William E. Johnson (Nebraska politician)

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = William E. Johnson

|image = William E. Johnson Nebraska Lt. Gov.jpg

|imagesize =

|smallimage =

|caption =

|order1 = 22nd Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska

|term_start1 = January 5, 1939

|term_end1 = January 7, 1943

|governor1 = Robert Leroy Cochran
Dwight Griswold

|predecessor1 = Nate M. Parsons

|successor1 = Roy W. Johnson

|birth_date = {{birth date|1906|6|28}}

|birth_place = Omaha, Nebraska, US

|death_date = {{death date and age|1976|9|18|1906|6|28}}

|death_place =

|constituency =

|party = Republican

|spouse = Jeroma Johnson

|children = 4

|profession = Accountant

|religion =

|signature =

|footnotes =

|residence = Schuyler, Nebraska

}}

William Edward Johnson (June 28, 1906 – September 18, 1976) served as the 22nd lieutenant governor of Nebraska, from 1939 to 1943.[http://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/54/PDF/Journal/s1journal.pdf Nebraska Legislature page (PDF)] He was a Republican who initially served under Democratic governor Robert Leroy Cochran and later under governor Dwight Griswold, who was also a Republican.{{cite book|author=James C. Olson|title=History of Nebraska|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pyHHZ2__dT0C&pg=PA326|year=1997|publisher=U of Nebraska Press|isbn=0-8032-8605-8|page=326}} He was born in and died in Omaha.{{cite news|title=Rites Schedules for Former Lt. Gov. Johnson|date=September 22, 1976|page=22|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26555599/the_lincoln_star/|newspaper=The Lincoln Star|location=Lincoln, Nebraska|accessdate=December 27, 2018}}

Johnson was an accountant and writer of economic articles for financial journals from Schuyler, Nebraska.{{cite news|title=Finance Expert Files for Jurgensen Post|newspaper=Omaha World-Herald|date=June 28, 1938|access-date=May 24, 2023|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/863129071/}} He first entered politics in the election of 1938 by filing to run for Nebraska Lieutenant Governor.{{cite news|title=Johnson in Race|newspaper=The Falls City Journal|date=June 18, 1938|access-date=May 24, 2023|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/689657250/}} He won the Republican nomination in a field of seven candidates and then went on to win the general election over former US Representative Terry Carpenter.{{cite web|url=http://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/S1200/S001-1938prim_gen.pdf|title=Official Report of the Nebraska State Canvassing Board Primary Election August 9, 1938, General Election November 8, 1938|author=Harry R. Swanson|access-date=May 24, 2023}} Johnson was reelected as lieutenant governor in the 1940 election.{{cite web|url=http://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/S1200/S001-1940prim_gen.pdf|title=Official Report of the Nebraska State Canvassing Board Primary Election April 9, 1940, General Election November 5, 1940|author=Harry R. Swanson|access-date=May 24, 2023}}

In 1942, Johnson decided not to run for reelection as lieutenant governor in order to run for United States House of Representatives in Nebraska's First District.{{cite news|title=Congressional Bid By Lt. Gov. Johnson|newspaper=Beatrice Daily Sun|date=June 21, 1942|access-date=May 24, 2023|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/507437593/}} He lost to Republican Carl Curtis in the Republican primaries. In 1946, when Nebraska Governor Dwight P. Griswold decided not to seek reelection as governor, Johnson, who served under Griswold, ran for governor but also lost in the Republican primaries to Val Peterson.{{cite web|url=http://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/S1200/S001-1946prim_gen.pdf|title=Official Report of the Nebraska State Canvassing Board Primary Election June 11, 1946, General Election November 5, 1946|author=Frank Marsh (Sr.)|access-date=September 29, 2017}}

Johnson was reportedly a descendant of Nebraska Governor James E. Boyd.{{cite news|title=Schuyler Man Candidate For Lieutenant Governor|newspaper=Schuyler Sun|date=June 30, 1938|access-date=May 27, 2023|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/556477002/}}