John C. Johnson

As printed in 1916

JOHN C. JOHNSON.

A prosperous and well-known farmer of Bluffton township, the proprietor of a farm comprising three hundred and twenty acres of contiguous land equipped with a beautiful house and barn, director of both the telephone company and creamery at Wadena, chairman of the board of supervisors of Bluffton township for the last fifteen years and a man who has served as school director — stand as evidence of the energy and thrift, of the eminent success and of the high regard and esteem with which the people of Bluffton township and Otter Tail county regard the man whose name heads this biographical review.

John C. Johnson was born in Skane, Sweden, on January 28, 1859. the son of John and Annie (Nelson) Johnson, both of whom were born and reared in Skane, the former both on June 21, 1821. and the latter on October 12, 1824. The parents were married, lived and reared their children to manhood and womanhood in their native village, the father being a laborer by occupation. In 1883. however, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson left their native land and emigrated to the United States to the United States in order tki spend their declining; years with their son, John O, who two years previously left the parental roof and came to America. Annie 1 Nelson) Johnson died two years after her arrival in the United States, in 1885. at Rockford, Illinois, where her remains were buried. John Nelson survived his wife many years, passing away in 191 2, in Bluft'tun township, his remains being buried at Wadena, Minnesota. To Mr. and Mrs. John Johnson were born four children, as follow: Emma, who married Andrew Hanson, lives in Bluffton township; Betsey, the wife of Nils Nelson, lives in Sweden; John C. is the subject of this sketch, and Andrew died cpiite young in Sweden.

John C. Johnson was educated in the public schools of his native land and at an early age learned farming. In 1881 he emigrated to America and settled near Rockford, Illinois, where he at first worked on neighboring farms but later became a renter. He remained in Illinois during the next fourteen years, or until 1895, when he came to Otter Tail county. Minnesota, and bought one hundred and twenty acres of wild, unbroken land in section 21, of Bluffton township. Like many another farmer now living in this section of Minnesota, he began to clear his land of brush and timber. to break the soil, and to build a log cabin and barn to serve as the pioneer home. Later he added two hundred acres until he now owns a farm of three hundred and twenty acres, all lying in a contiguous body and highly improved. Mr. Johnson continued the process of improvement and in 1915 erected a magnificent barn and other buildings, the barn being one hundred and twenty feet long and thirty feet wide and equipped with every modern convenience, hay sling and fork and large enough to shelter sixty head of cattle, sixteen head of horses and one hundred and twenty tons of hay. Both the house and barn are equipped with electric lights generated by an electric light plant located on the farm. He also has a waterworks which makes possible the furnishing of the house with modern plumbing fixtures. The water is compressed in a tank located in the cellar. Mr. Johnson also owns an automobile which insures rapid transit and conserves a great deal of time. All in all. Mr. Johnson enjoys all the conveniences of modern life and is reaping the fruits of his labor. Mr. Johnson is deeply interested in high grade stock and, though formerly a breeder of Durham cattle, now keeps a fine herd of Holstein cattle as well as Duroc-Jersey hogs.

In 1882 John C. Johnson was married to Christena Tornstrand. a native of Sweden. To this happy union there have been bom nine children, as follow: Oscar is at home with his parents; Edna married Allen Kellerman and lives in Bluffton township; Edwin died at the age of fourteen: Ella married Victor Marine and lives in Minneapolis: Emma married Albert Schwartz and lives at Wadena; Julius. Ester, John and Edith live at home with their parents.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.