My Genealogy Hound

OSCAR W. JOHNSON is a son of William and Olive Johnson, and was born on the 8th of September, 1823, in Otsego county, New York, a county long since made famous by the pen of James Fenimore Cooper. His great-grandfather had been a soldier in the Colonial wars, and the succeeding generations down to the time of the subject had been confined in their nativity to the New England States. William Johnson (father) was born in the State of Vermont, removed to Chautauqua county, New York in 1837, thence to Chenango county, in 1852 where he remained the balance of his life-time. He died in 1877 at the age of seventy-six years.

Oscar W. Johnson, after his preliminary education, entered upon the study of law in the office of John Wright of Chenango county, and was admitted to the bar in 1848. For a number of years he practiced in Chenango county and in 1852 removed to Fredonia, New York, where he continued his profession. He was appointed postmaster for the village of Fredonia under Pierce’s administration. Mr. Johnson is a strong adherent of the Democratic party and, because of his extreme radicalism, has never held any important offices. He is practically retired from professional work and devotes most of his time to settling up estates and to the control of his money interests. He is a director of the Fredonia National bank and is always directly or indirectly engaged in every movement for the development and improvement of his village and county. Personally, Mr. Johnson is a man of geniality and affability to them who are fortunately his acquaintances; while at all times he strictly adheres to those principles of life and conduct which he conceives to be essential and necessary to the highest form of manhood.

In 1851, he was united in marriage to Miss Emily Murray of Chenango county, New York, who bore him nine children, seven of whom are married.