Johnson, George H. (George Herman), 1891-1917

The Crescent City was the first Gold Rush steamer, departing New York, Dec. 23, 1848, and arriving in Chagres, Panama, Jan. 2, 1849.

From the description of George H. Johnson letter : Panama, to Charles P. Leverich, New York : ALS, 1849 Nov. 24. (University of California, Berkeley). WorldCat record id: 48726660

George H. Johnson (1891-1917) was a farmer from Saskatchewan, Canada. He served in the Canadian Army in the First World War.

From the description of George H. Johnson papers. 1915-1957, bulk 1915-1918. (Brigham Young University). WorldCat record id: 656425996

George H. Johnson (1891-1917) was a farmer from Saskatchewan, Canada. He served in the Canadian Army in the First World War.

George Herman Johnson was born on June 27, 1891 to John A. Johnson and Mary Johnson in Willow Lake, South Dakota, and was raised in Halbrite, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was a farmer by trade and never married. At age 24, on August 17, 1915, he began service in the First World War in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force as an engineer in the 1st Tunneling Company. Tunneling was a variation of siege warfare used in trenches, and included tunneling under enemy lines, placing explosives, and blowing up enemy trenches. It emerged as a necessary offensive and defensive practice in World War I by the end of 1914. By March of 1916, Canadian tunneling companies, which included George H. Johnson, arrived on the Ypres front in Belgium. On October 27, 1917, George H. Johnson was killed by shell fire while working on a tunnel. He was buried in La Clytte Military Cemetery in Reninghelst, Belgium.

From the guide to the George H. Johnson papers, bulk 1915-1918, 1915-1957, (L. Tom Perry Special Collections)