AARON S. JOHNSON, dealer in real estate, Osceola, and one of
the pioneer business men of Clarke County, was born in Spencer, Owen County,
Indiana, September 20, 1836. His father, David Johnson, was a native of
Virginia, born at the base of the Monongahela Mountains, and during his early
years was a noted hunter, the bear being his favorite game. He was by
occupation a farmer, which he followed the greater part of his life. He was twice married, his first marriage
taking place when he was but fifteen years of age. He was married to his second
wife, Frances McDaniel, in Indiana, she being a native of Stokes County, North
Carolina, our subject being the youngest child of this union. The father was
one of the early settlers of Indiana, remaining in that State until his death
at the age of seventy-four years. Aaron
S. Johnson, our subject, passed his boyhood days on the farm, receiving his
education in the common schools of his native county. He remained with his
parents till reaching his majority, and in the spring of 1857 went to Kansas.
In July of that same year he came to Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa, where he
followed farming for two years. At the
breaking out of the war of the Rebellion he enlisted in the Sixth Iowa Infantry
as a member of the band and was at the hard-fought battle of Shiloh. He was
mustered out in 1862, but reenlisted in 1863, and for five months was with the
Forty-sixth Iowa Infantry as First Orderly, and was sent south to Tennessee and
Alabama. He was in the service nearly three years, when he was honorably
discharged. He then returned to Osceola,
and for several years he was engaged in the mercantile business. He then
engaged in his present business, which he has since followed with success. He was married in 1864 to Miss Maria E.
Middleswart, of Clarke County, Iowa, and to this union has been born one
daughter – Fannie C. Mr. Johnson was Provost-Marshal for Clarke, Union and
Decatur counties for one year. For many years he was a notary public. He has
served as school trustee and as councilman of the city of Osceola.
SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke
County, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 381
