John O. Johnson Family
John O. Johnson was born in Kvinherrod, Norway in 1865 and came to Clinton County with his parents at the age of one year. The family moved to Warren Town-ship in 1875.
Ordina Danielson was born in Hjelmeland, Norway in 1868 and came to Warren Township as a girl.
Ordina and John were married and lived on a farm. They also resided in McCallsburg. John and Lewis Johnson formed a partnership and operated a grocery store. John Johnson also worked for E. O. Dillin.
To this union, five children were born — Clarence, Dan, Belle, Arthur and Jeffrey.
Mr. and Mrs. John Johnson and family moved on a farm near Ormsby, Minn., where they lived until they retired and moved into Ormsby. They later moved to Odin, Minn.
Johnson died in 1952 and his wife in 1956.
Ole Haukoos Family
Mr. and Mrs. Ole Haukoos and family were among the early pioneers of the McCallsburg community. They purchased a farm northwest of McCallsburg for $8 an acre. At that time there was no McCallsburg and were only 3 or 4 families in the locality and they did all their trading in Nevada. They later moved to McCallsburg where Clarence Twedt now lives. Here they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1920.
Ole and Margaret Haukoos were the parents of one daughter, Julia, and five sons, Lars, Peter, Martin, Carl and Oscar. Oscar is the only living one. Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Haukoos reside at Leland, Iowa where Oscar celebrated his 80th birthday in April. They have 3 children, Hazel, Mrs. Edson Murrell of McCallsburg, Marvin of Renwick and Jane, Mrs. Marlin Nolte of Leland.
The Peck–Heaton Family
by Millard PeckMy father, John Peck was born in Vermont, not far from Rutland in 1854, the son of James Peck who was born in Connecticut. He was brought to Tama County by his parents when only a few weeks old. This was in the days of Horace Greeley whose gospel was "Go west young man, and grow up with the country." I have heard my father repeat this upon innumerable occasions.
My mother was born in northern New York near Watertown. She likewise went west with her parents. Her father's name was Lewis. He had a traditional interest in education and my mother was privileged to attend the Vining Academy near Belle Plaine, Iowa. Her parents came west with their family over the Erie Canal and by boat on Lake Erie. They first settled near Morrison, Ill. Not long afterward they moved to Elberon in Tama County.
During their lifetime, both my grandfathers accumulated considerable means.
My mother and father were married in Tama County when my father was about twenty-one and my mother eighteen. Immediately after, they moved to Warren Township and set up housekeeping on what used to be called by us, the "Tom Johnson" farm. My father sold it to Tom Johnson when we later moved into McCallsburg, probably around 1880.
My father was associated with J.P. Hesson in the grain, machinery and livestock business. In 1890, my parents bought what we have since come to call the "Lura" farm. My parents paid $30 an acre for the half section and sold it in 1901 for $90 an acre to a Mr. Tuntland from Illinois. We continued to live there until 1907 when the farm was again sold, this time to Cliff Harris and an associate for $107 an acre.
My brothers, Eddie(C.E.), Jimmie (James), Earl and Fay were born on the Johnson farm. Leila was born in McCallsburg and Mary on the Lura farm,
My parents saw to it that their children had reasonably good access to education. Eddie and James taught for several years in Warren Twonship. James died of Typhoid in 1900. Mary and Leila also taught in the Warren Township schools. When I decided to go to college and Mary was ready for college, my parents moved into town.
As for myself, I was an enlistee along with many others from the Burg in World War I. From 1921 to 1934 I was on the faculty of I.S.U. then Iowa State College. In 1934 I went to Washington where I was concerned mostly with programs and problems on which Henry Wallace was working. From 1943 to 1948 I was working on post war problems of rehabilitation, food production, etc. The last ten years of my service before retirement at 71, I was in the U.S. Department of Defense. Since retirement I have been teaching at Auburn College, a branch of the State University of New York in Auburn, N.Y.
I married Miss Lena J. Krakau in 1917. She had been teaching at Iowa State College. While I was in service, she was principal of the McCallsburg School.
My sister, Leila, married Guy W. Mills in 1906. Fay was the wife of John Schauper, both deceased.