History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 48

Author: Keyes, Elisha W. (Elisha Williams), 1828-1910
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Madison, Wi. : Western Historical Association
Number of Pages: 998

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

Knudt A. Johnson is a merchant and well-known wool and tobacco buyer of Morrisonville. His family originated in Norway, whence his grandfather, John Johnson, came to Columbia county, Wis., in 1848. Andrew Johnson, son of John Johnson, was born in Norway, January 26, 1822, married Miss Julia Meland, also a native of Norway, born in 1825 and they came to the town of Leeds in Co- lumbia county, Wis. in 1846. They obtained a farm of government land and owned about four hundred and fifty acres. Mr. Johnson died in 1902 at Morrisonville and his wife in 1987. Their son, Knudt A. Johnson, was born in Leeds township, October 8, 1848, attended the home schools and engaged in farming near Morrisonville, where he owned three hundred and twenty acres of fine farm property. This he sold and now owns a farm of one hundred acres. In 1885, he bought the village plat of George O. Clinton', R. R. Supt., and gave away eleven lots to promote the interests of the new village. He built the grain elevator and double corner store building and has also built other buildings which he has since sold. He rents his farm and is extensively engaged in various business interests in the village, prominent among them being trade in wool and tobacco. Mr. John- son is a member of the Republican party and has been chairman and supervisor in the town of Windsor, February 5, 1883. he married Miss Susie Whitelaw, who was born in Columbia county, daughter of Robert Whitelaw and his wife, who were both natives of Scotland and early residents of Columbia county. Mrs. Whitelaw died in 1905 and her husband is living, eighty-seven years of age. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson consists of six children; Isabel, Grace, Arthur, Jennie, Julia and Margaret. At present they reside in Portage, Wis. on account of the superior educational advantages afforded by the larger place. They are identified with the Portage Congregational church.

Lewis Johnson, whose death occurred July 1, 1885, was num- bered among the representative farmers and sterling citizens of Blooming Grove township, while he was also numbered among the honored pioneers of the state of Wisconsin. He was born and reared in Norway, the date of his birth having been February 1, 1824. and was a son of Ole and Gertie Johnson, who passed their entire lives in their native land. Lewis Johnson immigrated to America and settled in Dane county when this section was largely given over to the primeval forest, and by his persevering energy and good judg- ment he reclaimed a good farm in Blooming Grove township, where he continued to reside until his death and where his young- est son still resides. He is a man of sterling attributes of charac-

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ter, generous in his intercourse with his fellow men and ever ready to aid those in affliction or distress. His circle of friends was limited only by that of his acquaintances, and he commanded the esteem of all with whom he came in contact. His widow is now living retired in the pleasant village of McFarland, not far distant from the old homestead. Mr. Johnson gave his political support to the Republican party, and was a consistent and zealous member of the Norwegian Lutheran church, as is also his widow. By his first wife he became the father of seven children, of whom three are living. His second marriage was solemnized in November, 1857, when Miss Anna Aaroen became his wife, she being a daughter of Ole and Mary (Olson) Aaroen, natives of Norway. The eight children of the second marriage are all living, and their names and dates of birth are as follows: Gilbert, December 19, 1858; Mary, December 2, 1861; Ole, March 24, 1867; Martin, December 21, 1872 ; Severt, January 19, 1873; Anna, August 22, 1875; Luvian. May 2, 1876; and Nels, March 29, 1878.

Lewis L. Johnson, one of Rutland's prosperous farmers, is a na- tive of Sweden. Johannes and Bertha (Larson) Anderson, his parents, were born in Dahlsland, Sweden, married there and lived their entire lives in their native place. Six children were born to them, of whom two daughters, Mary and Sophia, remained in Scandi- navia and the others came to America. Andrew is a farmer near Rutland ; Carl lives in Michigan and Tilda is the wife of John Fred- erickson of Madison. Lewis L. was born at Dahlsland, January 7, 1852, educated in the common schools and lived with his parents until he was seventeen years old, when he went to Norway and worked in a sawmill for two years. The boy had always a longing for the sea and shipped as a common sailor, from which he worked up to mate, chief mate and finally master. He visited the East Indies and South Amer- ica and crossed the cquator eight times, was chief officer of four dif- ferent ships and followed the sea for eighteen years. In 1877, he was shipwrecked off the Danish coast. In 1883 he came to America, located at Grand Haven, Mich., and sailed the Great Lakes for five years. He then came to Stoughton and worked one year in a wagon shop, after which he commenced farming. For eight years he rented, and finally purchased the fine farm of one hundred and fifty acres at Rutland, upon which he now lives and has made many improvements. Decmeber 31, 1878, he married Miss Josephine Thoreson, daughter of Andres and Sigri (Larson) Thoreson, natives of Norway. The mar- riage has been blessed with eleven children. Joseph, the oldest, was graduated from the veterinary college of Toronto, Can .; Sigri lives in

