Johnson, Joseph Ellis, 1817-1882

Mormon pioneer journalist, merchant, horticulturist in the West. Shipped merchandise to Cherry Creek gold diggings at Auraria (Denver), 1858.

From the description of Papers, 1858-1958. (Denver Public Library). WorldCat record id: 17957892

The following autobiography was written by Joseph Ellis Johnson on the eve of his departure from St. George, Utah, in a company of Mormon saints to begin new settlements in Arizona.

"J. E. Johnson. Was born at pomfret, Chautauqua Co., New York, on the 28th of April, 1817. Moved to Kirtland, Ohio in 1832. Baptized as a Latter-day Saint in 1833. Went with the Kirtland Camp in 1838. Taught school in Springfield, Ill. in 1840. Went to Nauvoo, Ill. in 1840. Married to Harriet Snider by Joseph Smith in 1841 [Note: marriage to Harriet was actually Oct. 6, 1840]. Accompanied Joseph and Hyrum Smith on their way to Carthage jail. Was taken prisoner when mob entered Nauvoo. Went to Miller's Hollow, now Concil Bluffs, in 1848. Built the first house in Pottawattamie county (other than log cabin). Was postmaster at Council Bluffs for five years and obtained a change of name from "Kanesville" to Council Bluffs. Was a member of the first city council for several years. Established the Council Bluffs Bugle in 1852. Office and store destroyed by fire in 1853. Restored and published until 1856. The Bugle had much to do in getting the capital of Nebraska located at Omaha.

Was elected to the Nebraska legislature but was too much of a Democrat to get a seat. Opened the first store on the site of Omaha and sent the first train of goods to the Denver, Colorado (Cherry Creek) mines. In '54 published the Omaha Arrow, the first paper published on Nebraska soil, and the same year accompanied the first party of explorers for a railroad crossing on the Missouri river and Loupe Fork of the Platte river. Wrote the first article published favoring the North Platte route for the Pacific Railroad, and contended for the same until so located. Crossed the plains to Utah and back in 1850. In 1857 started the Crescent City Oracle and laid out the town of that name. In 1858 published the Council Bluffs Press. In 1858-'60-'61 published The Huntsman's Echo at Wood River, Nebraska. In 1861 moved to Utah. In '63 established the Farmer's Oracle at Spring Lake Villa, Utah county. In 1865, removed to St. George and began a supply garden and nursery. In 1868-'69 published Our Dixie Times, afterward the Rio Virgen Times. In 1870 published the Utah Pomologist and Gardner, monthly for several years. In 1876 went to Silver Reef and put up a store and printing office but sold part of office before paper was fairly started. In 1879 was burned out, with others. Restored store immediately, on larger scale."

Joseph Ellis Johnson died on 17 December 1882 after an illness. He left behind three wives--Harriet Snider, Hannah Goddard, and Eliza Saunders. He was the father of twenty-eight children.

From the guide to the Joseph Ellis Johnson papers, 1831-1964, (J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah)

(Please note: the following was adapted from the biography found in the Register of the Papers of Joseph Ellis Johnson, (Ms 110.) Manuscripts Division, Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah, 1977. That biography in turn was from an autobiography written by Joseph Ellis Johnson in June 1882.)

"J. E. Johnson was born at Pomfret, Chautauqua Co., New York, on the 28th of April 1817. He moved to Kirtland, Ohio, in 1832 and was baptized as a Latter-day Saint in 1833. He accompanied the Kirtland Camp in 1838. He taught school in Springfield, Illinois in 1840. He went to Nauvoo, Illinois in 1840. He married Harriet Snider by Joseph Smith in 1841 [sic: actual date of marriage was October 6, 1840]. He accompanied Joseph and Hyrum Smith on their way to Carthage jail and was taken prisoner when the mob entered Nauvoo. He went to Miller's Hollow, now Council Bluffs, in 1848. He built the first house in Pottawattamie County (other than log cabin). He was postmaster at Council Bluffs for five years and obtained a change of name from "Kanesville" to Council Bluffs. He was a member of the first city council for several years. He established the Council Bluffs Bugle in 1852. The office and store were destroyed by fire in 1853. It was restored and published until 1856. The Bugle had much to do in getting the capitol of Nebraska located at Omaha.

"He was elected to the Nebraska legislature but was too much of a Democrat to get a seat. He opened the first store in the city of Omaha and sent the first train of goods to the Denver, Colorado (Cherry Creek) mines. In 1854 he published the Omaha Arrow, the first paper published on Nebraska soil, and the same year accompanied the first party of explorers for a railroad crossing on the Missouri River and Loupe Fork of the Platte River. He wrote the first article published favoring the North Platte route for the Pacific Railroad and contended for same until so located. He crossed the plains to Utah and back in 1850. In 1857 he started the Crescent City Oracle and laid out the town of that name. In 1858 he published the Council Bluffs Press. In 1858-1860-1861 he published The Huntsman's Echo at Wood River, Nebraska. In 1861 he moved to Utah. In 1863 he established the Farmer's Oracle at Spring Lake Villa, Utah County. In 1864/5, he removed to St. George and began a supply garden and nursery. In 1868-1869 he published Our Dixie Times, afterward the Rio Virgen [sic] Times. In 1870 he published the Utah Pomologist and Gardener, monthly for several years. In 1876 he went to Silver Reef and put up a store and printing office but sold part of office before the paper was fairly started. In 1879 it was burned out, with others. He restored the store immediately, but on a larger scale."

In 1882, Johnson once again moved at his church's call, this time to settle what would become Tempe, Arizona. However, his strenuous efforts all his life finally caught up with him, and he passed away on December 17, 1882.

From the guide to the Joseph Ellis Johnson photograph collection, 1850-1882, (J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah)