James S. Johnson (1862-1910)

JOHNSON, HANSEN, OVERLAND, ANDERSON, LARSON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/15/2024 at 16:26:30

From Story City Herald March 17, 1910 (page 1)

THE SUDDEN DEATH OF J. S. JOHNSON

Is Called to the Great Beyond While on Train Bound for Home.

As was briefly noted in last week's paper, our townsman, James S. Johnson, died on a Northwestern train out of Des Moines last Thursday evening. Death came so silently and swiftly that even his fellow passengers did not know what was happening until he had breathed his last. The car was quite crowded, the passengers indulging in the usual good-natured conversation and "joshing," apparently oblivious of the fact that a human life was being quietly snuffed out.

Mr. Johnson appeared to be feeling as good as ever when he got on the train. Several from Story City were on the train with him and the discovery of his death was as much a shock to them as was the news of his passing away when flashed over the wires to relatives here. Heart failure was the cause of death.

Dr. McCarty, who was on the train, accompanied the corpse to Des Moines from Sheldahl, in compliance with the law that a railroad must not take the body of a passenger out of the county in which death occurs. The remains were brought here the next morning and the funeral held Monday afternoon in the Immanuel church, the concourse of people gathered to pay their last respects to the dead being one of the largest ever held in that church.

OBITUARY.

James S. Johnson was born in Bergen, Norway, March 4, 1862, and immigrated with his parents to America in 1869; first settled on a farm in Clinton county, Iowa.

After living in Clinton county three years, the family moved to Story county settling about four miles south of Story City. Here he grew to manhood and was confirmed by Rev. Amlund in 1874 in Story City.

At the age of 30 years Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Julia Christina Hansen. To this union were born five children; John 16, Clarence 13, Anna 11, Helen 10, and one boy who died in infancy.

Having lived eleven years of happy married life together, this mother and wife was called home, leaving th father to care for the family.

Four years later Mr. Johnson was married to Mrs. Bertha Overland of Story City, Oct. 31st, 1906.

The deceased was of a sunny and cheerful disposition; a kind husband and loving father to the four children, Cora, Selid, Ludie, and Emil; who through his second marriage came under his protection and care.

The sudden and untimely taking away of the deceased was a great shock to his community and the heartfelt and sincere sympathy of all goes to the bereaved family in this their great sorrow.

The deceased was a son of Mrs. Paul Anderson, who with three sons and one daughter survives him. Mrs. Anderson is 83 years old and had gone through the deep waters many times, having lost by death three husbands and nine children. Her surviving sons are Andrew, John and Johannes, and the daughter is Mrs. Michael Larson.