Volume 8 , Issue 15

NW Oklahoma Territory Pioneer - S. L. Johnson...

S. L. Johnson -- The cut of S. L. Johnson represents features that are very familiar to the early settlers of Woods County. Mr. Johnson was appointed postmaster at Alva on the establishment of the town and on the first day of the "opening" had the post office in running order in a frame building on the government acre. During his incumbency of that position he was ever active and foremost in the establishment of institutions that make for good government and law and order, and during the formative period of society his influence was most potent and of such character as will be felt in this community as long as it exists. As postmaster, he not only gave us excellent service, but on his recommendation the first post offices were established in Woods County, and at one time almost the entire county received the mail through the Alva post office. Elected to the position of School director at the time when our bond issue was limited to $2,800, the board constructed Alva's first school house, which on the night of its completion was burned to the ground. Not appalled by this disaster, he boldly advocated the rebuilding with school warrants and before the ashes had cooled he called a school meeting and a new brick building was immediately constructed on the ruins of the first building and paid for with school warrants.

Alva lacked a church building and he arranged with the Board of Extension of the Congregational church of New York to move the large Congregational church, now standing on College Avenue, from Wichita, Kansas, to its present location, it was a Herculean undertaking in those early days and for several years was the finest church in Oklahoma, and its presence made the location of the Normal school possible here, for that institution was located in the church for the first two years of its infancy.

In the establishing of the city cemetery, Woods county fair and in fact every enterprise of a public character, he was foremost and tireless. In the location of the Normal school he was as had been aptly termed, "The Commodore Dewey" of the enterprise, many of our good citizens labored faithfully in this great work, but the faith of S. L. Johnson never wavered or faltered, from first to last. From the first time the matter was broached by him to the city council, until he negotiated and sold the first issue of bonds that made its opening possible; he was constantly "on the firing line," spending two winters almost constantly in Guthrie in its interests, until success had crowned our efforts. In fact and briefly, it is not too much too say that the early history of Alva and Woods County is closely interwoven with the life of our former respected fellow citizen, S. L. Johnson.

He has held many positions of honor and trust in fraternal societies and in the territorial Democratic committee, and while he has removed to the Indian Territory, we say that the coming state of Oklahoma and Indian territroy will need such citizens as "Sam Johnson" in its building, and that he will be one of the potent factors in directing its future.

  |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

---