William johnson biography artist janesville

  • He was an authentic naive artist whose paintings depicted birds, episodes from the Bible, and scenes from life in early Milwaukee.
  • John grew up on all 3 coasts and moved to Iowa in 1979.
  • Johnson accompanied Lincoln from Springfield to Washington, DC, served as the President's valet, and traveled with him to Antietam (25 days before this check).

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  • william johnson biography artist janesville

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    Judy Bales

    Building on 30 years of experience in diverse artistic endeavors, including fiber artist, fashion artist and public art design team member, Judy Bales creates art that is the exciting and improbable marriage of cold industrial materials and the sensuous qualities of nature. She utilizes industrial materials, many of which are found, recycled, or salvaged, in an ongoing effort to reveal beauty in unlikely places.

     

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    Carine Brown

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    Jean Caboth

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    Pam Calderwood

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    Johnson accompanied Lincoln from Springfield to Washington, D.C., served as the President’s valet, and traveled with him to Antietam (25 days before this check) and a year later to Gettysburg.

    ABRAHAM LINCOLN.Partially Printed Document Signed, Riggs & Co. Bank check, October 27, 1862, Washington, D.C. 1 p., 7½ x 2¾ in. Filled out and signed by Lincoln as president, payable to “William Johnson (Colored)” for $5.

    Inventory #27740       Price: $175,000

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    William Henry Johnson (ca. 1833-1864) was a free black servant who accompanied the president-elect, while under threat of assassination, on his journey from Springfield to Washington, D.C. In February 1861, a journalist described Johnson as “a likey mulatto, although not exactly the most prominent” and “yet a very useful member of the party. The untiring vigilance with which he took care of the Presidential party is entitled to high credit.”[1] Lincoln’s identification of Johnson as “Colored” would allow him to cash the check without additional difficulty.

    Upon arrival in the capital, Lincoln found employment for Johnson stoking the furnace of th