JOHNSON, Helmer J. 1907-1975

JOHNSON

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 3/8/2014 at 06:55:58

Helmer Jester Johnson was ​born May 27, 1907 at Sidonia, Mountrail​, North Dakota to Ole ​W Johnson and Maria An​dersen, the first of their ten children.

Helmer never married, nor had children. He worked as a farm laborer.

Found in the 1910 - 1930 censuses living at Sidonia, Mountrail, North Dakota:
1910: Ole Johnson 31, Maria Johnson 21, Jester E Johnson 2, Hazel C Johnson 10/12.

1915: Ole Johnson 36, Mary 26, Jester H 8, Hazel 5, Walter 3, Earl 1.

1920: Ole Johnson 41, Maria Johnson 30, Helmer Johnson 12, Hazel Johnson 10, Walter Johnson 8, Earl Johnson 5, Adolph Johnson 2 [3 8/12], Florence Johnson 0 [2/12] .

1930: Ole Johnson 51, Mary Johnson 41, Helmer J Johnson 22, Hazel C Johnson 20, Walter C Johnson 18, Adolph B Johnson 12, Florence M Johnson 10, Olga M E Johnson 7, Nora T Johnson 5, Evelyn I Johnson 3.

Helmer left North Dakota and moved east to Worth County, Iowa where his parents and most of his siblings had moved to.

He died May 17, 1​975 at Northwood, Worth, ​Iowa at the age of 67 years, 11 months and 17 days. The Rev. Paul McKinley officiated at the funeral held at the Connor Colonial Chapel and Pall bearers were: Jerry Johnson, William Sanderson, Robert & Bruce Mogk, Craig Ouverson, and David Olson.

Helmer Jester Johnson is buried at the Grant Ce​nter Cemetery, Fertile​, Worth, Iowa.

Find A Grave Memorial# 18635939

The following is a letter found in my grandmother's things that Helmer had written to Mrs. Christ (Clara) Olsen (my great-grandmother), dated Jun 9, 1918. (Helmer was 11 years old - copied as written)

Dear Ant: I will write you a few lines again. I have wrote a couple of letters before, but have not got them sent yet, so I will write another litter and get it sent. I like to write letters you know. and we had a program the last day of school and we also had a good time, after the program. We had races and all kinds of games. We had a big girl's race and Selma beat. and next the boy race and Leslie Cole beat. and we had a young man's race and Bennie Olaf beat. and then we had a woman's race and Mrs. Chas Elk and Helen and my ma were going to run and my ma beat and then we had a children's race and my sister beat. And a couple of days before the program I started in sixth grade. I spose that you have heard that Adolph has gone to camp Travis, Texas. I heard that he had cut off his finger in the slide of his gun. I was eleven years old the 27 of May. My ma has planted her garden and some off it is coming up. We have sometimes hot days and sometimes cold days. Our baby has got one tooth and he can walk. He is a year and one month. I have not heard from Adolph since he came to Texas. Selma had a letter from him one day last week and he said that to go to war it is fun. I guess he is soon going to France. I have not any more to wrie for this time but must close for this time. I will try to write more next time I write. Best Regards to all you folks. From, Helmer Johnson. P.S. My pa has got two brothers in the army. One is in Camp Dodge and one is going to France."