John Johnson

JOHNSON, NELSON, LARSON, ANDERSON

Posted By: Sharyl Ferrall
Date: 9/15/2008 at 07:39:11

JOHN JOHNSON.

For almost a third of a century John Johnson has been a resident of Winnebago county, where he started out in life as a farm hand and was thus employed for eight years. He then purchased property and has since carried on general agricultural pursuits on his own account, being today one of the substantial farmers of his locality.

He was born in the stift of Bergen, Norway, August 7, 1862, and was the fourth in order of birth in a family of eight children whose parents were John and Madle Nelson, farming people of that country. The parents never came to the United States and the father has now passed away. Seven of their children are yet living and those still in Norway are Nels, Mons, Haldor and Ole. Those in America are: Madle, the wife of Emil Larson, of Cherokee, Iowa; Nels, living in British Columbia; and John, of this review.

During his boyhood, which was spent in his native land, John Johnson had no special advantages to aid him in preparation for life's responsibilities and duties. He came to the United States alone when twenty-three years of age and made his way at once to Winnebago county. He had no capital and necessity rendered it imperative that he obtain employment immediately. He began working as a farm hand and spent eight years in that way, but he was desirous of engaging in business on his own account and carefully saved his earnings, until about 1893 he was able to purchase a farm in connection with his brother-in-law, Emil Larson. After his marriage he took possession of the south half of the southwest quarter and the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 12, Logan township, comprising a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. Upon this place he yet resides and through the intervening period he has worked a marked transformation in the appearance of the place, converting it into a valuable and productive tract from which he annually gathers good crops.

When thirty-two years of age Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Miss Ada Anderson. They have become parents of seven children who are yet living, namely: Elmer, Cora, Melvin, Kenneth, Mabel, Joseph and Clarence. They also lost two children in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson hold membership in the Synod Lutheran church and he votes with the republican party, but the honors and emoluments of office have no attraction for him. His time is fully devoted to his business affairs and today he is the owner of a finely improved farm because of his untiring activity and persistency of purpose. He has never regretted coming to America, feeling that he has here found better opportunities than he could have enjoyed in Norway, and having voluntarily chosen to become an American citizen, he has ever been loyal to the interests of his adopted land.

~History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa; Pioneer Publishing Co.; 1917; pg 28-29