History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

1336

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

CLARK M. JOHNSON. One of the rising young attorneys of the Flint
bar is Clark M. Johnson, who came out of the University of Michigan
a few years ago and has since been winning recognition for ability and
energy in the law, and is one of the popular younger citizens of his community.
His birth occurred in Genesee county on a farm, in January, 1885, and
he started out with the fortunate endowment of good ancestry, and the
wholesome environment of country life. His parents aie James D. and
Georgina (Stevenson) Johnson. The paternal grandparents were early
Michigan pioneers, coming from New York state. The father was also
born in Genesee county, has been a farmer all his active career, and is
now fifty-six years of age. The mother was born in Detroit, but was
reared, educated and married in Genessee county, and is now forty-seven
years of age. There were four children, the Flint lawyer being the
oldest and the other three being: Ransom C. Johnson, Thomas L. Johnson, and Charlotte Johnson.
Clark M. Johnson attended the district schools of Genesee county,
later graduated from high school, and his collegiate work was taken in
the University of Michigan, where he graduated in the law department in
I907. He was then twenty-two years of age, and at once established
himself among the aspirants for professional success at Flint, and has
since done well. He is a member of the County and the State Bar Association. As to politics Mr. Johnson takes an independent attitude, and
fraternally his affiliations are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the Knights and Ladies of
Security. He is unmarried.
DR. CHARLES B. COLWELL. For fifty-three years the late Dr. Charles
B. Colwell was engaged in the drug business, and for thirty-two years of
this time his activities were carried on in the city of Jackson. A man of
sterling qualities of mind and heart, he won the unqualified respect and
esteem of the people of Jackson during his long residence among them,
and when he died, November 30, I904, he was mourned not alone as a
public-spirited and useful citizen, but as a friend of charity, progress and
education. Doctor Colwell was born at Hamilton, New York, June 12,
1823, a son of Joseph and Laura (Smith) Colwell. He was of English
descent, the ancestors of the family having emigrated from England to
America during the troubles between Cromwell's adherents and the king,
and as dissenters from the Church of England joined Roger Williams and
formed a part of his colony in Rhode Island. Joseph Colwell, the father
of Doctor Colwell, was born in Providence, Rhode Island, February II,
I77I, while the mother, Laura Smith, was born in Connecticut in I781.
They were the parents of ten children, of whom Charles B. was the ninth
in order of birth.
Charles B. Colwell grew up at the place of his birth, and there received
his education. Upon reaching manhood, he became a clerk in the drug
store of an older brother, with whom he remained for several years, and
in 1851 embarked in business on his own account at Oswego, New York.
In 1855 he came West and established himself in the same line at Madison, Wisconsin, which was his field of activity for three years, next
removing to Janesville, in the same state, where he continued until 1871.
His next location was the town of Marshall, Michigan, and from that
place came to Jackson in I873. For fifty-three years Doctor Colwell had
remained in the drug trade, and at the time of his death was in partnership with his sons in an establishment at No. 241 East Main street. He
was an able man of business, and for a number of years was interested
in the manufacture of a line of proprietary medicines, in this connection