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Chicago; Olga, in Janesville and Louisa in Beloit; Minnie S. and Paul G. are students at the Stoughton high school; Lena, Bertha, Leonard and William Oscar remain at liome; Axcel, the youngest, died in infancy. Mr. Johnson is a Republican and has been a member of the school board. The family attends the First Lutheran church of Stoughton and is prominent in church activities.

Martin A. Johnson, cashier of the First National bank of Stough- ton and member of the firm of Melaas-Johnson Co., of that city, was born in the town of Dunkirk on May 26, 1862. He is a son of Matthew and Olivia (Johnson) Johnson. His paternal grand- father was John Johnson (Vea) and the maternal grandfather An- drew Johnson (Tommerstigen), both natives of Norway and pio- neers of Dane county. The subject of this sketch received a pre- paratory education in the schools of Stoughton and the Augsburg

Seminary of Minneapolis. His education was completed with a course at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. In 1883, at the death of his father, he succeeded him as a member of the firm of Johnson & Melaas, clothiers, of Stoughton. From 1883 to 1891 he acted as manager of the M. Johnson estate and for the ten years following was president, treasurer and superintendent of the Stoughton Wagon company, of which concern he is still a heavy stockholder. In 1904 he was made cashier of the First National bank of Stoughton. He is a third owner of the "Big Daylight Store," operated by the Melaas-Johnson Company, successors to the firm of Johnson & Melaas. This concern is one of the largest as well as the best equipped in the state. On June 3, 1884 Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Matilda C. Nelson, daughter of William and Jorgina (Bekke) Nelson of Boscobel, Wis. One daughter, Mildred W., is the issue of this union. Mrs. Johnson, a highly esteemed and deservedly beloved woman, passed away Janu- ary 6, 1906.

Michael Johnson, retired, for many years a prominent figure and farmer of the town of Springdale, now living in Mount Horeb, was born in Sogn in Bergen Stift, Norway, January 4, 1832. He received a common school education and in 1853 came to Wisconsin, settling first in the town of Windsor. Later he removed to the town of Vienna and still later to the town of Springdale (1856) where he purchased one hundred and forty-eight acres of land. For twenty-six years he held the office of justice of the peace of the last named town; for five years was its town treasurer and for nine more was chairman. He served three years as chairman of the Dane county board of supervisors and in 1873 was elected to represent his district in the lower house

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of the state legislature, being re-elected in 1874, 1875 and 1876. When the Dane county asylnm at Verona was proposed he was one of the commissioners appointed to see to its construction and in 1891 was nominated by the school-land commissioners to re-appraise the low lands of Crawford county along the Mississippi river. In 1892 he was one of the sucessful presidential electors on the Democratic ticket, casting his vote for Grover Cleveland. On the second day ot October, 1893, the president appointed him to be deputy revenue collector of the second district of Wisconsin, which position he held until the last day of January, 1900. In April, 1853, Mr. Johnson was married to Jone Nelson Hone, who died in Dane county in June, 1854. In May, 1856, he was united in marriage to Betsey Samp- son, who passed away April 19, 1864 leaving two children. His third marriage occurred on March 3. 1865, to Betsey T. Lee, and to this union were born four daughters and two sons, and all but one of the children are now married. Mr. Jonson is a mem- ber of the Norwegian Lutheran church and for the past twelve years has represented the congregation of Springdale in the Norwegian Lutheran synod. He was twice elected by the synod as a member of the church council and served in that capacity six years. In March, 1893, he sold his farm and built the residence in Mount Horeb which is now his home.

