Howard A. Johnson (1893 – June 8, 1974) was an American politician and jurist. He was chief justice of the

Montana Supreme Court The Montana Supreme Court is the supreme court, highest court of the state court system in the U.S. state of Montana. It is established and its powers defined by Article VII of the 1972 Montana Constitution. It is primarily an appellate court w ...

, serving on the court from 1939 to 1946. Born in

Beloit, Wisconsin Beloit ( ) is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 36,657 people. Beloit is a principal city of the Janesville, Wisconsin, Janesville–Beloit metropolitan statistical area (Rock Co ...

, Johnson was raised in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

and attended college there. He attended the University of Montana Law School from 1915 to 1917."Former State Chief Justice Johnson Dies"
''The Daily Inter Lake'' (June 11, 1974), p. 10. He was a pilot in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

,"World War I Pilots Meet", ''The Billings Gazette'' (June 7, 1969), p. 8. receiving training in

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

and

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. He was injured in a crash in France, resulting in a year of hospitalization, and he was decorated by the French and American governments. After the war, he entered the practice of law in

Whitehall, Montana Whitehall is a town in Jefferson County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,006 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Helena Micropolitan Statistical Area. History Whitehall began as a rail depot created by the Northern Pacific and ...

. He was elected to represent Silver Bow, Montana in the

Montana Legislature The Montana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to t ...

as a Republican in 1921. He served as the County Attorney for

Jefferson County, Montana Jefferson County is a county in Montana, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,085. Its county seat is Boulder. The county was created in 1865 and named for President Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson County is part of the He ...

in the 1920s, and as an assistant United States Attorney in 1930. In 1939, Johnson was elected to fill the unexpired term of O. F. Goddard. He was then reelected to a full term, from which he retired in 1946 to resume the practice of law. He retired in 1972, moving to

San Leandro, California San Leandro (Spanish language, Spanish for "Leander of Seville, St. Leander") is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area; between Oakland, California, Oakland to the northwe ...

, where he died at the age of 80.

References

1893 births 1974 deaths People from Jefferson County, Montana University of Montana alumni Republican Party members of the Montana House of Representatives 20th-century American lawyers County district attorneys in Montana Assistant United States attorneys Politicians from Beloit, Wisconsin 20th-century American judges Chief justices of the Montana Supreme Court 20th-century members of the Montana Legislature {{Montana-state-judge-stub

See also

References