St. Clair County People of Interest



WILLIAM TELL JOHNSON (1848 -  )

For further information, see Waldo P. Johnson and Thomas Moore Johnson.

Missouri History Encyclopedia 1901



Missouri History Encyclopedia 1901:

William Tell Johnson, lawyer, was born August 4, 1848, at Osceola, Missouri, a son of the eminent lawyer and statesman, Judge Waldo P. Johnson. He was educated at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, graduating in the class of 1868. He read law under his father, who directed his studies with a thoroughness inspired in large measure by parental hope and anticipation that he would prove a worthy successor to himself. He was admitted to the bar June 29, 1872, at Butler, Missouri, and entered upon practice at Osceola. In 1879 he removed to Kansas City, his present home. In 1874 he formed a law partnership with John H. Lucas, and in 1883 William H. Lucas was admitted to the firm, the former name of Johnson & Lucas remaining unchanged. The business of the firm, for many years, included nearly all important litigation and legal affairs in St. Clair County, extending throughout southwest Missouri, particularly in appellate court cases. In Kansas City the practice of the firm is mostly in the interest of corporations, and they represent the John I. Blair Estate, the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway Company, and many other large interests. Mr. Johnson displays a high order of ability in all departments of his profession. He is thorough and painstaking in the preparation of his cases, and in presentation before court or Jury he is clear and convincing. His speech is plain and forceful, unmarred by excess or ornateness of language, or tricks of oratory, incapable of misconstruction, and holding attention for its intrinsic meaning. Broad in his views, he is a model citizen, and his deep interest in matters pertaining to the general welfare has moved him to render willing and able assistance to railroads and other public enterprises, at various times and in various localities. In religion he is a Roman Catholic, and in politics a Democrat. Mr. Johnson was married September 15, 1885 to Miss Agnes M. Harris, a liberally educated and highly cultured lady, daughter of Dr. Edwin E. Harris, of St. Clair County, who rendered distinguished services as a surgeon in the Confederate Army, and died in the line of duty. Three children, Margaret, Robert and Mary, have been born to this marriage.



Jackson County Biographical Record, 1896:

---Frank H. Dexter graduated from State University at Columbia from their law department in March 1887 and immediately thereafter became associated with Messrs. Johnson & Lucas in the practice of law at Kansas City.
---Hunter M. Meriweather came to Kansas City after his graduation from law school and, arriving in July 1885. He immediately entered the law office of Johnson & Lucas, that his law theories might be supplemented by practical experience and in the fall of the same year, was admitted to the bar.



Kansas City, Missouri City Directories, 1889-1891:

William T. Johnson
Location: 916 Tracy, residence
Business name: Johnson & Lucas

W.T. Johnson; W.H. Lucas; J.H. Lucas
Location: 928 New York Life Insurance Building
Business name: Johnson & Lucas
Occupation: Laawyers



1850 St. Clair Co., MO Census – District No. 79 Being:
Line 3, 19 August
36/36 Waldo P. Johnson, age 32, male, Lawyer, $5000 real estate, born VA
Emily M. Johnson, age 27, female, born VA
Wm. Tell Johnson, age 1, male, born MO

1860 St. Clair Co., MO Census – Town of Osceola:
Page 7, Line 10, Osceola P.O., 14 June
39/39 Waldo P. Johnson, age 42, male, lawyer, $100,000 real estate, $40,000 personal estate, born VA
E.M. Johnson, age 36, female, born VA
W.T. Johnson, age 11, male, born VA, attended school
T.M. Johnson, age 8, male, born MO, attended school
St. C. Johnson, age 6, male, born MO
Charles Johnson, age 1, male, born MO

1880 St. Clair County, MO Census – Incorporated Village of Osceola:
Dist. 6, ED 232, Page 18, Line 2, 14 June
156/163 Johnson, Emily M., white female, age 58, married, keeping house, born WV, father born Delaware, mother born WV
T.M., white male, age 28, son, single, lawyer, born MO, parents born WV
St. Clair, white male, age 25, son, single, Stock dealer, maimed/crippled/disabled, born MO, parents born WV
Carroll, Angetine, black female, age 50, cook, widowed, cook, cannot read or write, born KY, parents born VA



St. Clair Co., MO Cemetery Records:

Osceola Cemetery
Johnson, Waldo P., died 14 August 1885, age 68 years
Johnson, St. Clair C., 30 September 1854 – 22 May 1900
Johnson, Thomas M., 30 March 1851 – 2 March 1919