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William Parker Johnson

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Birth	:	21 Sep 1824 Athens County, Ohio, USA
Death	:	20 Oct 1889 Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA
Burial	:	West Union Street Cemetery, Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate	:	39.3297400, -82.1108300
Plot	:	Section 12
Inscription	:	d. 65 y.29 d.
Description	:	BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE COLLECTION William Parker Johnson was born September 21, 1824, on a farm near Athens, Ohio. He studied medicine with Dr. William P. Blackstone and later married his daughter Julia. By the start of the Civil War, he was practicing medicine and was a member of the Athens Town Council. From November 1861 through late 1864, Johnson served as a medical officer with the 18th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (O.V.I.). A skilled surgeon, Johnson was appointed Brigade Surgeon and placed in charge of field hospitals several times during the war. After the war, Johnson returned to Athens and was elected... Read More	BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE COLLECTION William Parker Johnson was born September 21, 1824, on a farm near Athens, Ohio. He studied medicine with Dr. William P. Blackstone and later married his daughter Julia. By the start of the Civil War, he was practicing medicine and was a member of the Athens Town Council. From November 1861 through late 1864, Johnson served as a medical officer with the 18th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (O.V.I.). A skilled surgeon, Johnson was appointed Brigade Surgeon and placed in charge of field hospitals several times during the war. After the war, Johnson returned to Athens and was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives from Athens County, serving for six years. He introduced a bill and succeeded in locating the State Insane Asylum in Athens. He was the first president of the local medical society, and in 1866 was elected a trustee of Ohio University. In late 1869 Johnson moved to Indianapolis, Indiana and joined the National Surgical Institute, specializing in orthopedic surgery. He remained connected with the Institute until 1881 and died in Indianapolis, October 20, 1889. Available at Ohio Univerity Alden Library SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION The collection consists of seventy-nine Civil War letters, and ten family photographs. The letters are organized in twelve folders and arranged in chronological order. All but a few letters are written to his wife Julia. He also wrote to his daughter Addie (Mrs. Adela Johnson Boise), and his father- in-law, fellow Athens physician Dr. William P. Blackstone. One letter in the collection (Nov. 6, 1861) was sent to Julia Johnson from her cousin Morris Johnston. The letters sent to Dr. Blackstone tell of the horrors of war and describe Johnson's surgical methods. The letters, in general, depict the daily struggle to stay healthy and give detailed information about battles, including the number of missing, wounded, and killed. In March 1863, Johnson, suffering from frequent bowel problems, was visited by his wife. During her stay, she cooked and looked after him though her own health was poor. The 18th O.V.I. (organized locally) fought the majority of its battles in the Tennessee theater with skirmishes in Alabama and Georgia. Some of the battles mentioned in the letters were at Manchester, Stewart Creek, Stone River, and Dug Gap, Tennessee. Johnson tells of his personal experiences during these battles and the amount of work involved tending to the wounded. A letter dated January 22, 1863, for example, tells of approaching Confederate forces. While Johnson was mounting his horse in retreat, a shell whizzed by his head and exploded a few feet from him. He continued writing about how he escaped the Rebels' clutches and how the regiment drove them away. Another letter, dated September 27, 1863, tells of a large number of wounded and several surgeons falling into the hands of the Rebels, while he made a narrow escape. The letters also frequently convey references to the health of the "Athens Boys" after the battles. The photographs include four of Johnson (one of him in his uniform, another a print copied from a drawing), one of Julia, and individual photographs of the Johnson children, some identified and some not. The last two files include handwritten transcriptions for a number of the letters, and a paper by Mr. Latham on his ancestors delivered in January 1996. Envelopes received with the collection have been removed for safe keeping; photocopies have been placed in with the letters. CONTAINER LISTS FOR THE COLLECTION Box 1 Folder 1 - October 1861 - May 1862 Folder 2 - June 1862 - July 1862 Folder 3 - August 1862 - September 1862 Folder 4 - October 1862 Folder 5 - December 1862 (with envelope dated November) Folder 6 - January 1863 Folder 7 - March 1863 - April 1863 Folder 8 - May 1863 - July 1863 Folder 9 - September 1863 Folder 10 - October 1863 - November 1863 Folder 11 - May 1864 - July 1864 Folder 12 - October 1864 Folder 13 - Photographs Folder 14 - Letter transcriptions (handwritten) Folder 15 - "Second Wave," paper delivered January 1996

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is William Parker Johnson's memorial?
William Parker Johnson's memorial is located at: West Union Street Cemetery, Athens, Athens County, USA.
When did William Parker Johnson death?
William Parker Johnson death on 20 Oct 1889 in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA
Where are the coordinates of the William Parker Johnson's memorial?
Latitude: 39.3297400
Longitude: -82.1108300

Family Members:

Parent

John Johnson

(1779 - 1865)

Sarah “Sally” Wyatt Johnson

(1786 - 1859)

Spouse

Julia Musser Blackstone Johnson

(1829 - 1872)

Siblings

Elizabeth S. Johnson Walker

(1808 - 1834)

Mary Johnson Carpenter

(1809 - 1894)

Benjamin Franklin Johnson

(1814 - 1883)

Julia Ann Johnson Bailey

(1821 - 1902)

Children

Franklin W. Johnson

(unknow - unknow)

Louis Clifford Johnson

(unknow - unknow)

Harry Johnson

(unknow - unknow)

Jessie Johnson

(unknow - unknow)

Adela Verena Johnson Boice

(1848 - 1906)

Willie P. Johnson

(1860 - 1862)

Alberta Johnson Sharpe

(1865 - 1911)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. West Union Street Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3297400, -82.1108300

2. West State Street Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3328018, -82.1061020

3. Ridges Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3217010, -82.1141968

4. Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd Columbarium
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3252940, -82.0986630

5. Mount Calvary Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3391991, -82.1025009

6. Athens Mental Health Center Cemetery #1
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3151730, -82.1170320

7. New Athens Hospital Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3153070, -82.1190240

8. Zion Cemetery
The Plains, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3507996, -82.1358032

9. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Columbarium
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3061260, -82.0851850

10. Higgins Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.2979500, -82.1318400

11. Clarks Chapel Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3116989, -82.0658035

12. Hocking Cemetery
The Plains, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3692017, -82.1241989

13. Union Cemetery
Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3171997, -82.1639023

14. Gilham Cemetery
Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3017900, -82.1529500

15. Littler Cemetery
Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3163986, -82.1643982

16. Haines Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3335991, -82.1671982

17. Hunter Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3605995, -82.0678024

18. McCole Cemetery
Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.2989006, -82.0667038

19. Fagan Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.2988690, -82.0665360

20. Pruden Cemetery
Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3288994, -82.0511017

21. Augustine Cemetery
Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3764000, -82.0952988

22. Gillette Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3493230, -82.0531300

23. Snowden Cemetery
Athens, Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.2858009, -82.1391983

24. Mansfield Cemetery
Athens County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3353510, -82.0462540