History of Georgetown, (Scott County) Kentucky United States of America

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Biographies:

Madison Conyers Johnson, financier, was born near Georgetown, Ky., Sept. 21, 1806; son of William Johnson and grandson of Col. Robert Johnson, pioneer to Scott county, 1779. He was graduated from Transylvania university, A.B., with first honors in 1823, and LL. B. in 1825. He became a leading lawyer of Kentucky. In 1837, when the Northern Bank of Kentucky was formed on the ruins of the old Bank of Kentucky and the Bank of the Commonwealth, Mr. Johnson was made director, and was elected president in 1858, holding both positions till his death. He was a member of the commission to prepare the Kentucky code of practice in 1850; and was a representative in the legislature in 1853-54, and again, 1857-58. At his suggestion, made to Secretary Windom in 1890, the three per cent. U.S. bonds were issued, which resulted in a saving of millions of dollars to the government. He was a trustee of Transylvania university and president of the law department of Kentucky university, 1865-86. He died in Lexington, Ky., Dec. 7, 1886.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Tom Loftin Johnson, representative, was born in Georgetown, Ky., July 18, 1854; son of Albert W. and Helen (Loftin) Johnson. After attending the public schools of Georgetown, he found employment in a rolling mill, and subsequently entered a railroad office, where he was rapidly advanced to the position of secretary. In 1872 he invented an improvement in steel rails, afterward known as "Johnson's steel car rail." He removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where he obtained a charter to conduct a street railway, which became one of the best paying roads in the country. He removed to Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1896, where he was interested in the Brooklyn street railways, and introduced the free transfer system. He obtained control of large rolling mills in Pennsylvania, and erected an extensive plant in Cleveland, Ohio, for making Johnson's steel car rails. He was nominated in 1888 as the Democratic candidate for representative in the 51st congress from the twenty-first district of Ohio, and was defeated, but was elected to the 52d and the 53d congresses, serving, 1891-95. He was defeated in the election to the 54th congress, and thereafter declined further office, devoting his time to his railroad interests. He delivered addresses in favor of the single-tax theory of Henry George, and aided the cause by large contributions of money to furnish the masses with information as to the question.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor