California Genealogy and History Archives
GROVE L. JOHNSON
subject of this sketch, Hon. Grove L. Johnson, was born in Syracuse,
Onondaga county, state of New York, March 27, 1841. His father,
grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grand- father were born
in America. His mother, her father and her grandfather were all born in
America. He can therefore truly claim that he is an American in the
Johnson's father died when he was but fifteen years of age, since which
time he has supported himself by his own exertions. He studied law in
the office of Sedgwick, Andrews & Kennedy, the leading law firm of
Syracuse, N. Y., and was admitted to the bar April 2, 1862, just six
days after he became twenty-one. He early in life took an interest in
politics as a Republican. Although but fifteen years of age he made many
speeches for Fremont in 1856 and when but nineteen years old he
campaigned for Lincoln in 1860. He was elected school commissioner of
the city of his birth in 1862, although not twenty-one years old and
could not take his seat for some time, awaiting his majority.
fact that his brother was serving as a commissioned officer in the west
was the immediate cause of the coming of Mr. Johnson to California in
October of 1863, when he arrived in Sacramento after a tedious overland
journey from Atchison, Kans., in a stage-coach that covered the distance
in twenty-two days and nights. Immediately after his arrival he was made
quartermaster's clerk under his brother and served in that capacity in
California, Arizona and Washington. During April of 1865, with the close
of the war, he received an honorable discharge and in May of the same
year he returned to Sacramento, which city he since has considered his
home, although public duties often have called him temporarily to other
points. After having held a position as chief deputy in the county
assessor's office for two years he was made swamp land clerk for the
board of supervisors of Sacramento county, being the first to hold the
office, also the sole incumbent, for at the expiration of seven years
the swamp lands were formed into different districts instead of being
managed by the board of supervisors, hence there was no longer need for
a swamp land clerk of the supervisors.
having held a position as clerk in the office of the surveyor- general
of California for two years Mr. Johnson opened an office in Sacramento,
Cal., for the practice of law May 1, 1873. Since that time he has risen
to a high rank in his profession, not alone in his home city, but
throughout the entire commonwealth and indeed the whole great west.
Deliberate in action, logical in thought, ripe in experience and concise
and clear in his reasoning and most eloquent in his addresses, he
possesses the attributes of a successful attorney and has won his
laurels worthily and well. He was very successful as a criminal lawyer
and during his practice lost only two cases. He defended seventeen
persons accused of murder and saved all but one from hanging. He won the
Hurtado case, when the Supreme Court of California, upon the strength of
his argument, changed the rule of testimony in murder cases where
temporary insanity was the defense.
carried to success the litigation growing out of the attempt to take the
State Capitol from Sacramento to San Jose. In other important lawsuits
he won decisions from the Supreme Court against learned and able
antagonists and at times obtained decisions that were new to our state.
He has always been a friend to the poor and has done more unpaid work as
a lawyer than any other man in California.
building up of an important clientele did not engross his attention to
the exclusion of public service. Always he has stood for what was best
for the interests of the city and commonwealth. In a long and
influential public career he has proved absolutely honest and
incontestably courageous and perhaps no citizen of Sacramento has done
more than he in the molding of public opinion. As a member of the State
Bar Association and as president for more than twelve years of the
Sacramento Bar Association, he has maintained an intimate association
with matters of law and jurisprudence. With justice he might be
denominated a Nestor of the bar, not only on account of his long service
as a practitioner, but also in recognition of his deep knowledge of
fundamental law. As a public speaker either politically or on general
topics he has no superior in the west. He always captivates his
young manhood Mr. Johnson has been active in the work of the Republican
party. At the California Republican state conventions of 1884, 1888,
1892 and 1908 he officiated as chairman of the committee on resolutions
and also wrote the party platform that was adopted by the delegates.
During 1896 he was a delegate to the St. Louis national convention of
his party. Elected to the Assembly in 1877, two years later he was
chosen to serve as state senator for four years. In 1894 he became a
member of congress from the second congressional district of California.
Two years later, when again nominated, he suffered defeat with the
balance of the Republican ticket. At the elections of 1898, 1900 and
1902 he was chosen a member of the state assembly and would have been
reelected in 1904 had not illness prevented him from being a candidate.
Elected to the state legislature in 1906, he served with such
distinction and fidelity that he was again chosen for the same position
in 1908. In each session he was chairman of the judiciary committee.
Every bill of a general nature introduced before the legislature was
read by him. So painstaking was he in the presentation of every
important matter to the members of his committee that they were
accustomed to remark, as they proceeded to the judiciary committee room,
they were going to "Johnson's law school." No measure
associated with his public career has been more important than that of
securing while a member of congress the placing of the work of improving
and cleansing the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers on the regular
appropriation schedule, so that appropriations are made each year for
the work without special orders, thus entirely removing a great public
measure from the realm of politics.
first marriage of Mr. Johnson took place in Syracuse, N. Y., and united
him with Miss Annie W. de Montfredy, who was born in Syracuse and died
in 1903 in California. September 1, 1908, he was united in marriage with
Miss Helen Alice Hassett, a native of San Francisco and a daughter of
Hon. W. J. Hassett, ex-mayor of Sacramento. By his first marriage he
became the father of five children, namely: Albert M., who died in
Oakland in 1907 at the age of forty-six years; Josephine, Mrs. A. R.
Fink, of Sacramento; Hiram W., now governor of California; Mabel, Mrs.
Bruce L. Dray, of Pasadena; and Mary, Mrs. H. E. O'Neal, of Tacoma,
Wash., who died in Sacramento. The eldest son, Albert M., ranked as one
of the most brilliant and promising attorneys of the state and as one of
the most eloquent orators in the west. The inspiration of his career is
not forgotten, although its untimely end was a source of deep regret to
From May, 1911, to February, 1912, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson traveled in Europe, making an extensive tour, not only for purposes of pleasure and recreation, but also in the interests of research and study. Upon his return he gave a series of interesting lectures concerning the old world, dwelling particularly upon its people, history and institutions, its present status and future possibilities. In the midst of a career embracing large public interests and important private duties, he has not remained aloof from fraternal associations, but has enjoyed his comradeship iu a peculiar degree. At this writing he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of all its branches, the Improved Order of Red Men, the United Ancient Order of Druids, the Foresters of America, the Knights of Pythias, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He has served as Great Sachem of the Improved Order of Red Men of California and Grand Master of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of California and is a P. C. F. of the Foresters and a P. C. of the Knights of Pythias and a P. N. A. of the United Ancient Order of Druids. He is an honorary member of the Typographical union, having received that recognition of his services in the legislature in behalf of the printers of California.
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper 2011