[Two articles appeared on the same page:]

Mr. Albert Johnson came up from Athens to attend the funeral of his father.

Colonel Abda Johnson.
The Good Citizen, the True Friend, the Loving Husband and the Affectionate Father.

On October 8th, 1826, in Elbert county, Georgia, Abda Johnson was born. At an early age his father, Col. Lindsay, then United States marshal for Georgia, removed from Elbert county to Bartow (then Cass) county, Georgia. He attended the common schools of the county until he prepared himself for college, and in 1844, entered the junior class at Athens, of the University of Georgia. He graduated in 1846 bearing away the second honor of his class.

Having determined on the practice of the law as a profession, he entered the office of Col. Murphy at Decatur, Georgia, and after a period of zealous and diligent application to his text books, was admitted to the superior courts of Georgia at Lawrenceville, Gwinnett county, Georgia, and at the March term, 1848, he was admitted to the supreme court of Georgia at Cassville. Having located at Cassville, he, by diligent attention to business and careful and discriminating study of the law, soon won, and deservedly wore, the reputation of a sound an able lawyer. In 1857 he had so won the confidence of the people among whom he lived, that his county sent him to the legislature. His course there was characterized by the same careful, zealous discharge of duty that he practiced in every relation of life.

On March 30th, 1852, he married Miss Fannie Trippe, a daughter of Judge T. H. Trippe, who, for several terms, was judge of the superior courts of the Cherokee circuit.

In 1853 he professed religion and joined the Methodist church at Cassville and ever after lived the life of a consistent Christian. In him the church ever found one ready to aid her with his purse, and giving still greater aid by the example he set of moral rectitude for the younger members of the church. He was not loud in his religious demonstrations, but allowed his acts to speak the religious sentiments that controlled him. He was ever the friend of the poor and needy or defenseless.

When the war came on, although a union man in sentiment and much opposed to the doctrine of secession he determined to share the fortunes of his people. He raised a company of infantry in 1862 and upon the organization of regiments from the Georgia volunteers in camp at Big Shanty he was elected colonel of the 40th Georgia regiment. In this new and exciting field he displayed the same calm courage that had always characterized every act in life. When the war ended, he, like many others, found the accumulations of years swept away. Nothing daunted he went quietly to work to repair his broken fortune. The county site having been removed from Cassville to Cartersville he moved to the latter place and resumed the practice of his profession. This he quietly pursued until 1877 when his county called for his services in the constitutional convention. Here his legal acumen was of great service in framing the fundamental law of our state. He did not spend his time in empty declamation on the floor of the convention, but in the committee room his services were invaluable.

As a lawyer, Col. Johnson was distinguished for the accuracy of his legal information. His judgment was almost infallible. He was not a case lawyer. He deals in the principles of the law and did not burden himself or the court with a mass of authorities. He analyzed his case, seized the strong point, stated his position and took it for granted the court knew the law, whether it was written down in a book or not. While not an orator he was remarkable for the strength and cogency of his argument. His mind is eminently analytical. He sought for the reason of the law. But it was in the home circle that his virtues were pre-eminent. As father, brother and friend he endeared himself to all. The writer of this crude and imperfect sketch was intimately associated with him for a number of years, observed his tenderness and love for those near and dear to him, his anxious solicitude for the comfort and happiness of his loved ones, and can truly say that when death on the fatal day, July 10, 1881, stilled his heart forever, no kinder, nobler or more generous spirit ever winged its flight to heaven than that of Abda Johnson. I knew him and I loved him.