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Joseph B. Johnson

Joseph B. Johnson
70th Governor of Vermont
In office
January 6, 1955 – January 8, 1959
LieutenantConsuelo N. Bailey
Robert T. Stafford
Preceded byLee E. Emerson
Succeeded byRobert T. Stafford
65th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
In office
January 4, 1951 – January 6, 1955
GovernorLee E. Emerson
Preceded byHarold J. Arthur
Succeeded byConsuelo N. Bailey
Member of the Vermont Senate from Windsor County
In office
1947–1951
Serving with Guy H. Cleveland, Allen M. Fletcher Jr.
Preceded byGuy H. Cleveland, Allen M. Fletcher Jr., Richard Parker
Succeeded byFrank Corliss, Susan Drown, Henry D. Vail
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Springfield
In office
1945–1947
Preceded byCollins Stearns
Succeeded byCharles N. Stafford
Personal details
Born(1893-08-29)August 29, 1893
Helsingborg, Sweden
DiedOctober 25, 1986(1986-10-25) (aged 93)
Springfield, Vermont, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Virginia Frances Slack
(m. 1919; died 1983)
Children1
Alma materUniversity of Vermont

Joseph Blaine Johnson (August 29, 1893 – October 25, 1986) was an American politician who served as the 70th governor of Vermont from 1955 to 1959.

Biography

Born in Helsingborg, Sweden, Johnson moved with his family from Sweden to Springfield, Vermont, in 1902 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. He graduated from the University of Vermont in 1915 and became a mechanical engineer. Johnson was a Congregationalist. He married Virginia F. Slack on September 23, 1919.[1]

Career

Johnson worked at the Bryant Chucking Grinder Company, starting as a draftsman and retiring as General Manager in 1949. He also served as vice president of the Springfield Cooperative Savings and Loan Association, director of the First National Bank of Springfield, and director of the Lovejoy Tool Company of Springfield.[2]

Johnson was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 1945 and served from 1945 to 1946. He was elected to the Vermont Senate from Windsor County in 1947 and served until 1951. He then served two terms from 1951 to 1955 as the 65th lieutenant governor of Vermont.[3]

Receiving the Republican nomination for governor, Johnson won the election and served from January 6, 1955 to January 6, 1959. During his administration, he sponsored legislation supporting increased financial support for the University of Vermont. He also facilitated Vermont's inclusion in the federal interstate highway system. He was a Vermont delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention. After serving two terms as governor, he retired from public life but remained director of the Lovejoy Tool Company.[4]

Death

Johnson died on October 25, 1986, and is interred at Summerhill Cemetery, Springfield, Windsor County, Vermont.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Joseph B. Johnson". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  2. ^ "Joseph B. Johnson". National Governors Association. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  3. ^ "Joseph B. Johnson". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  4. ^ "Joseph B. Johnson". National Governors Association. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
1950, 1952
Succeeded by
Preceded by Republican nominee for Governor of Vermont
1954, 1956
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
1951–1955
Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Vermont
1955–1959
Succeeded by