Lockley, Fred.  "History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the
Sea." Vol. 2.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928.  p. 107.
 
CAPTAIN C. L. JOHNSON

     Captain C. L. Johnson, who served his country with distinction in the World
war, has long been identified with military affairs and is also a successful
business man and prominent merchant of Milwaukie. A native of the town, he was
born in 1885 and is a son of J. L. and Margaret A. (McCann) Johnson, who are
numbered among the honored pioneers of this community. The father was born in
Iowa and attended the public schools of that state. In 1875, when fifteen years
of age, he came to Oregon with his parents and lived for a time with an uncle,
J. B. Stevens, whose home was in East Portland. Afterward J. L. Johnson was
engaged in fishing on the Columbia river and was next employed in Oregon shingle
mills. Subsequently he followed agricultural pursuits in Clackamas county and
now resides in Milwaukie, in the vicinity of which he has spent much of his
life. Here he was married in 1884 to Miss Margaret A. McCann, a native of
Oswego, New York. Her parents made the trip to the Pacific coast when she was a
baby, choosing the isthmus route, and in November, 1868, arrived in Oregon City,
where they visited Mrs. McCann's sister, Mrs. J. G. Porter. In the spring of
1869 Mr. and Mrs. McGann located in the town of Clackamas, which they left about
twenty months later, and in October, 1870, established their home near East
Milwaukie. Previous to her marriage Mrs. Johnson was ticket agent at Milwaukie
for the Oregon & California Railroad Company and since 1908 she has operated in
real estate. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were born seven children: Captain C. L.
Johnson; LeRoy, living in Pennsylvania, who is married and has a daughter,
Margaret Alice; Margaret Johnson, wife of Charles Braun, who is serving in the
United States navy, stationed on the New Mexico; Eugenie, the wife of R. L.
Large, of Hoquiam, Washington, and the mother of three children; Olivia, now
Mrs. C. C. Conner, of Malone, Washington, and is the mother of a daughter;
Frances, wife of Thomas W. Leedham, of Milwaukie, and mother of three children;
Amy, who was united in marriage to D. Smith, of Milwaukie, and has a daughter.
     Captain Johnson received a public school education and his first commercial
experience was obtained in the Wiesinger grocery store in Milwaukie. He was
employed in that establishment until 1916, when he was sent to the Mexican
border. In 1903 he had joined the Oregon National Guard, becoming a member of
Battery A, and rose to the rank of first lieutenant. For eight months he was
stationed on the border, returning home in February, 1917, and then organized
Battery B of the Oregon National Guard, becoming its captain. During the World
war he joined the Forty-first Division at Charlotte, North Carolina, and was
ordered overseas, sailing on the Olympic, January 9, 1918. The boat landed at
Liverpool, next stopping at Southampton, England, and finally reached the port
of Havre, France. For a time the Forty-first was a replacement division and
toward the close of May, 1918, Captain Johnson was transferred to the
Thirty-second Division. He was stationed in the Toul sector and later was sent
to the Alsace front. About July 12, 1918, he took part in the Marne drive and
was next on the Soissons front. While with the Thirty-second Division he was a
member of the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Field Artillery, handling the "75s,"
and participated in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. On May 15, 1919, he was ordered
to Brest, France and sailed for the United States fourteen days later on the
battleship Kansas, landing at Philadelphia. On leaving that city he went to Camp
Dix, later to Camp Dodge, and was mustered out at Camp Lewis. While training for
service at the front he took a special course in mathematics and also devoted
considerable time to the study of maps. He is now a member of the officers'
reserve corps and a captain in the field artillery.
     Following his return to Oregon, Captain Johnson decided to embark in
business for himself in Milwaukie and formed a partnership with Joseph Dahlman,
with whom he has since been associated. The firm of Dahlman & Johnson took over
the business of the Milwaukie Mercantile Company and now handle groceries and
other lines of merchandise. Their stock is carefully chosen and the patrons of
their general store receive good value for the amount expended. The partners are
always prepared to supply the demands of the public and the methods employed by
the firm are such as inspire trust and confidence, resulting in a large and
constantly increasing patronage.
     In 1919 Captain Johnson married Miss Mary R. Hamilton and their union was
severed by her death in 1923. In October, 1926, Captain Johnson wedded Miss
Elizabeth I. Duffy, a native of South Portland and a daughter of Thomas and Mary
Duffy, who came to the city many years ago. Mr. Duffy is deceased but his widow
still resides in Portland. Mrs. Johnson is a graduate of St. Vincent's Hospital
and a thoroughly efficient nurse. Captain Johnson is the father of one child,
Thomas Leo. The family are adherents of the Roman Catholic faith and earnest
church members. Captain Johnson is a member of Rex-Appleby Post, Veterans of
Foreign Wars, in which is senior vice commander. He belongs to the Community
Club of Milwaukie and for many years has been assistant chief of the volunteer
fire department. To every movement for the advancement of the locality he is
quick to respond and measures up to the full stature of American manhood and
citizenship.
 
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in August 2010 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.