DEATH OF EARLY PIONEER

Chronicle (Levin), 29 November 1946, Page 4

DEATH OF EARLY PIONEER

MR. RICHARD JOHNSON Another weil-known personalitj and early pioneer has been lost tc the Horowhenua district witll thfe death on Wednesday of Mr. Richard Johnson, of Saxton Street. Levin. Aged 74, Mr. Johnson was born in Whiteman's Valley, and was connected with the sawmilling industry from his early youth . until his retirement olily six years ago. At ihe age or 14 he jomeu PrOilse Bros,' sawmills in Whiteman's Valley, and was taught to drive bulLocks by the late Mi\ James fhxmse. Wheh he was 21 he made" an arduous journey by bulloOk Waggon from Whiteman's Valley to Levin, bringing witli him the engine for the new rnill which was being established by Prouse Bfos. in this district. The road ih those ddys was little more than a narrow tra^k, coverq^l with t>ree stumps, and" the journey necessitated fording the Otaki atld Ohau Rivers. After a- short time in Levin, he went to the firm's mill at Hautere Cross, between Otaki ahd'Te'Horo, staying there until the mill fiosed down. Mr. Johnson returned to Levih about 1897, working for Prouse Bros. here until about 1.920, and then continuing with Mr. H. S. Prouse till his retirement. Like many others of his day, he Was loath to give up his work, and it was only after continuous requdsts by his family that he was persuadea to continue his aays ih leisure. The late Mr. Johnson was one of the foundation members of the Levin Fire Brigade, being foi; Some years its deputy superintendent. On resigning he was awarded the brigade's goid star for 25 years' service. A keen Druid, he was a past member of the Upper Hutt Lodge and a foundation member of the lodge in Levin. Up to the .time of his death ije maintained keen interest in the aetivities of both ino lodge and the fire brigade. A keen footballer, he was a member of the Levin Football Club in its eariiest days, and played in the friendly games between the Prouse Bros. and Bartholomew mills. While working in Hautere Cross he married the late ,Mrs. Johnson, then Miss M. A. Jackson, a member of a weil-known West Coast family then living in Palmerston North. He is survived by two sons, Mr. H. J. Johnson, of Palmerston North, Mr. H. Johnson, of Masterton, and a daughter, Mrs. V. M. Lockwood, of Longburn. There aife eight grandchildren and one greatgrandchild. The funeral, which was attt-L d'-d by representatives of the Levin •fire Brigade and the Druids' Lodge, besides a large gathering of friends, was held in Levin tllls morning. Pallbearers were: Messrsr W. 4^ Salmons, L. R. Salmons, A. Mudgway, and R. Fowler (Fire Drigade)', F. Lemmon and W. J. Ward (Druids Lodge) and J. C. Moodie and W. G. Clark.