Jed Johnson (Oklahoma)

Early life and education

Johnson was born in Waxahachie, Texas, and he graduated from the University of Oklahoma's law department, class of 1915, receiving a Bachelor of Laws degree, with postgraduate work at University of Clermont at Clermont-Ferrand, France. He was admitted to the bar in 1918 and began practicing law in Walters, Oklahoma. Johnson served overseas as a private in World War I in Company L of the 36th Division in 1918 and 1919. He edited a newspaper in Cotton County, Oklahoma, from 1920 to 1922.

Political career

He was first elected to public office to the Oklahoma State Senate in 1920 as a Democrat and served until 1926, when he was elected to the House of Representatives. He served as a delegate to the annual peace conference of the Interparliamentary Union at Paris, France, in 1927 and 1937, and at Geneva, Switzerland, in 1929, and was chairman of the speakers' bureau for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He served 20 years in Congress until losing the Democratic primary election in 1946.

Federal judicial service

Johnson was appointed to the United States Customs Court by President Roosevelt in 1945, but declined it. On April 7, 1947, President Truman nominated him to serve as a Judge on the Customs Court, to the seat vacated by Judge William John Keefe. He was confirmed by the Senate on June 23, 1947, and received his commission on June 25, 1947. He served on the court until his death and was succeeded by Judge James Lopez Watson.

Death

Johnson died in a New York City hospital on May 8, 1963. Johnson was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Chickasha, Oklahoma.

Jed Johnson Lake in the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge is named in honor of Johnson.

His son Jed Johnson Jr. served one term in Congress.