The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 501 NORVAL STUART JOHNSON. Norval Stuart Johnson was one of the prominent hotel men of the northwest, becoming proprietor of the Yakima Hotel in Yakima, with which he was connected to the time of his demise. He was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1860 and his life record covered the intervening period to 1904. His forefathers were among the earliest settlers of Richmond, as he was descended from one of the distinguished families of England, a picture of his great-great-grandfather hanging now in the house of parliament in London. Mr. Johnson pursued his education in the south and early in his business career became connected with the Simmons Hardware Company of St. Louis, Missouri, for which house he traveled for several years. He represented that business in California and subsequently he became the traveling representative of a western hardware company. At a later period he resided for five years in Tacoma and in 1901 he and his wife purchased the Yakima Hotel, with which he was connected to the time of his death. It was in 1888 that Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Miss Bertha B. Benson, a native of Sweden and a daughter of Johannes and Lena Benson, who came to America when Mrs. Johnson was a young girl. They engaged in the hotel business and Mrs. Johnson had experience along that line throughout her early life. After her marriage she and Mr. Johnson purchased a hotel and following their removal to Yakima they built an addition to the Yakima Hotel. Mrs. Johnson is well known in hotel circles throughout the northwest. She has been the owner of hotels at Seattle, Tacoma and elsewhere and the one which is now being conducted by herself and her son is one of the leading hotels of Yakima, containing seventy-five rooms, many with bath, and four sample rooms. She was formerly connected with the St. Francis Hotel of Seattle, also the Rochester Hotel of Tacoma for five years, and she now has the Samuels Hotel at Wallace, Idaho. She has closely studied the question of hotel management and conduct and knows just what is demanded by the traveling public. She arranges everything possible for the convenience and comfort of guests and maintains her hotels on the highest standards. She is conducting the best furnished and most attractive hotel in Yakima and displays the most progressive methods in the management of leer interests. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were born three children: David, who is manager of the hotel of Wallace, Idaho, a five story brick structure; Norval Stuart, who is now a member of the United States army; and William O., who is in the Aviation Corps. The sons are fine looking men of whom the mother has every reason to be proud and they are making an excellent record as defenders of the cause of democracy. Mr. Johnson's many friends referred to him as a man of attractive personal qualities, of splendid business ability and of sterling worth. His business throughout life was principally that of a traveling salesman, while Mrs. Johnson managed their property interests. She possesses marked business acumen and enterprise and has given proof of splendid executive ability in the conduct of all of her affairs. In addition to the hotels in which she is interested she has a fine fruit farm and a most attractive country home called Johnson's Corner on Nob Hill boulevard. She owns much city and country property and has large garages. In the early days she purchased property from time to time even when her friends doubted the wisdom of her course, but time has proven her sagacity and business insight, for as the years have passed this property has greatly increased in value and has brought to her a most substantial income. She now ranks among Yakima's capitalists who have made their fortunes in the city and, like others, she has done much for the development of the valley. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson traveled quite extensively. He was a member of the Elks and a most popular man wherever known, having the attractive social qualities which won him friends wherever he went. Mrs. Johnson has always had charge of the property which she and her husband acquired and she has added largely to her holdings in the meantime. She has had the assistance of her sons in later years until the two youngest joined the colors, having prepared for active service with the national army. Alert and energetic, Mrs. Johnson has carried out her purposes in a business way and her labors have been productive of most gratifying results. She is well known socially in Yakima and is a most influential and valued resident of the valley. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.