Paul R. Johnson, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Paul R. Johnson
THE PAUL R. JOHNSON FAMILY
Paul was the youngest, in a family of 11 children, born 1/30/1904, in Woodville, Porter Co. His father, Wm. Vincent Johnson, was a descendant of Ann and Wm. Thomas I, who settled and founded Chesterton, about the 1830's, and built the first church, school, store, Post Office and Inn. Wm. Johnson was Supt. Of roads, and built the house and store where Paul grew up. In Woodville there was another store, Post Office, Creamery, and Nursery. The B.& O.R.R. train stopped there, where dairy farmers brought milk, to go to Chicago. Paul recalls the immigrant train accident, also another immigrant train with European women going to Chicago. Some men boarded the train, and chose wives. Paul's grandfather, Thomas Johnson, built the house where Irwin Pope now lives. Thomas took two sons, Wm. And Franklin, to the "opening of the Okla. Territory" and to Kansas. They went by horses and wagon and ferried the Miss. River. Alice Hineline Johnson's father, Wm. Hineline, came to Porter Co. in 1848. He sawed ties for the Lake Shore R.R. When young, Alice went by R.R. to Noble Co., Ind. Both Wm. And Alice were lifelong residents of Porter Co.
Paul studied at the General Electric School, Fort Wayne, where he met and married -- Dorothy Rowe. Dorothy traces her heritage to the Mayflower Chiltons, Capt. John Chilton, and to the Ball family including Geo. Washington. Also, through the Ream's family to Ind. Gov. Winfield T. Durbin, in the late 1800's.
Raymond, son of Paul and Dorothy, was born in Detroit, Mich., 1934, while Paul worked for the Ford Co. They soon returned to Porter Co., where Paul was employed by U. S. Steel for 34 1/2 years. He built their present home in 1940. Sandra, a daughter, was born in 1944. Paul and his children were students at Liberty Twp. School.
Raymond earned a Bachelor's degree at Valparaiso Univ., and completed his Ph.D. at Western Reserve. He then moved to Washington, D. C., where he is now Sr. Scientist for American Institute of Research, with offices in Washington, D. C. and Geneva, Switzerland. His wife Freida is a budget analyst for U. S. Government. Sandra received her B.A. degree from Simmons College, Boston, and M.S. in Psychology at Rutgers U. She married Howard Kirkendall who is financial analyst with I.B.M. They live in New Rochelle, N. Y. with their two children, Brice and London. Sandra teaches children, and writes and performs with the "Silver Penny Puppets".
Dorothy Johnson has been active in community service and organizations, which honored her as "Woman of Distinction", 1961. She worked as a volunteer for the Red Cross, Porter Memorial Hospital, Church Women United, Federation of Women's Clubs, taught and directed Sunday School 22 years. The Johnsons are members of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Since Paul's retirement, he and Dorothy enjoy trips, and in Florida he is an avid fisherman.
Source: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County. 1976. A Biographical History of Porter County, Indiana. Valparaiso, Indiana: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County, Inc. 180 p.
Page(s) in Source: 127
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook