Edwin Stockton Johnson (February 26, 1857July 19, 1933) was a

United States senator The United States Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives being the Lower house, lower chamber. Together they compose the national Bica ...

from

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

Biography

Born in

Owen County, Indiana Owen County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 1920 the United States Census Bureau calculated the mean center of U.S. population to fall within this county. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 21,575. Its county ...

near Spencer, he moved with his parents to

Osceola, Iowa Osceola is a city in Clarke County, Iowa, Clarke County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,160 at the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Clarke County. History Osceola was named after a Seminol ...

, in 1857 and attended the public schools. He engaged in the mercantile business, and moved to

Wheeler County, Nebraska Wheeler County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 774. Its county seat is Bartlett. The county was formed in 1877 and organized in 1881. The county was named for Major Daniel H. Wh ...

in 1880 where he homesteaded and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He returned to Osceola, in 1881 and was employed as a bank cashier; in 1884, he moved to South Dakota and established the Citizens' Bank of Grand View,

, and also engaged in agricultural pursuits. He later established a number of banks in South Dakota,

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, and Iowa. He studied law, was admitted to the

bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar (u ...

in 1888 and practiced; he was prosecuting attorney of Douglas County in 1892-1893 and was a member of the

South Dakota State Senate The Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota Legislature. It consists of 35 members, one representing each legislative district; it meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. Composition :''92nd Legislature (2019)'' Officers Li ...

in 1894-1895. He retired from the banking business in 1902 and engaged in the real estate and loan business at

Platte, South Dakota Platte is a city in Charles Mix County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,311 at the 2022 census. The community is named after the Platte Creek, a tributary of the Missouri River reservoir Lake Francis Case. Platte is located 1 ...

; he was a member of the

Democratic National Committee The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the governing body of the United States Democratic Party. The committee coordinates strategy to support Democratic Party candidates throughout the country for local, state, and national office, as well a ...

from 1904 to 1916. Johnson was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

in 1912, but was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the U.S. Senate in 1914 and served from March 4, 1915 to March 3, 1921. He was the first Senator popularly elected from South Dakota and also the first Democrat to represent South Dakota in the Senate. He retired from the Senate after his first term. While in the Senate, Johnson was chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims (Sixty-fourth and Sixty-fifth Congresses). He resumed his activities in the real estate and loan business and died in Platte in 1933. Interment was in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery,

Armour, South Dakota Armour is a city in and county seat of Douglas County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 698 at the 2020 census. History Armour was founded in 1885. The city was named after Philip Danforth Armour, who was founder of Armour and Co ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Edwin 1857 births 1933 deaths People from Owen County, Indiana Democratic Party United States senators from South Dakota Democratic Party South Dakota state senators People from Platte, South Dakota People from Osceola, Iowa People from Douglas County, South Dakota