JOHNSON, OVERTON: ?-1849.
Overton Johnson , with William H. Winter, wrote what is probably the most consistently high in value of all collected books by Indiana authors–Route Across the Rocky Mountains, with a Description of Oregon and California … Lafayette, 1846.
The book was reprinted in 1932 in the Princeton University Press series Narratives of the Trans-Mississippi Frontier. The reprint carries a foreword by Carl L. Cannon who, unfortunately, had very little authentic information about the authors. However, Mrs. Louis B. Hopkins, acting as Wabash College archivist in 1940-41 gathered a considerable amount of data on the two authors, especially during their college years, and it is partly from her notes that the following sketch of the life of Overton Johnson is compiled:
Overton Johnson , son of James B. Johnson, was probably born in Ohio sometime around 1820. His parents moved to the Crawfordsville, Ind., neighborhood before 1834 and young Overton was enrolled in the Wabash College preparatory department for the years 1834-35 and 1835-36, with his home address given as Crawfordsville: the address shows, however, for the years 1836-37 and 1837-38 as Tippecanoe County . The Johnson family was reasonably prosperous and the elder Johnson was able to send his son on to college. He was enrolled as a freshman at Wabash College in 1838-39, and as a sophomore in 1839-40. In these two college years he gives his residence as his father's home in Crawfordsville–apparently indicating that the family had returned from Tippecanoe County .
He continued as a student in 1840-41 but in that academic year he gave his home address as Concord, Ind., It is known that his father was postmaster of this town and that he owned a considerable tract of land in the neighborhood so it may be presumed that it had become the family's permanent residence.
It is apparent from the college records that Overton Johnson did not complete this third year and it seems possible that he may have gone to Missouri, during the previous summer vacation, to visit William Henry Winter, whom he had known as a student at Wabash and who had already gone as far west as Missouri .
F. S. McCabe, of the Wabash College class of 1846, writing an article containing college reminiscences for page: 169[View Page 169] the Wabash College yearbook of 1896, says: "In 1841 Mr. Overton Johnson, a student belonging to a family residing a little north of town, returned from an overland trip to the Pacific Coast. [Mr. McCabe is obviously in error in this, as Johnson definitely did not go to the Pacific Coast before 1843; he probably has confused the date and refers to this visit which it is supposed Johnson made to Winter in Missouri , probably during the summer vacation of 1841.] Though Johnson wore his brown hair falling over his shoulders, after the manner of plainsmen, he was a very quiet and amiable gentleman. He was the author of a book containing an account of his journey, and he published the MORION which I think was the first [news]paper published by a student of Wabash College."
It seems very likely that the trip to Oregon may have been planned by the two young men during this visit and that Johnson may have returned to school but found his unrest too acute to allow him to finish the college year.
Besides being "a very quiet and amiable gentleman" Overton Johnson seems to have been a slightly absentminded and a rather affluent one, for Judge John M. Cowan, of the class of 1842, relates that, at the time the college dormitory burned in 1838, "There were some amusing incidents occurred during the fire, showing the utter lack of coolness on the part of some of the students. One I remember was that of Overton Johnson, who occupied a room on the second floor. In his excitement he threw out of his window his looking glass, basin, pitcher, and gold watch, and afterwards came down the stairs carrying some of his clothes and bedding. Incidentally, I might say, that same gold watch was the only one owned by anyone in college, not even excepting the members of the faculty."
There is an apparently unfounded tradition that Johnson went west because of an unhappy love affair: no such motive was needed in those days of excitement over the Northwest and it is much more likely that he was simply afficted with that restlessness which has been common to college juniors of all times.
Be the reasons what they may, Johnson went west, returned, and in 1846, published the book which he and Winter had written.
Among the papers of the Rev. E. O. Hovey, first member of the Wabash College faculty, is a manuscript copy of the Wabash College catalogue for Nov. 12, 1845, which contains the name of Overton Johnson. While his name was not printed in the college catalogue for that year he very evidently re-enrolled in college upon his return from the West, made a brief attempt to continue college work but soon gave it up. In subsequent college directories he is listed as an "ex" member of the class of 1847. This probably represents the estimate of the registrar as to the date at which Johnson could complete his work for a degree at the time he re-enrolled in 1845.
Few details of his last years are available. He is said to have taught school at Dayton, Ind., in 1847-48, and a letter exists, written by Mrs. Joanna Elston Lane (wife of Henry S. Lane) which mentions the fact that her half-uncle, William Henry Winter, planned to return to California in 1849 and that she had agreed to outfit "another young man" to accompany him, she to receive a fourth of whatever he should make in the mines. This young man was, presumably, Overton Johnson. Whatever hopes of gain Mrs. Lane may have had she was to be disappointed, for Overton Johnson died on Feb. 15, 1849, while still residing in Indiana .
Information from the Wabash College Archives.
- Route Across the Rocky Mountains, with a Description of
Oregon and California; Geographical Features. Their Resources, Soil,
Climate, Productions, Etc., Etc. (withWilliam H. Winter). Lafayette, 1846.
