M. E. Johnson Biography


	This biography appears on page 904 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here 
	Inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door 
	is at

	http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm


	M. E. JOHNSON, now deceased, was a native of Norway, his birth 
having occurred in the land of the midnight sun in 1842. He there 
remained until fourteen years of age and then started out in life on 
his own account. He was a young boy to face the stern realities of 
life, but he showed courage and stability in his work and gradually he 
advanced in his chosen' vocation. He first went to sea and remained a 
sailor until 1871, during which time he visited many ports. In that 
year he came to the United States and spent a short time on the 
Atlantic coast in New York, Boston and Baltimore. He then went to 
Michigan and was identified with the central west, its business 
opportunities and its development throughout his remaining days. In 
1873 he was united in marriage to Miss Malvina Antone Johnson, who was 
a native of Denmark, their wedding being celebrated in Michigan, where 
they lived for about a year. Mrs. Johnson's birth occurred in 1848 and 
she came to America in 1872, remaining a resident of Michigan from that 
time until a year after her marriage. Her parents both died in their 
naive land, but she has a brother and sister in this country - 
residents of Dane county, Wisconsin.  

	It was in the year 1874 that Mr. and Mrs. Johnson removed to 
Nebraska, where they spent the summer, and in the succeeding autumn 
they came to Yankton county and in the city of Yankton Mr. Johnson 
engaged in the express business, in which he continued up to the time 
of his death in 1885. He received a liberal patronage, his time being 
employed in the conduct of the enterprise and he made considerable 
money as an expressman. With the capital thus acquired he purchased a 
farm of one hundred and sixty acres near Yankton and thus at his demise 
he left a valuable property to his family. His life was characterized 
by earnest labor, for having no family or pecuniary advantages to aid 
him at the outset of his career he worked persistently and capably 
until he had gained for himself a very desirable position among the men 
of affluence in his adopted county.  

	Unto Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were born six children, but three of 
the number have passed away. Those still living are Edward. Johnson, 
who, at the age of twenty-eight years, is operating the home farm; 
Tillie, who is also with her mother; and Marcus Enoch, who has recently 
graduated in the public schools of Yankton. Mr. Johnson was a member of 
the Odd Fellows society and belonged to the Congregational church. He 
was loyal to its teachings and its principles and his life was ever 
honorable and upright. His political allegiance was given to the 
Republican party and he was a worthy son of his adopted country, being 
true to her institutions and taking a great pride in what was 
accomplished in this state. Because of his worth and fidelity to every 
duty that devolved upon him he enjoyed in an unusual degree the respect 
of his fellow men and when he was called from this life his loss was 
deeply deplored by all who knew him.