James S. Johnson owned 1,000 acres of land in this area, where he lived with his wife Lucinda and their 7 children. James devoted his life to farming at a young age. He earned his nice farm by working hard and adding to it over the years. He was progressive, practical, and prosperous. Not only was he a dedicated farmer, he also branched out into other business ventures. He purchased a plot of land along Big Salt Creek, which contained a sawmill. The mill was built in the early 1800's by Christopher Shuck. James operated the mill for several decades. It was known as Johnson's Mill.