Johnson, Benjamin 1842 - 1906

JOHNSON, LLOYD, MAURER, STICKFORT, ANDERSON

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 4/12/2017 at 11:57:43

Elkader Register, Thur., 24 May 1906. Garnavillo column.

With painful feelings of regret it has become our duty to chronicle the obituary of our esteemed citizen and friend, Benjamin Johnson. He was born in Norway January 20, 1842, and died at his home here in Garnavillo May 15, 1906.

At the age of seven he emigrated to this country with his parents and lived a year in Wisconsin before coming to Iowa. In 1884 he was married to Emily Lloyd. To this union were born two children, a son, deceased, and a daughter, Ruth, married to Dr. A. M. Maurer, of LaCrosse. After his wife's death Mr. Johnson lived for a number of years at St. Olaf and Farmersburg, where he and W. Russell were engaged in stock buying. Later he was in partnership in the same business with H. Bothmer, of Clayton. On Dec 8, 1892, Mrs. Wm. Stickfort became his second wife. The remaining years, with the exception of a year's abode in Cowgill, Mo., were spent in our midst.

Mr. Johnson enjoyed good health until recent years, when he had several light attacks of apoplexy. About three weeks before his death he had another stroke, which paralyized his whole system. Bronchitis also set in and he grew weaker from day to day. Would that the fears had been without foundation, but the inevitable end has been too mournfully realized. How soon the happiness of undisturbed harmony has been destroyed. Certainly the ways of God are unsearchable, but his severest trials are no more than we can bear. Storm is always succeeded by sunshine and sorrow by joy. The funeral services took place Friday afternoon in St. Paul's Lutheran church and were conducted by Rev. Braun. The Masonic lodge, of which deceased was a member, held their usual rituals at the grave. The remains were placed in an anti-rust vault and interred in the family lot in the new cemetery. The beautiful bouquets and designs of cut flowers, which completely covered the casket, and the large concourse of friends at the burial, were just tributes to the memory of the departed. Mr. Johnson's wife, two sons, Arthur and Wademar Stickfort, a daughter, Mrs. Ruth Maurer, of LaCrosse, a sister, Mrs. Caroline Anderson, and a brother, Ole Johnson, both residing at St. Olaf, and another brother, Hallower Johnson, of Clear Lake, Minn., survive him.