John O. Johnson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1527-1528 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JOHN O. JOHNSON, a member of the well-known and popular mercantile 
firm of Johnson Brothers, who have a well-equipped establishment in the 
village of Westerville, is a native of Illinois, having been born in 
Leland, LaSalle county, on the 25th of April, 1866, and being a son of 
Jacob and Mary Johnson, both of whom were born and reared in Norway, 
where their marriage was solemnized, and where the father followed the 
trade of carpenter until 1865, when he left the fair Norseland and 
immigrated with his family to America. and located in Leland, Illinois, 
where he was engaged in wagonmaking until 1869, when he came to the 
territory of Dakota, making the trip through from Iowa with a horse-team 
and wagon, with which he transported his family and their few necessary 
household effects. He became one of the first settlers in Clay county, 
where he took up four hundred and eighty acres of government land, upon 
which he erected a log house, and at once began the work of breaking 
ground and otherwise improving his pioneer farm. He later sold one 
hundred and sixty acres, retaining the balance for a number of years, 
after which he sold out and purchased other land in the county, 
thereafter making several other transactions of like order. The parents 
are both devoted members of the Lutheran church, and the father is a 
staunch advocate of the principles of the Republican party. They became 
the parents of ten children, concerning whom, we incorporate the 
following data: John O., subject of this sketch, is the eldest; Lavina, 
who became the wife of Thomas Sands, is dead; Martha is the wife of 
George Cleveland; Jacob is engaged in the shoe business at Canton, this 
state; Richard is associated in business with the subject, in 
Westerville; Isaac is a resident of Idaho; Dominicus resides in 
Vermillion, this state; Joseph has the management of the parental farm; 
Mary is married; and Ella died at the age of four years. The children 
were afforded the best possible educational advantages, all having 
attended the public schools, while Richard was for some time a student 
in the State University, at Vermillion. 

	The subject of this review was a child of three years at the time 
of his parents' removal from Illinois to what is now South Dakota, and 
he has thus, in a literal sense "grown up with the country." He attended 
the common schools, in the meantime lending his aid in the reclamation 
and improvement of the home farm, and he continued to be thus associated 
with his father until he reached his legal majority, when he initiated 
his independent career, purchasing a farm of one hundred and twenty 
acres, which formed the nucleus of his present valuable landed estate, 
which comprises three hundred and sixty acres, all of which is under 
effective cultivation, while he is extensively engaged in diversified 
agriculture and in the raising of high-grade stock. In due time he 
erected on his ranch a fine modern residence, and all other permanent 
improvements are in harmony therewith. His place is located contiguous 
to the village of Westerville, and he continues to reside on the farm, 
giving a general supervision to its operation, in connection with his 
mercantile interests. In the autumn of 1893 Mr. Johnson purchased of T. 
J. Wester his mercantile business in Westerville, and he individually 
carried on the enterprise until 1897, when he admitted his brother 
Richard to partnership, the latter purchasing a half interest, and the 
business has since been conducted under the firm title of Johnson 
Brothers. Soon after the formation of this partnership the brothers 
erected their present commodious store, sixty by twenty-four feet in 
dimensions, while in connection they also have a large warehouse. They 
handle a general stock of merchandise, including dry goods, clothing, 
boots and shoes, groceries, etc., and also hardware, and farming 
implements and machinery, while they are also extensive buyers and 
shippers of grain and live stock. Their transactions in the year 1902 
reached the notable aggregate of twenty-five thousand dollars, and they 
carry a stock valued at an average of ten thousand dollars, while it is 
needless to say, their trade is well established and prosperous, being 
derived from the wide radius of country tributary to the town. In 
politics Mr. Johnson is a stalwart Republican and takes a loyal interest 
in public affairs of local order, though he has never desired official 
preferment. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. On the 
22d of October, 1891, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Johnson to Miss 
Laura Lund, a daughter of Hans Lund, of Dixon county, Nebraska, where he 
is a prominent farmer. Of this union have been born four children, 
namely: Mabel, Harry, Sherman and Jessie.