Lyman Eugene Johnson (October 24, 1811 – December 20, 1859) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, along with his brother Luke Johnson. He broke with Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon during the 1837–38 period when schism divided the early church. Johnson later became a successful pioneer lawyer in Iowa and was one of the town fathers of Keokuk, Iowa.

Johnson was born in Pomfret, Windsor County, Vermont, to John Johnson, and Elsa Jacobs. The family moved to Hiram, Ohio, in 1818, where they established the John Johnson Farm, a successful farm.

Johnson died in 1859, drowning in the Mississippi River in a carriage accident at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. He had at least five children.

Involvement in the Latter Day Saint movement

Early contact

Johnson was baptized into the Church of Christ by Sidney Rigdon in February 1831. Despite these difficulties, Johnson and the others temporarily reconciled with church leaders and were restored to their apostleships on September 10, 1837,

Later life

After Lyman E. Johnson's excommunication from the church in 1838, he pursued a secular career, primarily focusing on law and business. He initially remained in Ohio for a period before relocating to Iowa and subsequently to Wisconsin. In Iowa, Johnson became one of the founding figures of Keokuk, along with his brother Luke, contributing to the town's early development. He established himself as a successful pioneer lawyer, gaining respect and recognition in the legal community.

On December 20, 1859, Johnson died in a sleighing accident near Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. An obituary detailed the incident, stating, "He was in a sleigh with others, when it went through an air-hole in the ice, of the Mississippi." At the time of his death, he was 45 years old.

Notes

References

  • Photographs of Lyman E. Johnson's headstone, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
  • Legal instruments relating to Mormons in Utah, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
  • Lyman Eugene Johnson at Find a Grave