Andrew P. Johnson

As printed in 1915

ANDREW P. JOHNSON.

Andrew P. Johnson is a retired market gardener and old settler of Black Hawk county, well known in Waterloo and throughout this part of the state. He is a native of Denmark, where his father conducted farming on a small scale and there Andrew P. Johnson attended school until fourteen years of age. When old enough he went out to work, receiving fifteen dollars and a suit of clothes for his first year's labor. He aided in plowing, wielded the flail and moved with the scythe and did other farm work according to the primitive manner of the times, when farm machinery was very crude compared to that in use at present.

When he was twenty-two years of age or in 1870 a neighbor, who was leaving for the United States, told Mr. Johnson that if he would go he would pay his passage. Mr. Johnson prepared for the trip. When he told his mother that he was intending to leave she cried and begged him not to go, but he felt that this was his opportunity. They made the voyage on a steamship called the Ocean Queen. When half way over they were struck by an awful gale and barely reached New York, having spent sixteen days in making the crossing. They landed in New York and thence made their way to Cedar Falls, Iowa, and began farming at Hudson at fifteen dollars per month. Mr. Johnson worked in that way for four years, at the end of which time he was taken ill and returned to Denmark in order to regain his health. The sea voyage proved the needed cure and he remained for six months ere again coming to the new world. It was during that period, on the 8th of March, 1876, that he was united in marriage to Miss Wilhelmina Anderson, who was born on Christmas day, 1846, in the same town in which his birth occurred. She had attended the country schools and was confirmed at the age of fourteen years in the same church as her husband.

Mr. Johnson brought his wife back on the vessel Cimbria from Hamburg to New York and the next year the ship went down with all on board. Mr Johnson established his home at Cedar Falls and both he and his wife were employed upon a farm. The following year they began housekeeping in Waterloo but had to go m debt m order to buy their household furnishings. They were resolute, determined and courageous, however, and gradually advanced toward success. For a year Mr. Johnson operated the Kingsley farm and afterward was employed in. connection with the J. A. Fowler greenhouse for eight years. Later he purchased of Mr. Fowler five acres east of the town and did gardening for thirty years. He then disposed of the property after having improved and beautified the land. He won substantial success in the capable management of his business affairs through his untiring industry and perseverance. For the past three years he has lived retired, enjoying a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves.

During their later years Mrs. Johnson's parents, Anders and Catherine (Larson) Petersen, made their home with her and here both passed away. They had a family of six children and also reared an adopted child. Mr. Petersen was a farmer by occupation. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have been born two children: Gustave C, of Waterloo, who married Marie Bruce and has three children, Emil, Holger and Arthur; Marie, the wife of J. C. Miller, of Waterloo, by whom she has two children, Marguerita Katrina and Edna.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are devout members of the Lutheran church and assisted in building the church of that denomination in Cedar Falls, of which A. S. Nelson was the pastor and in fact the first Danish minister of this denomination in this section of the state. Mr. Johnson has held office in the church and has ever been a generous contributor to its support. He also helped to purchase the church building on the corner of Fifth and South streets, Waterloo. When he and his wife were first married they assisted many young Danish people to get a start, entertained them at their home, kept them in the church and helped them to take out citizens' papers. Their influence and aid have ever been on the side of progress, improvement, justice, truth and right. They now have an attractive home in Waterloo which Mr. Johnson owns and he also has another residence property and vacant lots in the town. His has been a well spent life that has brought to him not only success but the respect and goodwill of his fellow townsmen. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the new world, for here he has found the opportunities which he sought and, working his way steadily upward, is now numbered among the good citizens of Black Hawk county.

As printed in History of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its people (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.