Historic Hopeville and Vicinity 1850-1982

Andrew & Cora Johnson

Andrew Johnson, his wife Cora Smith Johnson and two year old daughter, Pearl Irene, moved from Warren County, Illinois, to a farm near Lorimor, Iowa In 1902.

Anders Johanson (as his name was spelled In his homeland of Sweden) was the son of Johannes Anderson and Elin Johansdotter. He was born September 19, 1852 near Foglavik and Herrijunga, Hudene Parish in Elvsborg, Province, Sweden.

Anders left Gateborg, Sweden, March 31, 1871, bound for Galesburg, Illinois. There are some blank years after this time, but the 1880 census shows him working as a farmhand for the Calvin Lucas family in Coldbrook township, Warren County, Illinois.

He became a naturalized citizen of the United States on October 6, 1880, at Monmouth, Illinois.

On January 1, 1891, he married Cora Ellen Smith, daughter of Joshua and Lucinda Smith of Roseville, Berwick township, Warren county, Illinois.

A daughter, Pauline was born November 2, 1893, and died at the age of three years on October 9, 1897. Another daughter, Pearl Irene was born January 24, 1899.

The Johnson family moved from Warren county, Illinois, to a farm near Lorimor, Iowa, in 1902. They moved their household belongings, machinery and livestock by train. Mrs. Johnson and baby daughter rode in the coach, but Mr. Johnson rode with the livestock to care for them on the long journey.

Andrew and Cora Johnson
Wedding picture

After living near Lorimor for a year, Mr. Johnson bought eighty acres of land from a J.M. Daniels in Doyle township, Clarke county, about one and one-fourth miles southwest of Hopeville, Iowa. A few years later, about 1910, Mr. Johnson bought the joining eighty acres of land on the south of this place from Freeman Gilbert. The Johnsons lived on this farm until Andrew's death on August 1, 1930. He was 77 years old. He dropped dead near the threshing machine while they were threshing grain at his farm.

Cora Johnson and her mother, Lucinda Smith, who had been living with the Johnsons for a few years, moved to a house in Murray, Iowa, the next spring.

Her daughter, Pearl Lamb and family then moved to the family farm and farmed the land until about 1938 when they rented the farm out and bought a place in the southeast part of Murray. Mr. Lamb built a filling station on part of the lot and the family ran the filling station fora number of years.

Lucinda Smith, mother of Mrs. Johnson died December 10, 1933. Cora Johnson continued to live at her home in Murray, until she had a stroke and had to be moved to a nursing home where she stayed until her death on August 22,1950.

The Lamb family lived in Murray until around 1947, then moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where Mr. Lamb worked for Rollins Hosiery Mills until they closed down and he was out of a job.

Having decided they no longer wanted to farm, they sold the family farm near Hopeville in 1950. In 1951, they moved to Denver, Colorado, where Alfred Lamb got a job working for Gates Rubber Company and he worked for them until his retirement in 1964.

Ruth Lamb married Dale Weeter of Thayer, Iowa. They currently live in Denver, Colorado. They have two children and two grandchildren. Kay and her family live in Seattle, Washington, Son, Danny lives In Denver.

Ray Lamb, while stationed for a while during World War II in England, met and married Elizabeth Dinsdale of Appleby, Westmoreland, England. They currently live in Denver, Colorado. They have three children and three grandchildren. Michael and family live in Denver, Gary lives in Loveland and Lavonne and family live near Westhope, North Dakota.