Bio of JOHNSON, Emil (b.1864), Kandiyohi Co., MN ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Pam Kantola Submitted: February 2004 ========================================================================= The History of New London 1865 - 1990, page 13 & 14, New London History - Emil Johnson. "Jewlery Stores, or watchmakers as they were called in those days, were a thriving business in the early days because they were about the only place you could buy a watch, clock, or jewlery. There also was a large watch repair business. Watches were expensive and well-made; but when they stopped working, you didn't throw them away..you got them repaired. One of the first watchmakeres in New London was Emil Johnson. He was born July 18, 1864, in Elfsborg, Sweden, and arrived in America in 1869. He married Mary Thompson, and they had eight children. Mr. Johnson opened a jewlery store in New London some time during the 1890's and was located in the building on Main Street which later became the Boston cafe and is now Mill Pind Mercantile. The building was originally built near the railroad depot in 1886 and later moved to its prestent location. Some time in the early 1900's Emil Johnson decided to change occupations and go into the building business. He was a trained carpenter. He built a new building on the corner next to where he had his jewelry shop. This corner building currently houses Rainbow Floral and Gift store. When Emil built that building, he hauled most of the lumber for the building on his shoulders, driving his bicycle as he needed it, except for the heavy timbers. The lumber yard was just one block up the street behind where the theater is now. That way he eliminated delivery charges."