"An Illustrated History of Whitman County, state of Washington." San Francisco:
W. H. Lever, 1901.  p. 279.
 
J. MAT JOHNSON

     To outline the career of one who, in the time when the dark clouds hung
heavy over the republic and civil strife was embroiling our hitherto peaceable
citizens, came quickly to the front and offered his services, continuing in the
bloody struggle until the last enemy of the flag surrendered, to epitomize the
life of such a one, we repeat, is indeed a pleasure, and to accord him a
position in this enduring record of Whitman county is but a simple justice.
Therefore we gladly speak of the man whose name initiates this paragraph.
     Born in Missouri, on December 28, 1845, to J. W. and Abigal (Smith)
Johnson, our subject passed there the early years of his life. There, also, he
received a good public school education and acquired much experience in the ways
of the world that was of great benefit in after years. His parents were both
natives of Ohio and early pioneers to the state of his birth, later coming to
this county, as early as 1873, where now his father is buried. At the tender age
of fifteen years our subject responded to the first call for volunteers and
enlisted in Company A, Third Missouri Cavalry. From this time until the close of
the war, May 6, 1866, he was constantly in the harness, thus rendering to his
country service scarcely equaled by any and exceeded by none. During this time
he was in the western division, and participated in many battles and skirmishes
and did a great deal of scout work; among the battles were Springfield and
Prairie Grove.
     After the close of the war he took steamer at New York and came to Oregon,
locating at Oakland. Douglas county. Here he was occupied in farming and
freighting until 1871, when he came to Whitman county with a band of sheep and
homestead and pre-empted the land where he now lives, twelve and one-half miles
south from Colfax. Here he has been occupied in farming and stock-raising until
the present time. His success has been flattering, to say the least. From the
government claims that first formed his realty holdings he has increased until
now he is the proprietor of the princely domain of six hundred and forty acres
of fine wheat land.
     He was married to Miss C. E. Chamberlain, a native of Indiana, in Douglas
county, Oregon, and to them have been born eight children : Nellie, L. E.,
George, Walter, Raleigh, Mattie, Myrtle, Flossie. Mrs. Johnson was a pioneer to
Oregon in 1865.
     Now at the meridian of life, with the past as one long round of hard-earned
successes, with the meed of his labors richly at hand for his enjoyment, Mr.
Johnson has attained and holds a very enviable position, being esteemed and
beloved by his friends and acquaintances.
 

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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in July 2009 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.