George Washington Johnson 1839-1917

Schoolteacher and poet George Washington Johnson made a few contributions to the world of popular song: the lyrics to the standard When You and I Were Young, Maggie, written for his new wife, Maggie Clark, who was ailing from tuberculosis, School Days and the Maple Leaf. his songbook can be found in the National Archives of Canada.

Born in 1839 near Toronto, Canada, Johnson studied to become a schoolteacher, and by 20 years of age he began teaching in Hamilton, Ontario. As a young teacher, he met and fell in love with Maggie Clark, who at that time was one of his students. During one of Clark's harshest struggles with her illness, Johnson composed his now famous poem to her while viewing the local mill from his perch on a nearby hill, and then published it in 1864 in his book of poetry titled Maple Leaves. Johnson and Clark were married in October of that year, but in the spring of 1865, at the young age of 23, Maggie Clark died. A year later, Johnson requested his friend, James Austin Butterfield, to set the poem to music, and the song quickly became a popular worldwide standard. George Washington Johnson married twice more and died in 1917 in Pasadena, California.

The only memorial to a song is located on the Maggie Clark Homestead - which is still a private residence today.

I grew up with the family lore that G. W. Johnson was a great-uncle to my great-grandfather but have yet to find any proof of it.

My great-grandfather Raymond Johnson was born c1900 in Ontario, Canada.