University of Wyoming
William Adolphus Johnson (1835-1910) was born in Texas and came to the area which is now Wyoming about 1851. He became a cattle rancher in Wyoming and Nebraska, married Ellen Larson (1860-1899) in 1879 and had four children: Frederick William, William Adolphus Jr., Ellen Sophia, and Bryan G.
Frederick William Johnson (1881-1955) was born in Green River, Wyoming, and earned a law degree from the University of Nebraska. He then joined the law office of Douglas A. Preston in Rock Springs, Wyoming. He became commissioner of the General Land Office in Washington, D.C., in 1933, and in 1946 was made director of the newly-created Bureau of Land Management.
Douglas A. Preston (1857-1929) was a lawyer and an active member of the Democratic Party. He was born in Olney, Illinois, and came to Wyoming in 1884. He located in Rock Springs, Wyoming, in 1893 and was a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1903 to 1905. He was appointed attorney general for the State of Wyoming by Governor Joseph Carey in 1911 and served in that capacity until 1919. From 1920 to 1922 he managed and published the Rock Springs Rocket. In November 1928 he was elected to the Wyoming State Senate to complete the term of Frank Yates, who had died in office. In October 1929, Preston died as the result of injuries received in an automobile accident.
The collection contains biographical files about various Johnson family members and law partner Douglas A. Preston, legal case files, photographs of the Johnson and Preston families, and printed materials about Wyoming politics and tourism.
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
There are no known other archival collections created by the Johnson family at the date of processing.
This material was received from Douglas Johnson in 1953; Joseph Redfern in 1968; Fred W. Johnson Jr. donated the bulk of the materials in 1975, 1976, and 1978; and Chris Gras in 1975.
The collection was processed by D.C. Thompson in May 1998.
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Certificates of Election to Wyoming Territorial Legislative Assembly and as Sheriff of Sweetwater County; photocopies of legal deeds, letters, and newspaper articles; photocopies from printed sources.
Obituary.
Photocopy of letter, printed material.
Photocopies of letters from William Jennings and Mary B. Bryan; rotogravure for Bryan G. Johnson’s campaign for governor of New Mexico, includes information on Johnson family.
Letters and photocopies of letters, certificate of appointment as Attorney General of Wyoming, photocopies of newspaper articles.
Newspaper: Richland County (Illinois) Herald, Preston "& Gibson, Proprietors.
Postcards, letters, envelopes, certificate, regarding estate of Domenico Cao.
Testimony in case of State of Wyoming vs. Atilio Dellia, attorney for defendant D.A. Preston.
News clippings and other printed material regarding Al Smith’s campaign for the presidency.
“Wyoming Worth Knowing” tourist booklet, inscribed by Governor Frank Emerson to Senator Douglas A. Preston.