Nels Johnson, of Westport, is a native of Norway, born June 15, 1851. His father, Johannes Nelson, and his mother, Ingeborg Mary (Peterson) Nelson, were also born in Norway, the former in 1811 and the latter in 1810. The parents came to Windon, Minn., in 1873, and there lived with a son, J. J. Johnson, and there both died, he in 1893 and she in 1881. They had twelve children of whom five are living. Mr. Nelson was, in Norway, engaged in the lumber business. Mr. Johnson was educated in Norway, and came to Stoughton, June 2, 1870, when he was nineteen years of age; he worked on a farm for eleven years and then came to Madison, where he worked for Halle Steensland for four years. In 1884 he became a resident of Westport, bought a farm of eighty acres, which he has improved, and on which, in 1904, he built a fine residence. He has been the creator of his own prosperity, and has, by his integrity and public spirit, won the respect of the community in which he lives. For fourteen years he has held the office of school clerk and for four years that of supervisor, and is occupying those positions at the present time. He and his family are members of the Lutheran church, and he is superintendent of the Sunday school of Rev. T. H. Eggen's congregation at Burke, beside having held for fifteen years a private Sunday school in his own home.

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He was married in 1879, to Miss Julia Haldorson, born in Norway, July 11, 1855, daughter of Haldor Shervim Syverson and his wife Gjoren (Severson) Syverson; natives of Norway, where Mr. Syverson still resides, his wife having lied in 1899. To the subject of this sketch and his wife have been born nine children, John Henry, born May 15, 1880; Josephine Maria, born May 10, 1882; Edward Benjamin, born February 27, 1884; Martin Lewis, born March 3, 1886; and died December 16, 1903; Alexander Luveen, born August 2, 1888; Emma Amanda, born May 13, 1891 ; Mabel Helena, born Au- gust 22, 1893 ; Neman Howard, born May 11, 1896 and died February 17, 1897; Nella Elvine, born March 5, 1898.

Nels Johnson, owner of a farm of one hundred and ninety acres in the town of Vienna, was brought to Wisconsin by his parents, when he was a year old. His home has been in Vienna ever since and he is well-known in the community. Peter Johnson, his father, was born in Norway, March 28, 1814, was there married to Mrs. Gertrude Husebo Rognehong, widow of Nels Rognehong. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson came to the United States in 1852 and purchased a farm in Vienna township which became their permanent home and is still owned by their son Nels. Six of the family of eight children are living. They attended the Norway Grove Lutheran church but Nels Johnson and his family are members of the First Lutheran church of De Forest. Nels Johnson was born September 27, 1851, attended the home schools and the Marshall Academy and early en- gaged in farming. He is interested in stock-raising, particularly short-horned cattle and Poland China hogs. An adherent of the Republican party, Mr. Johnson has always been active in the in- terests of the community and has served it in many different capa- cities ; as supervisor, township clerk, chairman, etc. In 1885 and 1895 he officiated as census-taker and is at present chairman of the town board. In 1876, he married Miss Johanna Erickson, who was born in Leeds township, Columbia county, Wis., daughter of Ambion and Jorend Erickson. early settlers of Leeds, which is their present home. Mrs. Johnson died in 1890 in Vienna, leaving two sons Albert and Herman, and one daughter, Gertie. Two sons and two daughters, children of Mrs. Johnson's first marriage, died. In 1893, Mr. Johnson married Miss Anna Nelson, daughter of Henry and Johanna Hermanson. Three children were born to them : Josevius, Norman (deceased), and Palmer.

N. P. Johnson is a prominent farmer of Vienna township and a son of Peter Johnson, of Dane county. With his parents N. P. John- son came to the United States in 1852 and lived in the town of Vienna.

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He was born in Norway, August 22, 1840, attended school in Norway and also in Vienna and early engaged in farming. His farm is a fine property of two hundred and ninety-seven acres, on which Mr. John- son has made almost all the improvements and carries on a general farming business. He raises short-horned cattle, and Poland China hogs, which he introduced into the locality. Considerable tobacco is also raised upon the farm. Mr. Johnson is active in political affairs and allied with the Republican party. For many years he served the town as supervisor and has been chairman of the board and assessor. June 15, 1870, he married Miss Julia Erickson, who was born in Nor- way, December 14, 1848, daughter of Herman and Susan (Larson) Erickson, who came to Vienna from Norway in 1854 and there spent the residue of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have had six chil- dren,-Gertrude, the oldest, was born in 1871 and died in 1878; Sina Elina is the oldest living daughter; Peter J., the oldest son, was edti- cated at Mount Horeb Academy, St. Olaf's College of Nortlifield, Minn., the United Church Seminary of St. Paul, Minn., and is now a minister of the Lutheran church at Blanchardville, Wis .; Henry Ben- nett is a successful farmer ; Gilbert L. is also engaged in farming ; Edward is the youngest son. Mrs. Johnson died in September) 1886, and in 1888, Mr. Johnson married Miss Rande Nelson, also a native of Norway, born in 1851. Three children blessed the marriage; Joseph, Arthur Norman and Anna. The family are all well-educated and have nearly all been graduated from the De Forest high school. They are prominent in the Norway Grove Lutheran church. Mr. Johnson has held the office of director in the Arlington Farmers' In- surance Co. for thirty years.

