The collection consists primarily of materials pertaining to World War I and World War II. World War I is delineated in letters from the young Johnson to his girl, Elizabeth Alpers (1918). Photographs form the bulk of the collection. These depict the Congressman touring Italy, Hawaii and Japan as a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

J. Leroy Johnson, lawyer, member of the U.S. Congress (1941-1956), received a J.D. from the University of California (1914). He practiced law in Stockton (Calif.)until the onset of World War I. During the War Johnson served in France, where he won the Silver Star as a pilot for the 104th Aero Squadron of the American Expeditionary Forces. He resumed his law practice in 1919 and was elected Deputy District Attorney of San Joaquin County the following year. He married NABISCO heiress, Elizabeth Alpers, May 22, 1920. Johnson was Stockton City Attorney (1923-1933), a member of the Stockton Planning Commission(1934-1941) and Director of the Delta Investment Company. During his ten years as city attorney, Stockton's population doubled. It was in this period that Stockton's deep water port was created. Mr. Johnson's legal burden was heavy and involved land litigation cases. It was he who drafted the legislation that began city planning in Stockton.

Collection is open for research.