BIOGRAPHIES: Ole JOHNSON, Arland, Barron County, WI

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Ole  Johnson, proprietor of a flourishing general store in the village of
Arland,  and  who also contributed to the growth and agricultural resources
of the township by the development of a good farm, was born in Norway, Nov.
13,  1850,  son of John and Martha (Olson) Anderson. The parents never came
to  America  but  died  in  their  native land. Ole Johnson attended common
school  in  Norway and remained in that country until 1868, when he came to
the  United  States,  a young man with plenty of strength and not devoid of
ambition.  Locating in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, he worked in a store at
Woodsite  and  also  did  farm  labor  for  three years. In 1871 he went to
Menomonie  and  entered  the employ of Knapp, Stout, & Co., being placed in
charge of the sleeping shanties at the mill, which position he held for two
years, afterwards for a year taking care of the horses. In the fall of 1873
he  came  to  Barron County and took a homestead of 80 acres in Section 20,
Arland  Township.  Later  he bought 200 acres in Sections 17, 20 and 29. It
was  all wild land and he at once set about its improvement, erecting a set
of log buildings. In course of time he cleared 60 acres of the land, making
his  home  on  that  farm  until  1899 and then started the store in Arland
Village  which he still operates. Mr. Johnson has grown up with the county,
which, when he first came here was but thinly settled, many of the settlers
also  being  transients  engaged  in  the lumber business who moved away to
other  parts  after  the  timber  had  been  cut. He himself became closely
identified  with  local  affairs  and was soon numbered among the prominent
citizens, taking an active part in all progressive enterprises. Among other
things  he  went about and got signers to the petition to have the township
of  Arland set off from Clinton and Prairie Farm. He helped to organize the
first  school  in  Prairie  Farm Township and was clerk of the board for 23
years.  He  also  served eight years as supervisor on the Prairie Farm town
board, and was the first chairman of the Arland town board and served eight
years. In 1899, when he started his store in the village, he also organized
and built the creamery in Arland, of which he was secretary and manager for
two  years,  and  for 18 months he served as postmaster of Arland. Thus his
life  has  been  full of action, well devised and successfully carried out,
and few citizens of the township are better known or more highly respected.
Mr.  Johnson first assumed domestic responsibilities Oct. 10, 1882, when he
was  united  in  marriage  with  Olina Fristad, who passed away on June 13,
1903. By her he had eight children: James, who operates a garage in Arland;
Frank, an engineer on the Great Northern Railway, residing at Devil's Lake,
N.  D.;  George,  a  baker  in St. Paul, Minn.; Clarence, who died in 1915;
Carl,  who  died in 1909; Alvin, who is operating the old home farm; Mabel,
residing  at home, and Lillie, who lives in Minneapolis. In November, 1909,
Mr.  Johnson  married  Mrs.  Lisa  Hagan,  whose family name was Olson. She
passed  away in May, 1918. Mr. Johnson has been as successful as a merchant
as  he  was  as  a  farmer.  He  enjoys a good trade and is one of the most
popular citizens of Arland Village.

--Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.,
1922, pp. 901-902.