Born near Brookville, Indiana Territory, September 1, 1812. On June 24, 1824 he married to Elizabeth Huldah Woodworth. They had 10 children. After reading law for several months he was admitted to the bar of his district on the first day of the first term the district court convened in this county. He opened a law office and engaged also in the land business. He subsequently became the first senator from this district in the Legislature, and was largely instrumental in securing the passage of the special charter of this city on January 24, 1853. In the fall of 1853 a considerable number of persons crossed the Missouri from Iowa, and, assembling at Bellevue and Old Fort Kearney, proceeded to hold an election for a delegate to represent their interests at Washington in securing a territorial organization. Said election was held on the 11th of October, 1853, and resulted in the unanimous choice of Hon. Hadley D. Johnson, a prominent lawyer and leading citizen of Council Bluffs, Iowa. In l858 he established the Omaha Democrat which was published a short time. Mr. Johnson continued to practice law in Omaha for a number of years. He remained in Omaha from 1865 to 1869, sold his interests, which then included a farm near the heart of the present city of Omaha. In the winter of 1869 he arrived in Salt Lake and decided to remain there. In 1872 he organized the Democratic Party in Utah and at its first meeting was elected as one of the delegates to the National Convention. He died at Salt Lake City July 2, 1899.