Eben Samuel Johnson, British bishop. Mason (Past Grand Prelate, Grand Commandery Knight of the Order of the Thistle of Iowa).
Background
Born in Warwickshire, England, he was a son of William and Catharine (née Sidwell) Johnson. His father was an English Methodist preacher. Bishop Johnson was also descended from one of John Wesley"s helpers.
Eben married Sarah Tilsley, with whom he had children Samuel D., Arthur H., and Dorothea.
Education
Teachers’ training course, England. Engaged in newspaper work in London. Came to the United States, 1889.
Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Morningside College, Iowa.
Studied University of Oxford, England. Doctor of Divinity, Syracuse.
Career
Eben took a teacher training course in England. He taught school in London for a time. He also engaged in newspaper work from 1885-1889.
Eben then emigrated to the United States of America, where he earned both the Bachelor of Arts and the Master of Arts degrees from Morningside College.
Syracuse University later awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. The Review Eben Samuel Johnson preached on an English circuit at the age of sixteen.
In America he entered the Northwest Iowa Annual Conference in 1889. As a Pastor he served the following appointments: Danbury, Wall Lake, Mapleton, Sac City, Webster City, and Rock Rapids.
He then was appointed Superintendent of the Ida Grove District.
In 1909 he was appointed Pastor of the First Methodist Church, Sioux City, where his address was 514 7th Saint, Sioux City. He served as General Conference Journal Secretary for a time, as well. He also was a Trustee of Morningside College.
During the Spanish–American War, the Review
Johnson served as a Chaplain in the 52nd Iowa Infantry Regiment, United States. Volunteers. He also served in the 56th Regiment of the Iowa National Guard, first with the rank of Captain, then Major (United States).
The Review Eben Samuel Johnson was elected first in 1916 as a Missionary Bishop of the Mechanical Engineering Church for Africa.
In 1920 he was elected a Bishop. Bishop Johnson died at the Veterans" Hospital in Portland, Oregon.
He was buried in Riverview Abbey in Portland.
Membership
He served his Annual Conference as the Secretary, then the Chairman of the Examining Board. As the President of the Conference Board of Education. And as a Members of Mechanical Engineering General Conferences, 1904-1916.