Elmer Leavis Johnson

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1930, Winchester, Cheshire County, New Hampshire; In the 1930 US Census he was recorded, age 10, living in Winchester, New Hampshire with his parents.
• Graduation: 1938; In 1938, he graduated from Thayer High School.
• Office Held: 1939; After graduation, he served for a year as a national vice president of the Future Farmers of America, representing the 12 northeastern states. He traveled throughout the eastern United States on behalf of the Future Farmers of America and represented the organization at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City.
• Census: 1940, Winchester, Cheshire County, New Hampshire; In the 1940 US Census he was recorded, age 20, living at 4A Arwick Road, Winchester, New Hampshire with his parents. He was a farmer.
• Draft Registration: 1 Jul 1941, Winchester, Cheshire County, New Hampshire; On 1 July 1941, he registered for the draft giving his age as 21, his address as Warwick Road, Winchester, New Hampshire and he was self employed as a farmer.
• Office Held: Abt 1952, Winchester, Cheshire County, New Hampshire; About 1952, he was elected a Selectman.
• Office Held: From 1956 to 1996, Winchester, Cheshire County, New Hampshire; He served as the Town Moderator from 1956 to 1996.
• Office Held: 1973; He served as a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, as well as being on the New Hampshire Water Supply and Pollution Control Commission for six years. Rep. Johnson was one of the original sponsors of House Bill 307 - the Current Use Act - in 1973 and was a moving force behind its adoption between 1966 and 1985.
• History: 1994, Winchester, Cheshire County, New Hampshire; In 1994, he was named Citizen of the Year in Winchester.
• Obituary: 24 Jul 1998; Born Jan. 4, 1920, he was the son of Ralph W. and Carrie L. (Leavis) Johnson at Pleasant Valley Farms. He was a lifelong Winchester resident. Mr. Johnson was a dairy farmer and breeder of Brown Swiss cattle, a Yankee trader, and served the town of Winchester for many years and was a state legislator. After graduating from Thayer High School in 1938, Mr. Johnson served for a year as national vice-president of the Future Farmers of America, representing the 12 northeastern states. He traveled throughout the eastern United States on behalf of the Future Farmers of America and represented the organization at the 1939 World's Fair in New York, N.Y. Mr. Johnson was a member of the United Church of Winchester for 62 years. He was also a poet and a square dance caller who owned a square dance hall in Winchester for many years. He served the town of Winchester as a selectman for a term in the early 1950s. Mr. Johnson served as school district moderator from 1956 to 1994 and was town moderator for 40 years, retiring after the town meeting in 1996. He also served more than 40 years on the budget committee including many years as chairman. He was a member of the Winchester Planning Board and a Conant Library trustee. In 1966, Mr. Johnson was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives and served as a state legislator for 20 years as well as being on the New Hampshire Water Supply and Pollution Control Commission for six years. Mr. Johnson was one of the original sponsors of House Bill 307 the Current Use Act in 1973 and was a moving force behind its adoption. As a farmer he was passionate that the open lands and the character of New Hampshire be preserved and that people not be forced off the land. This past spring he was honored on the 25th anniversary of the passage of the Current Use Act. He viewed this act as one of his greatest legacies. -The Union Leader (Manchester, N.H.) July 24, 1998
• Last Full Review: 4 Mar 2022