Leonard Beatty Johnson

Leonard Beatty Johnson was born Ireland in 1807 and moved to Canada with his parents in 1822. Leonard's mother was related to John Beatty, who was a pioneer settler of Erie County.

By 1832, Leonard B. Johnson moved to Sandusky where he had a stove and tinware business. Later he started a Lime kiln business. In 1852, Bull's Island was purchased by Leonard Johnson. He changed the name to Johnson's Island. In the fall of 1861, the U.S. Government leased several acres of land on Johnson's Island to be used as a prison for Confederate officers.

Leonard Beatty Johnson was married to Permelia Rust Nettleton. They had a family of six children. a grandson of Leonard B. Johnson was Reber Nettleton Johnson. Reber was a successful violinist, and he taught at Oberlin College for many years.

Leonard B. Johnson died on January 20, 1898, and his wife died in 1906. They are buried at Oakland Cemetery in Sandusky. To learn more about people of Irish descent who settled in Sandusky, see the Sandusky History web site.