Subject Files (A), 1925-1957

The records in this series are organized by time period, and then alphabetically within each period. The series begins with the folder labeled “Cr [Correspondence]”; boxes containing the previous A-C files have not been found to date. The folders are arranged in original order. The records in this series document Johnson's years as Sovereign Grand Commander. The bulk of the records are in the form of correspondence, which detail the business, decisions, travel, visitations, investments, committee work, and benevolences of the Supreme Council and Scottish Rite under Johnson's leadership. Other records include tableaus, balustres, allocutions, speeches, publications, pamphlets, reports, newspaper clippings, meeting agendas and proceedings, telegrams and obituaries. Correspondents found here include Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry Ford, J. Edgar Hoover, Margaret Mead, Margaret Chase Smith, and President Harry S. Truman. The records also include personal correspondence with his children, as well as birthday greetings and get-well cards after his sudden illness in early 1957 during a trip to London. Some records of note in this series include those on Dementia Praecox (Schizophrenia) research, which was the major benevolence of the Supreme Council during Johnson's time; files relating to Johnson's fishing camp (Ogontz) in Maine, including correspondence with visitors, caretakers and the postmaster; files on post-war relief in Europe, especially the packages Johnson sent through C.A.R.E. (Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe); correspondence with Ray Denslow in Missouri discussing fraternal relations; and correspondence relating to the Gourgas Medal. Note: Some files contain materials in Spanish and French.