History of Eugene, (Lane County) Oregon United States of America

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Biographies:

Biographical Sketch of John Wesley Johnson

John Wesley Johnson, educator, was born in Westport, Mo., March 22, 1836; son of Charles and Keziah (Trapp) Johnson; grandson of John Johnson, the pioneer settler of Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 10, 1825; and a great grandson of Alexander Johnson, who was born in North Carolina and moved to Nashville, Tenn. John Wesley removed with his father to Oregon in 1850, driving an ox team across the plains. His early education was procured at the pioneer district schools, and he was graduated from Yale in 1862. He was married, July 3, 1865, to Helen Elizabeth, daughter of William Lysander Adams, of Yamhill county, Oregon. He organized the high school of Portland, Oregon, and in 1876 he was asked by the state legislature to organize the University of Oregon. He was its first president and professor of Latin, continuing in office for seventeen years, when he resigned the presidency, but retained the professorship until his death. He was a leader in organizing educational institutions in Oregon. He died at Eugene, Ore., Sept. 14, 1898.

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