The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 463

RICHARD M. JOHNSON.

Richard M. Johnson concentrates his attention upon farming but to a
considerable extent is living retired at the present time, having won
substantial success through years of former business activity. He was born in
London, Ohio, in 1864, a son of Thomas and Sarah (Townsend) Johnson, both of
whom passed away in the Buckeye state, where the father had followed the
occupation of farming as a life work.

Richard M. Johnson acquired a public school education and when his textbooks
were put aside learned the carpenter's trade and for nine years was engaged in
contracting and building in Ohio, after which he removed to Alabama, where he
spent eleven years in the same line of business. In February, 1906, he came to
Washington, settling at Wapato, being among the first residents of the town. He
has leased and owned land, bought and sold property and has farmed as high as
two hundred and forty acres. He now cultivates a tract of eighty acres and makes
his home in Wapato. He is recognized as a man of business enterprise whose
labors are crowned with successful achievement. For a time he was local manager
of the fruit and produce firm of Robinson & Company, acting in that capacity
from 1913 until they sold to the Charles H. Lilly Company. He continued with the
latter until the 1st of January, 1918, but farmed much of that time and is now
devoting his entire attention to general farming.

In 1884 Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Miranda Clark, of London, Ohio, and they
have seven children: Inez, the wife of J. W. Rutland, residing in Wapato; Edna,
the wife of C. H. Morrison, also of Wapato; Lloyd, who is with the Eighth
Regiment of United States Marines; Clark, a member of the One Hundred and
Fiftieth Corps of the First Machine Gun Replacement Battalion of the United
States Marine Corps. now with the Army of Occupation in Germany; Ersel,
deceased; Clyde, who died at the age of sixteen years: and Earl, who is twelve
years of age.

Mr. Johnson is a member of Wapato Lodge, No. 171, A. F. & A. M., of which he was
the organizer in 1907 and served as its first master. He filled that chair for
three terms. He also belongs to the Royal Arch chapter and the Knight Templar
commandery and in his life exemplifies the beneficent spirit of the craft, which
is based upon a recognition off the brotherhood of mankind and the obligations
thereby imposed. In politics he is an independent democrat, for while he usually
votes with the party, he does not consider himself bound by any party ties. His
religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church, to the teachings of which he
is loyal. His worth as a man and citizen is widely acknowledged and throughout
the community in which he resides he has gained the warm friendship of many.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.