Grafton Johnson, late of Greenwood, this county, was born in Mercer County, Ky., December 14, 1819, and was the son of James and Mary (Taylor) Johnson, who were respectively natives of North Carolina and Virginia. While he was yet a small boy, his parents came to this state and located in Brookville, Franklin County, and later on, in his youth, he accompanied them to Miami County, this state, the family locating on a farm near Peru. In addition to a common school education, he received two years’ instruction in Franklin College. In his early manhood, he located at Greenwood, this county, where, soon afterward, he engaged in mercantile pursuits; for thirty-six years he was extensively engaged in the retail of general merchandise. He accumulated considerable property, and, at the time of his death, he was one of the county’s wealthiest men. His marriage occurred near Greenwood, February 21, 1859. The lady that became his wife was Miss Julia A. Noble, daughter of George and Louisa (Canby) Noble, who came to this state from Boone County, Ky., in about 1831. This marriage resulted in the birth of eight children, as follows: Mary L., born August 22, 1860; George T., August 3, 1861, deceased; Charlotte I., June 6, 1863; Grafton, September 14, 1864; Julia N., June 27, 1867; Grace, August 10, 1869; Martha E., October 10, 1870, deceased, and J. Albert, November 6, 1871. The eldest child, Mary L., is a graduate of Depauw University, and is now the wife of H. B. Longden, professor of Latin in that institution; Charlotte I. is the wife of Thomas B. Felder, an attorney at law, of Dublin, Ga.; Grafton is a graduate of Franklin College; Julia N.is a graduate of Wellesley College, and Grace has pursued her studies in both Wellesley College and Depauw University. Mr. Johnson was a member of the Baptist Church, and politically, he was a republican. He was one of the directors of Franklin College, and was a member of the Indianapolis board of trade. He died October 2, 1883. His surviving widow, who is an estimable lady, continues to occupy the family residence in Greenwood. She is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.