Paul B. Johnson Sr. (original) (raw)

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American attorney, judge and politician (1880–1943)

Paul B. Johnson Sr.
46th Governor of Mississippi
In officeJanuary 16, 1940 – December 26, 1943
Lieutenant	Dennis Murphree
Preceded by	Hugh L. White
Succeeded by	Dennis Murphree
Member of the U.S. House of Representativesfrom Mississippi's 6th district
In officeMarch 4, 1919 – March 3, 1923
Preceded by	Pat Harrison
Succeeded by	T. Webber Wilson
Personal details
Born	Paul Burney Johnson (1880-03-23)March 23, 1880Hillsboro, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	December 26, 1943(1943-12-26) (aged 63)Hattiesburg, Mississippi, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Corinne Venable
Profession	Lawyer

Paul Burney Johnson Sr. (March 23, 1880 – December 26, 1943) was an American attorney, judge, and politician, serving as United States Representative from Mississippi, 1919–1923, and as Governor of Mississippi, 1940–1943.

From 1907 to 1908 Johnson served as a judge of the city court of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Two years later he became circuit judge of the 12th judicial district, with his tenure ending in 1919.

In 1918 Johnson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat, serving from 1919 to 1923. During this period, he developed a friendship with Franklin D. Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of Navy and future President of the United States, and his family. Their children played together.[1]

In 1939, Johnson won the race for Governor of Mississippi. He died in office in 1943. His son, Paul B. Johnson Jr., was serving in the Marines in the Pacific during World War II at the time. More than 20 years later, he was elected as governor in 1964. His grandson, Pete Johnson, was elected state Auditor in 1988.

Paul B. Johnson State Park, a state park in Mississippi, is named after him.

1. ^ White, Theodore H. (1965), The Making of the President, 1964, New York: Atheneum, p. 218

• Paul Burney Johnson, Sr at Find a Grave
• "Paul B. Johnson, Sr". Notable Names Database. Retrieved September 24, 2008.