Pages 546-548 - Frank M. Johnson, founder and proprietor of the Lowell Ledger at Lowell, Michigan, has been a resident of this village for more than three decades, and during the many years of his residence here he has done not a little to further its prestige as one of the most progressive and enterprising cities in Kent county. He has not only achieved success in business, but is a writer and author of notable ability and as a citizen his career has been marked by inflexible integrity and honor. Mr. Johnson has been connected with newspaper work throughout his entire business career and has been located at Lowell, proprietor of his present publication since June, 1893. He came here a young man with much journalistic experience and almost immediately established a position for himself in his new community, where during the past thirty-two years he has been an important factor in assisting to build up Lowell and its institutions. Mr. Johnson was born at Almont, Lapeer county, Michigan, December 8, 1860, a son of James S. Johnson and Mary (Parmlee) Johnson, who were natives of Vermont and who settled at Almont, Michigan, in 1846, where the father engaged in farming and lumbering for many years and was one of the active and progressive men of that community during his day. Frank M. Johnson obtained his early education in the public schools of his native town where he made good use of his time and opportunity. He later spent one year in the high school at Flint, then returned to Almont, where he completed his education in the high school and was graduated with the class of 1880. As a youth he manifested unusual literary talent, and soon after leaving school he became identified with newspaper work and his entire business career has been devoted to journalistic labor. He first secured employment with the Almont Herald, with which he was identified for three years. In 1884 he went to Mayville, Michigan, where he established the Monitor, and for six years was editor of that paper. For the ensuing five months he worked as a printer in the office of the Tribune, at Bismarck, North Dakota, and subsequently was for one and a half years connected with the Michigan Artisan, at Grand Rapids. He also traveled to some extent in Michigan, looking for a suitable location and working in various newspaper offices. In June, 1893, he came to Lowell where he established the Ledger and has since successfully conducted this enterprise. Under his able management the Ledger has become one of the leading newspapers in Kent county and its status has long been one of prominence in connection with the representative journalistic activities of the country. In presenting to the people of Lowell and the surrounding country a clean, well-edited, and well-printed sheet with reliable news matter and timely editorials, Mr. Johnson has always kept his columns open to the support of movements for the benefit of the city and its people. The paper is independent in its political policy, standing fearlessly for its conception of what is right and attacking courageously those things it adjudges wrong irrespective of party lines. Mr. Johnson is personally independent in his views on public questions and prefers to figure out matters himself rather than to allow political leaders to do his thinking for him. Besides his journalistic work he has also found time and opportunity to give effective co-operation in movements for the social and material betterment of the community and has ever stood as an exponent of the best type of civic loyalty and progressiveness. His efforts are not confined to lines resulting in individual benefit, but are evident in those fields where general interests and public welfare are involved and during the many years of his residence here he has wielded definite and benignant influence both as a citizen and as a man of splendid business ability. He is a member of Lowell Lodge No, 90, F. & A. M. and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Johnson was married February 2, 1882, to Miss Myrtie C. Dickerson, of Almont, Michigan, and they became the parents of four children: Ola M., James A., Rob Roy, and Ruth E. Mrs. Johnson’s parents, Anthony C. and Lavina (Wood) Dickerson, who are both deceased, were pioneer residents of Almont, Michigan, and were numbered among the highly respected citizens of that community. Mrs. Johnson received her education in the grammar and high schools of Almont, and was a member of the same graduating class as her husband.