Peter Johnson, deceased, was one of those noble sons of a foreign land who have done so much and contributed so effectually to the material advancement of their adopted country, America. Mr Johnson was born in the province of Bergen, Norway, on May 11, 1846, and died at McFarland, Dane county, Wis., in 1903. He was one of seven children born to John and Betsy Johnson, both natives of Norway, and of these seven children four are now living. Lewis, the elder, resides in the town of Dunn ; Andrew is a resident of the town of Rutland ; Anna is the wife of a Mr. Olson in the town of Cottage Grove, and Ole resides in South Dakota. The Johnson family came to America about the year 1860, and settled in the town of Dunn, Dane county, where the father worked as a farm hand for a short time and then purchased forty acres of land, upon which the family lived until the father's death. Peter Johnson re- ceived his English education in the district schools of the town of

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Dunn, and remained at home until he was about twenty-five years old, when he purchased sixty acres of land in Dunn and began gen- eral farming. Later he added one hundred acres more to the home- stead and resided thereon until 1903, when he rented the farm and purchased a comfortable home in McFarland, contemplating a life of retirement. But his hopes were shattered, as he was stricken with death twelve days after taking up his residence in the village. He was a Republican in politics, a Norwegian Lutheran in his re- ligious faith, and in character was a man of much determination, well known and highly respected throughout the neighborhood in which he lived. The date of his marriage was December 25, 1871, the day of his choice being Mrs. Julia (Knudtson) Thompson, born October 7, 1846, daughter of Ole and Guneld (Halverson) Knudt- son of the town of Dunn, and the widow of Thomas Thompson, de- ceased. By her first marriage Mrs. Johnson became the mother of one child, Triphena Matilda, who is deceased, and of her second marriage there were born four children :- Nellie Bertina, who is the wife of Andrew Johnson, of Blooming Grove; Clara Sophia, the wife of Oscar Vick, of Dunn; Thenora Gurena, who resides with her mother, and John O., deceased. The parents of Mrs. Johnson came to Dane county in 1843 and first settled in the town of Pleas- ant Springs, where Mrs. Johnson was born. Her father first bought a small tract of government land, upon which the family re- sided for four or five years, when he sold it and moved to Dunn. In the last named town he bought forty acres of land and added thereto from time to time until his farm comprised one hundred and twenty-six acres. Mr. and Mrs. Knudtson were the parents of three children : Mrs. Brickt Dyreson, of the town of Dunn ; Mrs. Johnson, to whom this memoir more particularly refers, and Gwena, who married a Mr. Brickson and is now deceased. The father sold his farm in the late years of his life, and he and his estimable wife made their home until death with their son-in-law, Brickt Dyreson.

Sure Johnson, a retired farmer of the village of McFarland, was born in Lister, Norway, November 28, 1838. He was the oldest son of John and Carrie (Jenson) Johnson, natives of Norway. Of the six children of John Johnson, Mrs. Erick Lewis of the town of Dunn, and the subject of this sketch are the only survivors. In 1855 Sure came directly to Stoughton from Norway. The following five years were spent in the woods of northern Wisconsin. At the time all pro- visions had to be hauled from Madison by team, and Mr. Johnson tells many interesting tales of his trips. In Blooming Grove and Cottage Grove he worked land on shares for two years, and then in 1864, bought

