and ahs done much to forward the material prosperity of the family, at the same time devoting herself with motherly prosperity of the family, at the same time devoting herself with motherly care and intelligence to the rearing of her children. Her parents were Elias and Hannah (Hunt) Hiatt, natives of Henry County, Indiana, where they were married. Elias Hiatt came to Grant County in the early forties and entered government land two miles south of Fairmount, where his first home was a log cabin, later replaced with the good frame house, and still later with a brick home. The last residence was completed about fifteen years ago. Although feeble, Elias Hiatt is still living at the age of eighty-five. His wife is now seventy-four years of age, and is hale and hearty. They are members of the German Baptist or Dunkard Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of the following children:
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Dessie E. is the wife of Brook Roberts, of Fairmount, a retired farmer, who is the owner of one hundred acres in Madison County.
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Oliver N. died at the age of three years.
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Willard C. is a graduate of the Indianapolis Veterinary College, and is now practicing at Summitville, in Madison County. He married Myrtle Jones, and has a son Wilford.
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Estella lives at home and is unmarried.
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Hannah died unmarried at the age of twenty-two.
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Walter lives at home, and is just entering upon a vigorous young manhood.
Source: Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914.