Johnson, John Henry (1850-1925)

JOHNSON, HOLT, OLSON

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/12/2020 at 10:52:02

Stratford Courier
February 5, 1925

PIONEER'S SON DIES WITH BOOTS ON AS HIS FATHER LIVED

Stratford, Ia., Jan. 29 - (Special) - J.H. Johnson, whose father, Jonas Johnson, pushed a wheelbarrow from Stratford to the Pacific coast during the gold rush of '49, died here today.

He died much as his father lived, an active man, with this boots on, and sitting straight up in his chair. Both were widely known in this sector for their physical strength and activity.

Mr. Johnson leaves a son, C.L. Johnson of Des Moines, and two daughters, Mrs. Ralph Johnson of Des Moines and Mrs. Ferd Holt of Stratford. Funeral services will be here Saturday.

J.H. JOHNSON, A PIONEER CITIZEN OF THIS PLACE, PASSES AWAY

Although it was generally known in the community that he could not long survive, the sudden
death of J.H. Johnson late Wednesday afternoon of last week, came pretty much as a severe blow to his relatives and friends. His daughter, Mrs. Ferd Holt, had been with him until about 3:30 o'clock on the afternoon of his death and then went to her home to prepare his supper and when she returned at a little after 5 o'clock, she found that he had passed away. When she left him earlier in the afternoon he was in the act of removing a shoe and as he had but one shoe off when she returned it is thought that he was stricken with paralysis and died shortly after she left him. He had been ailing since early in the fall and since the colder weather came had been confined to his home almost continually, not being able to go out of doors.

J.H. Johnson had been identified with the business interests of Stratford since the town started until the big fire of 1915 destroyed his store and stock of hardware and implements. Since that time he has not engaged in any business ventures other than to look after his farm lands. For quite a while his was the only hardware store in Stratford and the large building which he built when he came here and on the second floor of which was a large hall, was the largest building here at the time and the only public hall of any size. In the early days of this section of Iowa he was instrumental in helping many a farmer get started by allowing them time in which to pay for that which they bought from his store.

"John Jonas" as he was familiarly called by both young and old, was a son of "Big Jonas" famed in
history as the man who put his belongings in a wheelbarrow and walked all the way from his home here to the gold fields of California during the days of the gold rush in that state, pushing the wheel barrow all the way and with but eighty five cents in his pocket when he arrived there, thirty-five cents of which he had spent for a sieve. And it was while the father was away on this trip that the subject of this article was born and he was three years old before his father returned.

Deceased was, like his father, a very large man, strong and robust, and until this illness overtook him was rarely ill. He was a prominent man in Stratford in the early days of the town and in the later days of his life and his familiar figure will be missed here for some time to come.

John Henry, son of Jonas and Catherine Johnson, was born at Knoxville, Illinois, November 7, 1850 and passed away at his home in Stratford, January 28, 1925, at the age of 74 years, 2 months, 21 days.

Deceased came to Iowa with his parents when he was six years old and located on a farm in the
Swede Bend community. Here he resided until he was sixteen years old and then he engaged in teaching school. After following this profession for some time he engaged in general merchandise business at Mineral Ridge. Later on he disposed of this business and in 1881 opened a hardware store here which business he conducted personally until in December, 1915, when it was destroyed by fire.

He was united in marriage to Anna Olson, March 26, 1878, and to them six children were born. His parents, one brother, three sisters, his wife and three children preceded him in death. Those who remain to mourn his passing are two daughters - Mrs. J.E. Johnson of Des Moines and Mrs. F.W. Holt of Stratford, and one son, C.L. Johnson of Des Moines, other relatives and a large circle of friends.

He was baptized in the South Marion Church and was an ardent student of the Bible. In his last suffering he remarked that he was ready to meet his Saviour. He bore his suffering with patience and never made a complaint.

Funeral services were held from the Ferd Holt home and from the M.E. church Saturday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock, conducted by Rev. C.H. Flesher and the remains were interred in the South Marion Cemetery.