Here are some links that might help you gather more information for your search. I'm not saying this man is a criminal but when looking for long lost folks, it's best to search every avenue.
Michigan's database of all criminals who are or have been in state prison:
Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS)
Benton Harbor is in Barrien County. Here is a link to that county's register of deeds:
Browser Test - Berrien County ROD Public Access (http://regofdeeds.berriencounty.org/RealEstate/SearchResults.aspx - broken link)
A quick search revealed several possible John Johnsons. Hope this all helps.