Most men dream of leaving a legacy behind such that they are remembered for their outstanding achievements. However, not every man can leave a good legacy, and some are remembered for being the villain in history. Bumpy Johnson lived an extraordinary life and is remembered for his life of crime. So, who is he? Where is he from? And what is Bumpy Johnson's net worth? Read the article for his full biography.
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Ellsworth Raymond Johnson, famously known as Bumpy, was an American crime boss. He mostly operated in the Harlem neighbourhood in the 1930s till his death.
Bumpy Johnson's profiles
Full name | Ellsworth Raymond Johnson |
Nickname | Bumpy |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | October 31, 1905 |
Place of birth | Charleston, South Carolina, The United States |
Date of death | July 7, 1968 |
Cause of death | Heart attack |
Place of death | Wells Restaurant in Harlem |
Bumpy Johnson's age of death | 62 years (1968) |
Place of rest | Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York City |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African-American |
Mother | Margarete Moultrie |
Father | William Johnson |
Siblings | Willie and Mabel |
Education background | High school drop-out |
Sexual orientation | Heterosexual |
Relationship status | Married |
Spouse | Mayme Hatcher |
Children | Ruthie and Elease |
Occupation | Criminal |
Net worth | $8 million (at death) |
Bumpy Johnson's biography
He was born on October 31, 1905, in Charleston, South Carolina, the United States of America, to William Johnson and Margarete Moultrie. He had an older brother called Willie and a sister called Mabel.
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Raymond was of American nationality, and his star sign was Scorpio. When he was ten, his older brother Willie was accused of killing a white man, and as a result, his parents sent him up north to live with his relatives. To cover the cost of his travel, they had to sell their small home.
Johnson got the name Bumpy because he had a bump on the back of his head. As he grew older, his parents became more aware of his short temper and his hatred toward the whites. Therefore, they sent him to Harle to live with his sister Mabel in 1919.
There, he dropped out of high school and began working unruly jobs. That was when William Hewett, a renowned gangster, spotted Bumpy and made him work for him.
Career
What happened between Bumpy Johnson and Dutch Schultz? Bumpy was an associate of Madame Stephanie St Claire, the numbers queen at the time. In the 1930s, he was appointed St. Clair's principal lieutenant. The goal of Johnson and St. Clair was to ignite a conflict with Dutch Schultz, the head of the New York gang. More than 40 murders and several kidnappings happened due to the struggle. They eventually lost the battle, which resulted in a contract for Johnson.
Bumpy's activities were covered by Jet's Celebrity Persons section in 1952. He received a 15-year jail term for a drug conspiracy conviction in the same year. He was inmate number 1117 at Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco Bay, California, where he completed most of his sentence before being freed in 1963.
The crime boss was renowned for using an iron hand to rule Harlem and for being cruel in his treatment of those who dared to oppose him. In a single streetfight, Johnson's opponent, Ulysses Rollins, was struck 36 times with his switchblade.
Nonetheless, Bumpy was renowned for being a gentleman who never hesitated to lend a hand to the less disadvantaged people in his neighbourhood. He also had a reputation as a stylish man in town.
What was Bumpy's relationship with Malcom X?
Bumpy Johnson and Malcolm X had been friends since the 1940s — when the latter was still a street hustler. When Malcolm X became a prominent community member, he requested Bumpy Johnson's protection from his former organization, the Nation of Islam.
However, Malcolm X quickly concluded that he should not be hanging out with a notorious felon like Bumpy Johnson and ordered him to ask his security to disperse. Only a few weeks later, Malcolm X was murdered in Harlem by his foes.
Did Frank Lucas work with Bumpy Johnson?
Johnson has been associated with Frank Lucas, a drug trafficker who operated in Harlem. The two met in New York City, where Frank had fled to. Once in Harlem, Frank rapidly got involved in petty crime before being brought under Johnson's wing.
What was Bumpy Johnson's net worth?
Ellsworth Raymond made a fortune as a crime boss. Before his death, he had an estimated net worth of $8 million, making him one of the wealthiest people in the city. Bumpy Johnson's house was in Harlem, where he operated his various ventures.
Who was Bumpy Johnson's spouse?
The Harlem crime boss married Mayme Hatcher in October 1948, six months after they met. Bumpy Johnson's daughter with Hatcher was called Ruthie. He, however, had another daughter named Elease from his previous relationship.
Bumpy Johnson's death
What happened to Bumpy Johnson in real life? When Johnson passed away from congestive heart failure on July 7, 1968, at 62, he still faced a federal indictment for narcotics conspiracy.
He had just received coffee, a chicken leg, and hominy grits from the waitress at the Wells Restaurant in Harlem shortly before 2 a.m. when he collapsed, clutching his chest. Bumpy Johnson's funeral took place in Woodlawn Cemetry in New York City.
Who shot Bumpy Johnson?
Details of whether he was ever shot in real life remain unknown. However, in the series Godfather of Harlem, based on Bumpy's life story, he was shot in what could be called a cliffhanger by an unknown assailant.
Bumpy Johnson, popularly known as the Godfather of Harlem, remains one of his most feared criminals. His cruelty towards his enemies was unmatched, but he also had a soft spot where he helped the needy in his city.
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