Captain Gideon Johnson, a retired farmer, and prominent citizen of Whiteland, was born in Clark County, this state, November 14, 1829, and was the son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Mosley) Johnson, the former of whom was born in Maryland, in November, 1763, and was the son of Jonathan Johnson. By occupation his father was a farmer. He served in the Revolutionary War three years. His death occurred in Scott County, Ind., May 31, 1847. The mother of our subject was born in Scott County, Ky., July 25, 1798, and died in Scott County, Ind., in October, 1860. Our subject’s early life was spent on a farm. He received a good common school education, and at the age of twenty-one he took up the vocation of a farmer in Scott County, and continued to follow that pursuit in that county until July, 1862, when he became a Union soldier in Company K, Sixty-sixth Indiana Regiment, with which he served till the close of the war. He enlisted as a private, but was soon promoted to second lieutenant, and served in this capacity one year. He was then given the rank of first lieutenant and quartermaster, and eight months later, or in November, 1863, he was made captain of his company, and served as such to the end of the war. He was in the battle of Richmond, Ky., the siege of Atlanta, and several other smaller engagements. He commanded his company July 22 and 28, 1864, in the battle of Atlanta, the march to the sea, and the many engagements attending and following this march. He received an honorable discharge at Indianapolis, June 15, 1865. He then resumed farming in Scott County, and remained there until 1876, during which time he served as county commissioner two terms. In 1876 he came to Johnson County and located in Whiteland. Two and one half years later he removed to his farm one mile and a half north of that place. In November, 1887, he retired from the farm, and again became a resident of Whiteland, where he now resides. Mr. Johnson was married December 7, 1848, to Martha B. Wilson. She was born in Scott County, Ind., December 22, 1827, and was the daughter of Hugh A. and Margaret E. (Dickey) Wilson. She was thrown from a wagon in a runaway, July 19, 1878, and was instantly killed. He was married March 3, 1879, to Mary M. Duke. She was born in Morgan County, Ind., and was the daughter of George and Mary (Brunnemer) Duke. Mrs. Mary Johnson died April 6, 1879, only two weeks after her marriage. On the 27th day of November, 1879, Mr. Johnson was married to Eliza E. Duke, who was a cousin of his second wife, and who was born in Morgan County, Ind., January 15, 1844, and was the daughter of William and Nancy (Glassburn) Duke, who were natives of Virginia. Mr. Johnson is the father of eleven children, as follows: Albinus A., born February 8, 1852; Mary S., August 20, 1853; Sarah L., December 25, 1855; Martha F., May 22, 1858; James A., January 11, 1860; David B., November 12, 1861; Gideon E., May 11, 1866; Hugh E., October 12, 1867; Willie R., December 5, 1880; Daisy M., November 16, 1882, and Ora O., October 4, 1884; all of whom are living. The first eight are the children of his first wife, and the last three are the children of his present wife. Captain Johnson is a member of the Methodist Church, and the Masonic lodge, and the Grand Army. In politics, he is a republican. He has served as justice of the peace in Pleasant Township, one term. In 1886 he was the candidate of his party for the state legislature, but failed to overcome an opposing majority. Three of the sons of Mr. Johnson, Albinus A., James A. and David B., are graduates of colleges, the first and last of Depauw University, and James A. of the Northwestern University, of Evanston, Ill. Albinus A. Johnson is now president of the Texas Wesleyan College, of Fort Worth, Tex. These three sons are all ordained ministers in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Transcribed by Cheryl Zufall Parker

Banta, D. D. History of Johnson County, Indiana. Chicago, IL: Brant & Fuller, 1888, page 793.