Hans C. Johnson Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 496-498

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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HANS C. JOHNSON, a native of Denmark, born near Nore Sunby Sogn, June 
11, 1848, is one of the substantial farmers of Pleasant View township, 
Beadle county, South Dakota. He and a younger brother were the only 
children born to Nels and Marie C. (Jensen) Jensen, and his father now 
resides in Iowa.  

Our subject worked with his father on a farm, and served an 
apprenticeship of two years in brick making. In 1866 he came with his 
parents to America, and located in Racine, Wisconsin, where he obtained 
work in a brick yard at twenty-two dollars per month and board, which 
contrasted so favorably with eighteen dollars which he had earned at 
his trade, during the whole of the previous summer in his native land, 
that he was indeed pleased with America. He soon went to Nebraska, 
where for nine and a half years he worked for the same employer. He 
settled on a farm in Story county, Iowa, and remained there for two and 
a half years, until he went to Dakota, in March, 1884, and from 
Hitchcock searched for land. He had at this time a team, two cows, a 
few household goods, and five hundred and fifty dollars in money. He 
paid three hundred dollars for a relinquishment to the farm which he 
now owns, leaving two hundred and fifty dollars for buildings and 
living for a year. His house and barn were combined, the barn part 
being 14 x 24 feet, and his shanty, which served for a house, built on 
the side of the barn, was 10 x 24. He raised some wheat, but depended 
mostly on the increase of stock, and the latter now furnishes him with 
an independent living. He milks twelve cows, and winters about thirty-
five head of stock, and also has a fine lot of chickens, and the income 
from butter and eggs is by no means small. In 1891 he erected a 
substantial dwelling, 24x28 feet, with a stone basement. A stone dairy 
near his house is 8 x 12 feet, is cemented, and has a good roof, while 
his chicken-house, built by him, of native rocks, in the hillside, with 
wood storeroom above, is nicely arranged, well ventilated, and a model 
building in that line.  

Our subject was married, in 1874, to Miss Sine N. Kragshow, who was 
born in Utah, of Danish parentage. Three children have been born to Mr. 
and Mrs. Johnson: Mary, deceased; Lucia; and Fred. Their daughter, 
Lucia, is a young lady of rare attainments, and is a talented performer 
on the organ and violin. Both she and her mother have ably seconded the 
father in his efforts to obtain a comfortable home. Mr. Johnson is a 
man self-made in the truest sense, an honest, careful, bard - working 
man, a good neighbor, and enterprising citizen. His painstaking habits 
are everywhere apparent in his well-attended farm, and the stone 
fences, stone walks, barn floors tiled with native rock evidence his 
energy and care. He is active in the interests of his township, and for 
many years was treasurer of the school board, and is at present 
chairman of the board of supervisors. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson 
will be found on another page of this volume.