Biographical Sketch of Frank Johnson, Gasconade County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

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Frank Johnson, farmer, stock raiser and thresher, was born near Sweden,
March 7, 1833, the son of Jonas and Martha (Swanhendrickson) Johnson,
who spent their entire lives in Sweden, the father engaged in farming.
Frank was educated by his mother and by his own efforts.  At the age of
twenty-one he began for himself, and was for four years on Swedish
vessels, also the same length of time on American vessels, mostly bet-
ween England and the United States.  His last trip was around the world
in three years, on an American vessel, "The Belle of Creole," commanded
by Capt. Benjamin Crewell.  On his return, in 1861, he was married at
Antwerp, Belgium, by the American Consul, J. W. Quiggle, in February,
to Miss Sofi Sjoberg, a native of Sweden, born October 24, 1839, and 
ten children were born to this marriage, four now living: Ida Maria,
Christopher, Sofi and James Garfield.  The same year of his marriage 
Mr. Johnson came on to New Orleans, and from there to St. Louis, and
still from there to Centralia, Ill., where he remained for a number of
years.  He then returned to St. Louis, where he worked at his trade, as
ship carpenter, for five years.  In 1866 he came to Gasconade County,
settled on Gasconade River, seventeen miles west of Hermann, where he
has 160 acres of good bottom land, which was considered worthless swamp
when he settled there, but which, by judicious draining, he has made
one of the best in the county.  He is a natural genius, and has invent-
ed an improvement in the cleaning apparatus of the thresher, which has
since been in almost universal use by the leading manufacturers of the
country.  He was twice elected justice of the peace, but declined to
serve.  He was for two summers in the Alton Agricultural Works, one
year as foreman and the next as superintendent.  He is a Republican in
politics, his first presidential vote being for Ulysses S. Grant, in 
1868.  Mr. Johnson is interested in the breeding of Poland China hogs,
and is also making preparation for the breeding of thorough-bred
Holstein cattle, having his barns conveniently arranged.  His first
invention, the grain-cleaning apparatus for the thresher, was patented
in 1874, for which he was offered $3,000 but refused.  Soon after, with
a slight change to prevent infringement, the companies adopted its use.
In 1883 he invented and had patented another and better cleaner, on 
which he has been offered a royalty.  He has it in use with a full size
threasher constructed by himself.  He worked two years with the late
Capt. Eads during the war, making gunboats.

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