J. Warren and Ruth Johnson papers, 1945-1981

Collection

Identifier: MSS-Miss-15

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The J. Warren and Ruth Johnson papers date between 1945 and 1981, spanning one box.

J. Warren and Ruth's passports date to 1945 and 1950.

The Newsletters date between 1949 and 1981 and were sent to supporters for their missions.

The Autobiographies folder contain written histories by J. Warren and Ruth prior to becoming missionaries, likely written for J. Warren's ordination in 1945.

The dated folders contain primarily correspondence with the Baptist General Conference offices, with some financial records. The 1945 folder also holds J. Warren's ordination papers from Emmanuel Baptist Church in Mora, Minnesota.

Dates

1945 - 1981

Creator

Johnson, John Warren, Rev. (1920-2009) (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for researcher use.

Biographical Note

John Warren Johnson was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1920, where he attended Payne Avenue Baptist Church. He attended Bethel Junior College and Bethel Seminary, then graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1944. He also served as a student pastor at churches in Battle River, Oxford, Emmanuel of St. Paul, and Mora, where he was ordained.

Ruth K. Olson was born in Fergus Falls in 1918. She attended Bethel Junior College and the University of Minnesota. In 1940, she joined Ethel Ruff on a short mission in Canada. Warren and Ruth married in 1943. They had John Thomas, Kristine, Jornadine, and Jared Thomas, who died in infancy.

Warren and Ruth were appointed as missionaries to Assam, India on June 29, 1945. In 1946, they traveled to Gauhati to learn the language. They then moved to Harsinga. After the Indian government closed the missionary work, they moved to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1967 until 1976. Ruth taught in Good Shepherd School for missionary children, and Warren pastored Christ's Chapel. In 1978, the Johnsons moved to the Philippines, working at Lahug Community Baptist Church and leading Bible study at Cebu International School. They started The Bible Institute and Bible Planting. In 1981, they moved to Arlington Heights, Illinois, where Warren worked in the BGC world missions office. Ruth died in 1988. Warren remarried Ruth E. Anderson in 1990. He died in 2009.