Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....Johnson, Alfred J. 1853 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 8, 2020, 9:05 pm

Source: Alden, Ogle & Co.
Author: See Below

  ALFRED J. JOHNSON, a successful farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 16,
Danielson township, is one of the most prominent citizens of the township in which
he lives. He is a son of Isaac and Hannah Ogren, and was born in Sweden, on the 23d
of September, 1853. He came to the United States with his parents, in 1870, and the
family made their way directly to Meeker county, Minn., where they settled upon a
forty-acre homestead on section 20, in Danielson township. Alfred made his home with
his parents, working, in the mean time, for different parties, until 1880, when he
purchased a portion of his present farm. Times were very hard during the early days
of their settlement here, and money was scarce, an incident of which is the fact
that at one time, when they wanted to mail a letter, it took all the money that
three of them had to buy a three-cent stamp. Alfred did a good deal of trapping in
those days, and in the fall, after frost set in, he walked to Forest City
barefooted, and carried 500 rat skins. With the proceeds he purchased a pair of
shoes, some sugar, coffee, etc., and felt quite rich when he arrived home with
seventy-five cents in his pocket. The loss of crops in 1877, from the depredations
of the grasshoppers, made times still harder, as they only saved forty-five bushels,
after planting 100. A laughable incident is told of the days when Alfred devoted a
good deal of his time to trapping. He had a partner, and one day they set a trap in
the side of a hill for the purpose of catching whatever might come along. The next
day the partner went to discover and bring in whatever might have found its way to
the hole. He crawled into the aperture, and was just about to pull the trap out when
a skunk, which had got fast, opened hostilities with most excellent aim at his face.
The partner beat a hasty retreat, while the fun of the joke was all on Alfred’s
part.

   Alfred J. Johnson was married on the 7th of December, 1881, to Esther Holmgren, a
daughter of John and Mary Holmgren, who was born October 16, 1862. They have been
blessed with the following children— Gustaf Edward, born September 24, 1883; Edith
Evolina, born June 25, 1885; and Walter William, born September 30, 1886. Mr. and
Mrs. Johnson are members of the Methodist Church. Mr. Johnson now has a splendid
farm of 260 acres, a good share of which is under cultivation, and he devotes his
time to general farming and stock-raising. In addition to his farming operations, he
has for the last fourteen yearn run a horse-power thresher, and during the last two
years has run a steam thresher. In political matters he is a republican, and he has
taken an active interest in all matters affecting the welfare of his township. He
has held various offices of a local nature, among which are the following: justice
of the peace, six years; supervisor, two years, and school clerk, one year.

   Mrs. Johnson’s parents are living in Acton. Alfred’s parents reside on section
20, Danielson township. He has two half-brothers living in Meeker county — Andrew,
who keeps a hotel at Litchfield, and John, a resident of Danielson.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
Illustrated Album of Biography
Meeker and McLeod Counties, Minnesota
1888


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