Fred G. Johnson & Stuart Jensen History of the State of Montana, by Joaquim Miller, 1894 Johnson & Jensen is the title of a successful pioneer firm of the city of Great Falls, Montana. They are the founders of the Cascade Steam Laundry, owners of the controlling interest of the Montana Brewery, and also own a ranch near the city. The gentlemen who compose this firm are brothers-in-law, and as they have kept the business identical since coming to Great Falls, it has been considered appropriate to give their history and business career in one sketch. Messrs. Johnson and Jensen had for some time been turing their attention to the West, looking for a prosperous new town in which to engage in business. Great Falls was finally given the preference and they came hither in 1887. The town had then just commenced to grow. They purchased two lots where their laundry business is now located on First Avenue, north and erected a brick building, 30 x 50 with two stories and a basement, in which they began operations. They had occupied it only three years when it was found to be inadequate in size for their rapidly growing business, and they erected a second brick building adjoining it, 22 x 100 feet with two stories and a basement. In the rear of these buildings they put up a two- story frame house in which to board their hands. Their establishment is equipped with all the latest and most approved machinery for carrying on their large volume of business in the most successful manner. They use a fifty- horse power engine. They were the second laundry firm in the whole country to use electricity to heat their rolls and flatirons. They also have their own dynamo and manufacture their own electric light. From the very first their business has been a success, and has increased in volume each year of its existence. In 1893 they became the purchasers of the controlling stock in the Montana Brewing Company, which has a large plant, with fine brick buildings, costing over $60,000. This they are now running day and night to its fullest capacity, turning out a superior article of beer, for which they find a ready sale. Their ranch of 200 acres is near the city limits. On it they are keeping stock and are making dairy butter and here they also raise vegetables and poultry, in this, as in their other enterprises, meeting with marked success. They own considerable real estate in the city. Indeed, every investment they have made since coming to Great Falls has proved successful and they are justly entitled to be classed among the foremost of the leading businessmen of the city. Fred G. Johnson, whose name is first in the firm, is a native of Sweden, born December 19, 1858. His parents were Andrew G. and Sophia Peterson Johnson. They emigrated to Minnesota in 1866, came to Great Falls in 1887, and the father died in 1890 at the age of 69 years. The mother still survives now (1894) in her 74th year. They had two children, Fred G. and his sister, the wife of Mr. Jensen. Mr. Johnson was six years old when he came with his parents to Minnesota. He was educated in that state and was for a time in the draying business in Minneapolis. His arrival in Great Falls was just before the Great Northern Railroad had completed its line to this place. Since then he has been actively engaged in business in the city. He is now the secretary and treasurer of the Montana Brewing Company. Mr. Johnson was married in 1887 to Emma Johnson. She was born in Indiana, and while she had the same name she was not related to him. They have two sons and two daughters, Frederick LeRoy, Edna May, Myrtle Evalina and William Stuard. Mr. Stuard R. Jensen, the other member of the firm, is a native of Denmark, born August 25, 1851. He comes of old Danish ancestry and was educated in his native country by his father who was a schoolteacher. When our subject was twelve years of age, he came with his uncle to Wisconsin and began life in America by working on a farm at $8.00 per month. After two years he went to Minnesota and learned the cooper trade; but during the last two years of his life in Minnesota he was in the grocery business. He preceded Mr. Johnson to Great Falls. After remaining in the city during the summer, he wrote to Mr. Johnson to join him and upon the latter's arrival in Montana they organized the firm and embarked in business with the results mentioned heretofore in this sketch. Mr. Jensen was married August 24, 1875 to Selma Johnson. As stated above, she is the sister of his partner. They have two children, Adel and Walter. Both gentlemen are Populists in their political affliations. Mr. Jensen has represented the first ward of the city as Alderman for two years, rendereing efficient service in that capacity. The above, although a brief and imperfect sketch, will serve to show something of the lives of these public-spriited and enterprising men. USGenWeb Project NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format forprofit, nor for commercial presentation by any other organization. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than as stated above, must obtain express writtenpermission from the author, or the submitter and from the listed USGenWeb Project archivist.