George William Johnson (congressman)
Encyclopedia
George William Johnson was a lawyer
and Democratic
politician
who served as United States Representative from West Virginia
.
in Jefferson County
on November 10, 1869. He attended the common schools and Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia
.
at Morgantown
in 1894 and from the law department of the same university in 1896. He was admitted to the bar
and practiced law in Martinsburg
. He served as city attorney
of Martinsburg and then moved to Parkersburg
in 1900, continuing to practice law.
Johnson served as a member of the board of regents
of the State Normal School
from 1897 to 1900. He served as Referee in Bankruptcy
for the United States District Court of West Virginia and general counsel to the West Virginia Public Service Commission. During this time he also grew fruit
and raised stock
.
, only serving two years as his bid for re-election in 1924 was unsuccessful. He was elected in 1942 to the 73rd Congress
, and this time won re-election to the four succeeding Congresses. However his bid 1942 re-election was not successful.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served as United States Representative from West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
Early life
He was born near Charles Town, West VirginiaCharles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston.-History:...
in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, West Virginia
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 53,498. Its county seat is Charles Town...
on November 10, 1869. He attended the common schools and Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Shepherdstown is a town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, located along the Potomac River. It is the oldest town in the state, having been chartered in 1762 by Colonial Virginia's General Assembly. Since 1863, Shepherdstown has been in West Virginia, and is the oldest town in...
.
Law
Johnson graduated from West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
at Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
in 1894 and from the law department of the same university in 1896. He was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
and practiced law in Martinsburg
Martinsburg, West Virginia
Martinsburg is a city in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia, United States. The city's population was 14,972 at the 2000 census; according to a 2009 Census Bureau estimate, Martinsburg's population was 17,117, making it the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the eighth largest...
. He served as city attorney
City attorney
A city attorney can be an elected or appointed position in city and municipal government in the United States. The city attorney is the attorney representing the city or municipality....
of Martinsburg and then moved to Parkersburg
Parkersburg, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,099 people, 14,467 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. In 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Parkersburg's population had decreased 4.4% to 31,755. The population density was 2,800.5 people per square mile . There were 16,100 housing...
in 1900, continuing to practice law.
Johnson served as a member of the board of regents
Board of Regents
In the United States, a board often governs public institutions of higher education, which include both state universities and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual colleges and universities, or both. In general they operate as...
of the State Normal School
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
from 1897 to 1900. He served as Referee in Bankruptcy
Referee in Bankruptcy
A Referee in Bankruptcy or Bankruptcy Referee is a federal official with quasi-judicial powers, appointed by a United States district court to administer bankruptcy proceedings...
for the United States District Court of West Virginia and general counsel to the West Virginia Public Service Commission. During this time he also grew fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
and raised stock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
.
Politics
Johnson was elected in 1922 to the 68th Congress68th United States Congress
The Sixty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1923 to March 4, 1925, during the last months of...
, only serving two years as his bid for re-election in 1924 was unsuccessful. He was elected in 1942 to the 73rd Congress
73rd United States Congress
The Seventy-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1935, during the first two years...
, and this time won re-election to the four succeeding Congresses. However his bid 1942 re-election was not successful.