He was a progressive man and built one of the largest businesses of its kind in the country.

This old settler was president of the Johnson Chair Company and died at the Norwegian Deaconess Hospital this morning. His residence was at 695 Robey St., and the funeral will take place from there.

Andrew P. Johnson was born at Voss, Norway, on November 22, 1835. He came to America with his parents in 1850, and they located on a farm in Boone County, Illinois, near Beloit, Wisconsin. Here the boy frequented the public schools and worked on his father's farm until he was twenty years old. Then he went to Beloit, where he learned cabinet making, and he remained there until 1861,when he came to Chicago. The following year he was appointed to one of the army's construction corps, and remained in 2this service till the end of the war.

After the war he returned to Chicago and re-entered his craft as builder and contractor.

In 1868 he formed a company with F. Herhold and A. Borgmeyer, and opened a chair factory under the name, Herhold, Johnson & Borgmeier. Later he bought the share of Herhold in the firm, and in 1877 took his brother Nils as member of the firm, now renamed, P.A.Johnson & Co. In 1883 the firm was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois, as the Johnson Chair Company. A.P.Johnson, president, Nels Johnson, secretary; and A.Borgmeier, treasurer. Mr. Borgmeier died in 1905 and Joseph F. Johnson, the oldest son of A.P.Johnson, was elected treasurer.

Mr. A. P. Johnson organized Mt. Olive Cemetery Association, has been a director in the State Bank of Chicago, since its organization in 1891, was 3president of Wicker Park Safety Deposit Vault and director of Asbestos and Iron Company of Canal Dover, Chio. He always was a sturdy Republican and represented his Ward No.14 in the City Council during 1889-91. He was one of the founders of the Norwegian Home for the Aged, and for two years was its president. He was also one of the first to aid in the erection of Tabitha Hospital and the Deaconess Home, and was a member of the building committes of both these institutions.

Mr. Johnson was married to Martha Sattre in 1871. They have had five children.

The great manufacturing undertaking,which under the leadership of Mr. Johnson, grew to such dimensions that the undertaking reaches out to all parts of the United States of America, and to foreign countries as well. He started in a little wooden building at the corner of N. Green St. and Phillips St. in 1867.

In 1879 this building was torn down, and a large five story brick building erected in its place. This building had a floor area of 27,000 square feet, but this also became too small, and in 1883 and additional five story building was erected,having a floor area of 28,560 square feet, and the company's offices, salesroom and shipping room, were moved in here. Yet, even this total of more than 55,000 square feet of floor space proved insufficient, and five years later, in 1888, the wooden building between the two brick buildings was torn down, giving place for a new six story brick building, having a floor area of 61,800 sq. ft.

When this building was completed, the company felt that now there would be plenty of space. But already in 1890 it became necessary to build an additional story to the office building, and in 1891, a new giant building was erected, of seven stories, stretching all the way to Halsted Street, and having a floor area of about 50,000 sq. ft. In addition to these buildings there is a three story building as a drying plant, and power plant.

In this factory, then, more than five hundred different kinds of chairs are manufactured, from the simplest kitchen chairs to the large, solid chairs for offices and clubs. The dining chairs manufactured by the company are equal to the finest made in this country. Between five and six hundred man are employed in making the chairs.

Mr. P. A. Johnson, the president of the firm, was all along the leading factor in the undertaking, until he had to withdraw from active work a couple of years ago, owing to illness.