William N. Johnson, M. D., Columbus, Cherokee county, is a leading physician and surgeon of southeastern Kansas, and highly respected citizen. Dr. Johnson is a Missourian by birth, being born on his father's farm in Franklin county, Aug. 29, 1853. His parents were Payton B. and Rebecca (Patton) Johnson. His father was born in Virginia, and was a son of Thomas Johnson, who was also born in Virginia, and came of an old family of the Old Dominion State. Dr. Johnson's mother was born in Missouri, where her father was a pioneer, coming from Pennsylvania. Her mother was a Miss Rogers, a Kentucky lady; a member of a prominent family of her native state. The parents of Dr. Johnson were married in Missouri, and lived for many years in Franklin county. His father was a saddler and harness maker by trade, but in the latter years of his life he followed farming. He died in Missouri, at the age of seventy-nine. His wife still survives him; is now eighty-seven years of age (1911), and makes her home with her son, Dr. Johnson. in Columbus.

Dr. Johnson was reared on his father's farm in his native county, and did not leave the farm until he was twenty-five years of age. In his boyhood days he attended the district or country schools, and beyond this he had no further opportunity for an education. From an early period in life he entertained a desire to become a physician, but he was not privileged to study medicine until he was about twenty-five years of age. He began the study of medicine under Dr. A. M. Davy, as preceptor, at St. Clair, Mo. He began his professional career at Crestline, where he practiced medicine from 1888 to 1895, locating, in the latter year, at Columbus, where he has since resided and enjoyed a constantly increasing practice. Subsequent to his beginning the practice of medicine, Dr. Johnson took a one-term course in the College of Physicians and Surgeons at St. Louis, Mo., and in 1894 he received his degree of M. D. from the Louisville Medical College, Louisville, Ky. He is a member of the Cherokee county and the Kansas state medical societies, and of the American Medical Association. For several years he has served on the United States Board of Pensions. In politics he is a Republican, and fraternally he is a Knight of Pythias.

In 1889 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Patterson, whom he was unfortunate in losing in death in January, 1910. She left him four children—Sadie (Mrs. Alexander), Nelson, Margaret and Robert.