JOHNSON, John Helgesen 1837-1919

JOHNSON, LOKKE, KINNEY

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 9/22/2011 at 16:18:11

John H. Johnson

#1:

John H. Johnson was born in Lokke, Aasalen, Norway, March 13, 1837, and died at his home in Osage on June 26, 1919 at the age of 82 years. He was without question one of Mitchell county's strongest characters, having had a strenuous career of usefulness. Following is a sketch of the interesting life of this unusual man:

At the age of 15 years he emigrated from Norway with his parents and six other children and came to America. The voyage was made from Brammen, Norway to Quebec, Canada, by sailing vessel, requiring six weeks and two days for the trip. The family first stopped in Wisconsin, until 1852, when they moved farther west in the company of which the Rev. C. L. Clausen was the leader, and who had explored the Cedar Valley the year before. The trip was made with oxen, and Mr. Johnson helped drive the cattle which the settlers brought.

His parents settled on Rock Creek and he worked for the pioneer settlers splitting rails and at other manual labor. The quote from an autobiographical sketch, he "worked the first 12 years for $8.00 a month, but received more later."

After trying bachelor farming for himself in the southern part of the country for a year he decided to try something else and was employed in the mill on the river west of Osage for J.H. Brush for a time.

In 1867 he started as a clerk in the general store of Hitchcock & Annis. In 1868 he went into the hardware business in the firm Johnson, Hitchcock & Company. He and J. W. Annis purchased the interest of Judge Hitchcock & G. G. Gilbertson the same year, and this partnership conducted the hardware business until 1883.

They built and used the building occupied by the Farmers National bank (now occupied by the A. & P. grocery) and the firm still holds the building and other property; a partnership extending over a period of harmonious mutual relations of over 51 years.

For 64 years he had been actively identified with the settlement, growth and development of Mitchell county. He lent his aid to his countrymen from Norway, by good counsel and financial assistance and was the means of bringing to this country many of our fine citizens.

With a very meager school education, still he schooled himself as a wise student of any problem he undertook. He accumulated a comfortable fortune by a strong steady pull. He avoided attractive looking blue sky investments and preferred small profits and sure returns. For 40 years he had loaned money in this community and has never sued a debtor or foreclosed a mortgage.

Mr. Johnson took pride in doing for his children, by equipping them to look out for themselves.

He was trained in his youth in the religious observances of the Lutheran Church, and was a member of the Rock Creek Norwegian Lutheran church, and later of the Osage Norwegian Lutheran, and in the organization of which he was prominent. He had an abiding faith which he held through a long, eventful life.

[From a clipping on file in the Osage Public Library]
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#2:

John Helgesen Johnson was born March 13, 1837 at Eie under Hval, Aadal, Buskerud, Norway to Helge Johnson Lokke Rodningsand and Gunhild Larsdatter, the fourth of their seven children.

John emigrated July 1852 to Green, Wisconsin with his parents and siblings. In September 1853, he moved with his father and siblings to Cedar, Mitchell County, Iowa, following the Rev. Clausen party of about 50 Norwegian families who planned to buy land that was being surveyed and sold for homesteads.

Found in the 1856 census at Osage, Mitchell, Iowa: Halge Johnson 53, Ole Johnson 24, Lewis Johnson 22, John Johnson 19, Halga Johnson 17, Olea Johnson 15.
Also in the 1856 census at Osage, Mitchell, Iowa renting a room: John Johnson age 19.

Found in the 1860 census at Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa: Ole Johnson 26, Betsey Johnson 22, Helga Johnson 57, Lewis Johnson 24, John Johnson 22, Ann Lewis 30, Josephine Lewis 1.

John Helgesen Johnson married Mary E. Kinney in 1869. The couple had three children: Karl, Cora Hannah and Mary Gertrude. John was a farmer, store owner and became the president of the Farmers National Bank in Osage.

Found in the 1870 - 1915 censuses living at Osage, Mitchell, Iowa: 1870: John H Johnson 33, Mary Johnson 26, born in Vermont; Anna Johnson 20 born in Norway.

1880: John H. Johnson 42, Mary Johnson 37, Carl K. Johnson 10, Cora H. Johnson 7, Mary G. Johnson 4.

1885: says John is a hardware dealer: John H Johnson 46, Mary Olive Johnson 42, Carl K Johnson 16, Corah H Johnson 12, Mary G Johnson 9, Emma Nelson 25.

1900: John H Johnson 64, Mary K Johnson 57, Karl J Johnson 29, Cora H Johnson 27, Mary G Johnson 24.

1910: John Helgeson Johnson 73, Mary K Johnson 67, Cora H Johnson 37, Othele Hanson 23.***

1915: J H Johnson age 78.

John H Johnson died June 25, 1919 at Osage, Mitchell, Iowa and was buried at the Osage City Cemetery, Osage, Mitchell, Iowa.

Find A Grave Memorial, #70274129, has his photo and his biography that originated in the "History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, 1918, Volume II, pgs 311-313. That biography can also be found at the Mitchell County Iowa Gen Web, search “biographies”.
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NOTES:
There are a couple discrepancies regarding his birth site, but I think I’m right. I got it out of the church records and his siblings have the same place.

Also, Diane Scott, on a Findagrave memorial, claims he had a 4th child. She’s made a memorial for a girl named Katie. I did find some trees that say such but wonder if they just copied the name from FindaGrave so I didn’t include this Katie. I really am not sure I agree with it. There were a lot of John Johnson’s and there could be one married to an Olive that I don’t know about.

(Credit: D. Badker)