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John A. Johnson papers, 1854-1969
Biography/History:
John Anders Johnson was born in Telemark, Norway, on April 15, 1832. He was the oldest of five children who were born to Anders Johnson (1804-188) and Aaste Killing Koven (1808-1893). The family emigrated to the United States in 1844. By 1852, the family moved to Pleasant Springs, Wisconsin – near Koshkonong. Johnson first married Karen Thompson in 1856. Before she died, they had a daughter, Caroline. Both died in 1860. He remarried in 1861 to Kaia Nicoline Kildahl, and had six children together: Frederick, Ella, Ida, Carl, Hobert, and Maurice. Johnson’s brother was Ole Skipness Johnson, a Norwegian-American soldier who served in the Civil War (Scandinavian Regiment).He was founder and president of Fuller & Johnson Manufacturing Company, of Gisholt Machine Company, and of Hekla Fire Insurance Company. In 1896, he was elected president of the National Association of Implement and Vehicle Manufacturers. Johnson helped found Amerika, a Chicago newspaper, in 1873. He wrote frequently on political, economic, and social topics such as tariff free silver, temperance, slavery, and education.
Johnson was a member of the Wisconsin legislature in 1857 and 1873-1874 and county clerk (1861-1869). His philanthropies included the University of Wisconsin, St. Olaf College, and the Gisholt Home for the Aged. NAHA published John A. Johnson, by Agnes M. Larson, in 1969.
Scope and Content:
Papers of a Norwegian-born industrialist, inventor, and philanthropist from Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. Materials include articles, clippings, contracts, correspondence, indentures, patents, pamphlets, receipts, records, reports, scrapbooks, and statements. Besides several pamphlets, publications include Det skandinaviske regiments historie (1869) and Fingerpeg for farmere og andre (1888). -
John D. L. Johnson student paper, 1975
"The Campaign of the Northern Pacific Railroad for Norwegian Immigrants, 1871-1873," an independent study project of a St. Olaf College student.
Also, "Reception Houses," a manuscript that treats buildings erected by the railroad to house immigrants along the railroad's right of way -
Lars G. and Anne J. Moen Thune family history, 2014
Kirt C. Johnson,"Following the Footsteps of Lars and Anne Thune" (2014). Family history of Lars Gunderson Thune (1826-1917) and Anne Johannesdatter Moen(1839-1933) -
Laura Edseth Johnson papers, 1953
Reminiscenses in manuscript of a housewife who spent her childhood at Halstad, Minnesota. -
Nelson Johnson (Kaasa) papers, 1900-1962
Correspondence and articles about a Norwegian-born farmer and Methodist clergyman. The papers include a family history and information on pioneer agriculture and church. Johnson was born in Heddal (Telemark), and emigrated 1839 to Muskego. Later, he settled in Winneshiek County, Iowa (Springfield township), in 1850, and for one year was the minister in Cambridge, Wisconsin (1856-1857), in the Willerup Methodist Church, reputed to be the first Norwegian Methodist church in America. He preached in the Norwegian Methodist Episcopal church 25 years; became a deacon in 1856, and was ordained at Appleton, Wis., 1856. Although health made him retire to his farm, he continued to preach during vacations of ministers.
Content:
Nelson, Johnson (Kaasa) Papers: Correspondence and articles. -
Nikolai Johnson biography, 1952
"Hawaiian Adventure," a brief account (4 p. typscript) by an immigrant from Drammen who came to Hawaii in 1880 as an indentured servant. After a few months he was released from indenture by his father's paying the passage money. The file includes letters from Henry Hendrickson of Eureka, California.
See also, Evelyn McCormick article, P1590. The account was solicited by K.O. Bjork, who quotes from in "West of the Great Divide" (NAHA, 1958. Pp. 629-630). -
Ole S. Johnson papers, circa 1906-1925
Papers of a Norwegian-born farmer and author of Spring Grove, Minnesota: letters and clippings; 4 scrapbooks; and 2 volumes of biographical notes dealing with such subjects as socialism and prohibition. Johnson was the author of three books: Socialismen (1906), Nybyggerhistorie fra Spring Grove og omegn Minnesota (1920), and Udvandringshistorie fra Ringerikesbygderne (1925). -
Simon Johnson papers, 1907-1925
Short stories, novels, and poems in print and in typescript by a Norwegian-born novelist, short story writer, poet, and editor. Johnson, called "The Poet of the Prairie," wrote Et geni (1907), Lonea (1909), I et nyt rike (1914), Fire fortæIlinger (1917), Fallitten paa Braastad (1922), and Frihetens hjem (1925). He was editor of the Grand Forks Normanden, and co-editor of Decorah-Posten. "An Immigrant Boy on the Frontier" by Johnson, translated by Nora Solum, appeared in Studies, volume 23, 1967. -
Thorvald Johnson biography, undated
Brief account written by a native of Kongsberg, Norway, who emigrated to the United States in 1870 and settled in Shawano County, Wisconsin. -
Tosten Johnson diary, 1895, 1907
Johnson was born in Slidre, Valdres, and emigrated with three brothers (Peter Johnson Lomen, Gjermund J. Lomen, Thomas Johnson) in 1851 to Dane co., Wis. After some time there they went to Houston co., Minn. Among the first settlers there. Tosten worked for his brothers, went to school in the winter, and then got his own farm at Black Hammer. He served in the Civil War in a regiment led by Judge Baxter. After the war he taught school, was in the state legislature 1869, 1871 and 1873, and was county commissioner. From 1880-1885 he worked for the railroad postal service. In 1886 he was elected to the state senate, serving two terms.; The diary has brief notes for each day, reporting the weather and daily activities. The last pages record items sold each month (mainly cream and hogs) and have a few addresses.; A photocopy of the diary is also included.