BIOGRAPHY OF JAMES G. JOHNSON

 James G. Johnson (1837-1905) was married to Mary Jane Loop,
daughter of Andrew Loop and Elizabeth Airheart.
This biography was published in
History of Montgomery County in 1881.
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.


James G. Johnson, merchant, Mace, was born September 1, 1837, in Butler county, Ohio, and is the son of Jesse R. and Mary (Wheat) Johnson. Jesse Johnson was a native of Butler county, Ohio, and a farmer and butcher, and kept hotel, etc. He also filled the offices of township trustee and assessor. He was a strong democrat all his life, and died in 1873. He was a resident of Walnut township from 1855 till 1863, when he moved to Hendricks county, where he died. His wife, Mary (Wheat) Johnson, was a native of the island of Mackinaw, and now lives in Hendricks county. Her grandfather Wheat, also Mr. Johnson's grandfather, were in the war of 1812 and were wounded.   James G. Johnson spent his youth in the town school at Westchester, Ohio, till seventeen years old. He came with his parents to Walnut township in 1855 and followed the plow till about 1877, when he engaged in merchandising in Fredericksburg, and also in loaning money to some extent. He still sells a general line of goods in Mace and does a fair trade. Mr. Johnson is quite a prominent democrat. He has been township trustee and assessor, and represented Montgomery county in the legislature in the regular and special sessions of 1869. He again made the race in 1874, but was beaten by P. S. Kennedy, of Crawfordsville. He has been clerk in the Presbyterian church, also elder. His parents were members of the same church. He was married, June 1, 1858, to Mary J. Loop, daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth (Airheart) Loop, whose sketch appears elsewhere. She was born September 14, 1840, in Walnut township. They have had five children, two of whom are living: Ida, married to Dr. J. T. Sellers, of Roachdale; she was born June 26, 1859; William O., born April 12, 1867. Mrs. Johnson is also a Presbyterian.

Andrew Loop, farmer, Mace, is among the old settlers of Montgomery county. He was born March 24, 1816, in Augusta county, Virginia. His parents, Christain [sic] and Eve (Airheart) Loop, were natives of Pennsylvania. They became residents of Virginia, and in 1834 moved to the western edge of Boone county, and settled so near Montgomery county that they felt at home when on this side of the line. In 1855 they sold the Boone county farm and bought near Beckville, in Walnut township. Mr. Loop, at death, left 220 acres. He did all his business in German, although he could write his name in English. He was a life-long democrat. He died September 20, 1879, aged ninety-one years. His wife died November 1866, aged sixty-seven years. Both belonged to the German Lutheran church. Andrew Loop, son of the above, and subject of this sketch, when twenty-one years of age, began life for himself. He worked one year for his father, then bought 160 acres of land, namely the N.W. ¼ of Sec. 21, T. 18, 3 W. When he had the 160 clear of encumbrance he purchased the eighty acres south of it. He soon went to Iowa and entered 1,000 acres. This he afterward traded for eighty acres near his home farm. He has traded, bought and sold, till he now owns 384 acres, with good house, etc. He also owns a large dwelling in Mace, where he now lives in easy circumstances. His success in farming is judged by the accumulation of property. Mr. Loop has been a life-long democrat, and somewhat prominent in the township. He has twice been lieutenant of the home militia. He was constable in his young days, and since has been justice of the peace for over eight years, and township trustee two terms and is now notary public. Mr. Loop was married December 27, 1837, to Elizabeth Airheart, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Airheart, who came to Indiana in 1834 with the Loops. She and her three sisters walked from Virginia to Indiana, a distance of over 600 miles. Mr. and Mrs. Loop have seven children:   Sarah E., Mary J., Christian F., Harriet E., Amanda C., William C. and Virginia, twins, and Lydia E. Elizabeth is in Kansas and the rest are in Montgomery county.   Mrs. Loop is a Methodist and Mr. Loop is a Presbyterian. They have contributed their share of toil toward the development of the county, physically as well as morally and spiritually.

 


Source:

H. W. Beckwith, History of Montgomery County (Chicago, Ill.: H. H. Hill & N. Iddlings, 1881), pp. 392-94.