Charles Ellis Johnson

Charles Ellis "Charlie" Johnson (March 21, 1857 – February 21, 1926) was an American Latter-day Saint photographer known for his work both in Utah and around the world. He grew up in St. George, Utah, and gained an interest in botany and theater. While operating a drug store in Salt Lake City, he started dabbling in photography and opened a photo studio. He photographed actors and actresses at the Salt Lake Theater, including some artistic nudes. He took photos of Utah attractions, and in 1903 traveled through the Ottoman Empire to take photos for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. In 1917 Johnson moved to San Jose, California, where he continued operating a photo studio.

Biography Early life Charles Ellis Johnson's father Joseph Ellis Johnson started practicing polygamy in the 1850s and married his third wife, Eliza Saunders, in 1856. Eliza gave birth to Charles on March 21, 1857, in St. Louis, Missouri, after which they lived in small Mormon settlements in Nebraska. In 1917 he liquidated his assets and moved to San Jose, California, to live with the Ridley family, where he operated another photographic studio. He died from a heart seizure on February 21, 1926, and was buried in Oak Hill Memorial Park.