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one hundred and seventeen acres in the town of Dunn. When the vil- lage of McFarland was incorporated, later, part of the farm was in- cluded in its limits and was platted and sold in lots and he still owns the remainder. His political affiliations are with the Republican party, and on its tickets he has been elected at different times super- visor and town treasurer. In 1880 and 1900 he was census enumera- tor and has held different positions as an employe in both houses of the state legislature. Of late years he has been urged by his many friends to accept certain offices but has steadily declined to stand for election. For nearly twenty years he has been treasurer of the Luth- eran church, with which society he worships; during that time he has helped build three churches and of all except the last one paid off the debts. In June, 1861, he married Betsey, daughter of Andrew and Martha (Everson) Anderson, natives of Norway. Mrs. Johnson was born in Norway on November 11, 1830, and received her education in the schools of that country. She died November 11, 1905. Her death was very sudden and was a severe shock to the family and her many friends in the community where she had spent nearly all her life. To Sure and Betsey Johnson have been born seven children,-Lena S., born May 4, 1862, married Aaren Lurios, and lives near Stoughton; John S., born September 30, 1863, married Louisa Lewis, and is now serving as postmaster of McFarland; Ole Andrew, born July 13, 1865, died May 25, 1867; Mary S. born De- cember 17, 1866, now Mrs. William Crooks of Belleville, Wis .; Christine, born July 26, 1868, now a milliner of McFarland; Soverina, born June 18. 1870, lives at home ; and Ellen S. born October 7, 1873 a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and now principal of a graded school in Waukesha county.

Torkel Johnson is one of the prosperous and honored farmers of Dane county, being the owner of a fine property, lying in section 36 Blooming Grove township, the area of the estate being one hundred and twelve acres and all being in one body. Mr. Johnson was born in Sogen, in the province of Bergen, Norway, October 11, 1830, and is a son of Johans and Järond Johnson, who passed their entire lives in their native land. Torkel Johnson received limited educational ad- vantages in his youth and early learned the necessity and value of honest labor. He was a coast sailor in the fair norseland until 1857, when he determined to seek his fortunes in America. He arrived in New York city in due course of time, and his adventurous spirit soon led him to proceed still farther to the west and to learn the secrets of life on the frontier. He crossed the plains to California, making the long and tedious trip in company with a man named Charles Moore

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and taking a number of horses, which they sold at good prices after reaching their destination. Mr. Johnson then found employment in the gold mines, remaining in California for some time. He made the return trip by way of Aspinwall, United States of Colombia, from which point he crossed the isthmus of Panama and took passage on a steamer for New York, the entire trip consuming about two months. He endured many hardships on the home journey, as had he also in crossing the plains, where there was at all times imminent danger of attack on the part of the Indians, while other trials and deprivations made the trip arduous in the extreme. Soon after his return from California Mr. Johnson located in Vernon county, Wisconsin, where he remained two years, at the expiration of which he removed to Dane county, where he has since made his home. Here he purchased his present farm of one hundred and twelve acres, in Blooming Grove township, while later he purchased the sixty acres, adjoining, in Cot- tage Grove township. Of the latter tract he disposed several years ago, realizing a good profit on the transaction, having made excellent improvements on the property in the meanwhile. He has devoted himself faithfully and energetically to the development and improve- ment of his farm and has made the same one of the fine places of the county, while his labors have brought to him the boon of independence. He is one of the thrifty and progressive farmers of this section of the state, is a man of strong personality and marked intellectuality, and is held in high regard in the community which has been his home for so many years. In 1900 he visited his native land, renewing the associa- tions of his childhood and youth and finding much satisfaction in the trip, but having no desire to take up permanent abode there, after his long and fruitful experience in the American republic. Mr. Johnson is a Democrat in his political allegiance, but has never cared to take active part in political affairs. He and his family hold membership in the Norwegian Lutheran church. On May 17, 1863, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Miss Betsey N. Sime, a daughter of Nels T. and Mary Sime, of Cottage Grove township. Of the seven children all are living except the first born, Anna Maria, who was born in 1866 and died in infancy. John N., born May 8, 1867, is a foreman in a manufacturing concern in Stoughton this county. He married Miss Bertha Olson, of that place, and they have three chilrden. Nels M. was born August 30, 1869, and is associated in the management of his father's farm. Andrew C., who was born December 27, 1871, mar- ried Miss Nellie Johnson, and they have five children. George T., who was born March 17, 1874, resides on a farm near the old home- stead. He married Miss Amelia Ottum of McFarland, and they have

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two children. Maria H., born October 24, 1876, is the wife of Knute Anderson and they reside on the home farm of her father; they have two children. Alfred E., born June 17, 1880, married Miss Emma Dorn and resides in the city of Madison, where he is employed in the works of the Gisholt Machine Company.

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History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 48

Author: Keyes, Elisha W. (Elisha Williams), 1828-1910 Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Madison, Wi. : Western Historical Association Number of Pages: 998

Author: Keyes, Elisha W. (Elisha Williams), 1828-1910
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Madison, Wi. : Western Historical Association
Number of Pages: 998