"Born in a dugout" near Frankston, Anderson County, Texas in 1899—the seventh of eight children born to John & Nellie (Wafford) Johnson. Fifth-grade education, attending school barefooted. Avid hunter & fisherman. Fended for himself as a youth trapping rabbits & other small animals in Texas & the New Mexico/Arizona desert. Shared one pair of shoes with his brothers, & whoever went to empty the daily traps got to wear them for the day. Left home to find work at 15-16 years old, train-hopping to Chicago, Illinois. Found employment there in the bridge building industry, & later the coal industry. Became successful. Relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—a city he traveled to on business trips—by 1930. Founder of CHAMPION MANUFACTURING COMPANY, a Pittsburgh manufacturer of coal handling equipment on West Carson Street from 1945-1966. Very opinionated. Belonged to the fraternal order of Freemasonry. Lived by the credo that a man is only as good as his word, & that a woman is only as good as her reputation.* Conducted business on a handshake. Always punctual & dressed for success. Married twice—two daughters to first wife, & two daughters & a son to second. Cautioned his teenage daughters: "There aren't any nice boys... only nice girls... & nice girls don't call boys." Enjoyed traveling, golfing, & photo-taking. Paid for siblings to visit every summer & invited them on family trips. Retired to Florida in 1966 with wife of 44 years, Violet (Nagel) Johnson. Better known as "Robert Allen Johnson, Senior." May have fathered an illegitimate, redheaded son between marriages. Died in his sleep, 81, of a coronary thrombosis.
--- *SOURCE: Robert A. Johnson, Junior (1941-2010).
--- *SOURCE: Robert A. Johnson, Junior (1941-2010).
"Born in a dugout" near Frankston, Anderson County, Texas in 1899—the seventh of eight children born to John & Nellie (Wafford) Johnson. Fifth-grade education, attending school barefooted. Avid hunter & fisherman. Fended for himself as a youth trapping rabbits & other small animals in Texas & the New Mexico/Arizona desert. Shared one pair of shoes with his brothers, & whoever went to empty the daily traps got to wear them for the day. Left home to find work at 15-16 years old, train-hopping to Chicago, Illinois. Found employment there in the bridge building industry, & later the coal industry. Became successful. Relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—a city he traveled to on business trips—by 1930. Founder of CHAMPION MANUFACTURING COMPANY, a Pittsburgh manufacturer of coal handling equipment on West Carson Street from 1945-1966. Very opinionated. Belonged to the fraternal order of Freemasonry. Lived by the credo that a man is only as good as his word, & that a woman is only as good as her reputation.* Conducted business on a handshake. Always punctual & dressed for success. Married twice—two daughters to first wife, & two daughters & a son to second. Cautioned his teenage daughters: "There aren't any nice boys... only nice girls... & nice girls don't call boys." Enjoyed traveling, golfing, & photo-taking. Paid for siblings to visit every summer & invited them on family trips. Retired to Florida in 1966 with wife of 44 years, Violet (Nagel) Johnson. Better known as "Robert Allen Johnson, Senior." May have fathered an illegitimate, redheaded son between marriages. Died in his sleep, 81, of a coronary thrombosis.
--- *SOURCE: Robert A. Johnson, Junior (1941-2010).
--- *SOURCE: Robert A. Johnson, Junior (1941-2010).
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