George Alonzo Johnson
Encyclopedia
George Alonzo Johnson 49er
, Colorado River
steamboat
entrepreneur
, California
politician
.
George Alonzo Johnson was born in August 16, 1824, in Palatine Bridge
, Montgomery County, New York
. In 1849 as a sailor he heard of the discovery of gold and left New York
drawn by the California Gold Rush
and came to San Francisco, in June 1849. There he worked unloading ships, except for a short trip to the mines, until May 1850. Hearing news of the Glanton Massacre he got together a small party with things necessary to build a ferry and traveled to the Yuma Crossing
via San Diego. There they built and began operating a ferry, then sold it and returned to San Francisco.
Seeing the opportunity, in 1854 Johnson brought the steamboat General Jesup to the Colorado River Delta
, assembled it and began shipping and carrying passengers on the Colorado River
from its mouth, up to Fort Yuma
and beyond exploring the river up into Nevada. He established the George A. Johnson & Co. that became the largest steamboat company on the river. After the discovery of gold along the Colorado River in 1858 he he moved to San Diego and became a Member of the California State Assembly
1st District in 1863, 1866-67. In 1869 he incorporated his steamboat company as the Colorado Steam Navigation Company which he held until he sold its steamboats to the Southern Pacific Railroad
in 1877.
He died in 1903 at the age of 79 and was buried in San Diego.
49er
49er: A prospector or other settler that came in the California Gold Rush who arrived before or during 1849, the early part of the rush, before the state was established.49er also may refer to:- Sports :...
, Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
George Alonzo Johnson was born in August 16, 1824, in Palatine Bridge
Palatine Bridge, New York
Palatine Bridge is a village in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 706 at the 2000 census. The basis of the name is the community's location in a region settled by Palatinate Germans....
, Montgomery County, New York
Montgomery County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,708 people, 20,038 households, and 13,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 22,522 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
. In 1849 as a sailor he heard of the discovery of gold and left New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
drawn by the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
and came to San Francisco, in June 1849. There he worked unloading ships, except for a short trip to the mines, until May 1850. Hearing news of the Glanton Massacre he got together a small party with things necessary to build a ferry and traveled to the Yuma Crossing
Yuma Crossing
Yuma Crossing is a site in Arizona and California that is significant for its association with transportation and communication across the Colorado River. It connected New Spain and Las Californias in the Spanish Colonial period in and also during the Western expansion of the United States. ...
via San Diego. There they built and began operating a ferry, then sold it and returned to San Francisco.
Seeing the opportunity, in 1854 Johnson brought the steamboat General Jesup to the Colorado River Delta
Colorado River Delta
The Colorado River Delta is the region where the Colorado River flows into the Gulf of California . The delta is part of a larger geologic region called the Salton Trough. Historically, the interaction of the river’s flow and the ocean’s tide created a dynamic environment, supporting freshwater,...
, assembled it and began shipping and carrying passengers on the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
from its mouth, up to Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma is a fort in California that is located in Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. It was on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861 and was abandoned May 16, 1883, and transferred to the Department of the Interior. The Fort Yuma Indian School and a...
and beyond exploring the river up into Nevada. He established the George A. Johnson & Co. that became the largest steamboat company on the river. After the discovery of gold along the Colorado River in 1858 he he moved to San Diego and became a Member of the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
1st District in 1863, 1866-67. In 1869 he incorporated his steamboat company as the Colorado Steam Navigation Company which he held until he sold its steamboats to the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
in 1877.
He died in 1903 at the age of 79 and was buried in San Diego.