George William Johnson

George William Johnson (December 27, 1827 – April 12, 1909) was an American businessman, attorney, and politician who served in both branches of the Massachusetts state legislature and the Massachusetts Governor's Council.

Early life Johnson was born in Boston on December 27, 1827. He was one of seven children born to merchant Samuel Johnson and his wife, the former Charlotte Abigail Howe. One of his brothers, Amos Howe Johnson, was a noted physician who also served in the state legislature. He was educated at the Chauncy Hall School and Boston Latin School.

Business and legal career At the age of seventeen, Johnson began working for Deane & Davis, an import and wholesale business. He later became a partner in the firm, which was renamed Deane, Davis, & Company, and later Davis, Johnson, & Company. The firm was dissolved in 1850. He spent much of the next five years traveling the world for business and pleasure. He opened a law office in Brookfield. He also negotiated loans on Chicago real estate for buyers from the Eastern United States. His absences from Brookfield led him to close his law office in 1868 to focus on his financial work. In 1870, he and Levi Davis started a shoe manufacturing business in Brookfield. The firm was known as Johnson & Davis until 1872, when it became Johnson, Davis, & Forbes. The factory was destroyed by fire in 1878 and the firm was dissolved. Afterwards, Johnson resumed his law practice and loan business.

Personal life and death George and Mary Johnson had seven children: