Crampton, Gregory

Ezekial "Zeke" Johnson was born in 1869 to Joel H. Johnson and Margaret Threlkeld in Bellevue, Utah. He was the twenty-fourth child of Joel Johnson, a polygamist. Zeke had little schooling and went to work for the mail service at the age of thirteen. He became a cowboy in Arizona, worked as a teamster between Tuba City and Flagstaff, and spent time ranching and guiding tourist trips in the San Juan wilderness area. He served as custodian of Natural Bridges National Monument from 1916 to late in his life. Zeke Johnson died in 1957.

From the guide to the Zeke Johnson papers, 1869-1957, (J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah)