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Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.


     OZIAS D. JOHNSON, the pioneer jeweler and optician of Wenatchee, Chelan county, was born in Albany, Clinton county, Kentucky, December 19, 1849.  His father, John Johnson, was also a Kentuckian, but the paternal grandfather of our subject was a native of Connecticut, of English ancestry, which for many generations had been prominent in the state.  The mother, Mary (Wright) Johnson, was a native of Kentucky where she still lives.
     Wayne county, Kentucky, was the scene of young Johnson's boyhood days, where he attended the public schools and was graduated from the Kendrick Institute, at Monticello.  Soon after gaining his majority he engaged in the jewelry business, which he has followed ever since in Kentucky, La Plata, Missouri, Wellington, Kansas, Scott City, Kansas, Pueblo, Colorado and Seattle, Washington.  In 1895 he came to Wenatchee and associating himself with his son, J. Alvis Johnson, opened the first jewelry store in Wenatchee.  The latter died February 22, 1903.
     Mr. Johnson has two brothers and one sister, Thomas L. and Henry L., farmers in Kentucky, and Emmer A., wife of Porter Riley, residing near Albany, Kentucky.  At the latter place, February 19, 1871, our subject was married to Lavina R. Cole, a native of Albany.  Her father, James Cole, was a Kentucky farmer, who died near Albany in 1883.  The father of the latter was a native of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, descended from an old English family.  Mrs. Johnson has two brothers living, Samuel, of Albany, Kentucky, and James L., of Wellington, Kansas-both farmers.  She has four sisters, living: Martha, Eliza, Margaret and Caroline.  Martha is the widow of John Dalton, Eliza, the widow of Henry Shelly, Margaret, the wife of Isaac Lee, and Caroline, the widow of John Balenger.
     Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, J. Alvis, Mary M., wife of George E. Harmon, a Seattle millman, and William H., now living at home.  Mr. Johnson is a member of Riverside Lodge No. 112 A. F. & A. M. and Wenatchee Chapter, No. 22, R. A. M., Astral Chapter, U. D. 0. E. S., Wenatchee, Knights of Pythias, Rathbone Sisters, and St. John's Commandery, Knights Templar, Wellington, Kansas.  Mrs. Johnson is a devout and consistent member of the Baptist church.  Politically Mr. Johnson affiliates with the Republican party, but is not an active partisan.
     The father of our subject was a captain in the Twelfth Kentucky Infantry, serving in the federal army.  He owns the lot and business building occupied by his jewelry store, and a substantial residence five blocks from there, on Mission street.