Johnson, Carl

CARL JOHNSON was the son of JOHN JOHNSON and EVA. He was born February 15, 1845 in Smaland (South Central) Sweden, and died February 10, 1916. Burial: Elmwood Cemetery, East of Lindsborg. The story is told that Carl died from complications from being run over by a horse they were trying to get in a barn.


Obituary

Carl Johnson, who died at his home in Swedesburg on Thursday Feb. 10, was born in Sweden just five days less than seventy two years ago. He came directly to his late home in 1870 and resided there until his death. He leaves to morn his demise a wife and ten children.

The funeral services were held from the home on Sunday at 10 a.m. and from the local Swedish M.E. Church at 1:30. Rev. Swanson, assisted by Rev. Alm, officiated. Music was rendered by Mrs. Nelson and Rev. Swanson and Miss Swanson. The pall bearers were Frank Anderson, August Anderson, C.G. Alstedt, P.O. Tarnstrom, John Tarnstrom, Albert Forsberg. Burial was made in Elmwood cemetery.

(Note: All pallbearers names are local neighbors and can be located on County Land Maps (1903 & 1921) - cec)

--Lindsborg Newspaper

BETTIE was born September 12, 1870 in *Gamelstorp, Blekinge Province, Sweden, and died November 25, 1947 in Lindsborg, KS.

Burial: November 28, 1947, Elmwood Cemetery, East of Lindsborg

Emigration: 1889, From Sweden

Residence: Swedesburg Community until 1939, then Lindsborg.

(*Blekinge Province is located on the southeastern tip of Sweden next to the Baltic Sea.)

Bettie married CARL JOHNSON, 1892, [**or November 8, 1895 or 1896] in Lindsborg, Kansas.

Bettie's Surname is Lenander. Bettie had nine siblings;

  • Sissa Persdotter++ b. 1856

  • Anna Persdotter++ b. 1856

  • Maria Persdotter b.

  • Anders Persson b. 1861

  • Erik Lenander++ b. 1863

  • Carolina Persdotter++ b. 1873

  • Malena Persdotter++ b.1873

  • Olof Persson b. 1875

  • Hilda Lenander Persdotter++ b.1878.

(++Immigrated to the United States, Anna later returned to Sweden).

Daughter Ruth Koons and Betty Parker (Ruth's daughter) shared with my dad (Robert Crabtree) Carl Johnson's last words before he died. Robert had them write down what was said. It was remembered and written in Swedish and then translated into English in Robert's handwriting.

Carl had three children from a previous marriage, David (b. June 20, 1883) Edward (b. February 1884) and Oscar (b. Aug. 23, 1884). All were born in Roxbury, Kansas. The three boys later moved west. Their mother was Inga (b. 1854) and was Carl's first wife. Carl's second wife was Kajsa, (m. March 3, 1884) who is buried on one side of Carl in the Elmwood Cemetery. It is reported that Carl and Kajsa did not have children. Kajsa had a daughter named Annie (b. August 1869) from a previous husband.

Annie was born in Sweden. Stories are told of Annie being referred to as crazy Annie. Bettie was Carl's third wife.

Children of BETTIE PEARSON and CARL JOHNSON

https://sites.google.com/site/carlietree/johnson/johnson-carl/carl-and-bettie-johnson-children

Carl Johnson Farm.

Carl Johnson owned a farm in Bonaville township, in north McPherson County Kansas. The farm was west of Roxbury and southeast of Lindsborg and included 160 acres in the northeast quarter of township 26. Carl purchased the farm on September 13, 1879 from the "United States (Transfer Record for Bonaville Township, Deed dated March 12, 1879). A 1903 Plat book listed the farm as owned by Chas Johnson, "The Lucky Grove Farm." Later, a 1921 Plat book listed the farm as 158 acres owned by Carl Johnson with 2 acres off the northeast corner for school dist #81 (Swedsburg School). It is assumed Chas and Carl are the same person. The 1880 U.S. Census list Carl and family living in McPherson County.

Carl first lived in a dugout, like many earlier settlers in Kansas. He later added the house and more rooms as the family grew. The home is still in use today by family decedents.

I toured the home in the fall of 2005, it has been added on to and modernized. The small basement area under the original portion of the house was the original dugout. Historically speaking, a dugout offered protection from the heat and the cold for the early homesteaders. The average size was about twelve feet square. As a good harvest brought needed money, or the family size increased, a house was built over the top of the dugout providing more room.

A good book to read on the early life of Swedish emigrants of the area is titled, "Butter in the Well" by Linda K. Hubalek. It is considered historical fiction and is written as a diary from a young mother's perspective of how her and her family built a farm on the unsettled Kansas prairie. I found it a very interesting read. The period covered is from 1868 to 1888. Swedish immigrants first settled Lindsborg, Kansas around 1869.

Note: The author of this web page is named after Carl, my first name being Carl... CEC

[** see Ancestry.com; ID#1103343645; Herren/Patterson. 1900 census list marriage as 1896. Marriage

License, State of Kansas, reads 8th November, 1895]

Sweden Connection!

Son of Carl and Bettie, Carl "Ed" and his wife Della traveled to Sweden in 1985. Listed here are relatives mentioned in their research but not sure how they are related.

Anna Pearson, is described as a sister to Bettie. Anna's great granddaughters are Hjordis (and her daughter Gunilla), Signe Anderson, Ingegard Varmfors.

Eric Pearson - son of Anna, was in his 80s at the time of the visit

Arnie Sonesson and wife Eisa - Anna's grandson, was 62 years old and was in politics for the city.

Jan Sonesson and wife Turid - Jan is son of Arnie. Jan was 39 years old and they had a son and two daughters. Jan could speak some English.

-- From letters and a booklet, "Sweden '85" written by Ed and Della Johnson on their return from

Sweden.

Children: Joanne Herren beside the chair, Robert Crabtree and Jay Herren on their grandmother Betie Johnson's lap. Date taken is unknown, abt. mid 1930s.

Mother of Herren's is Ella Johnson and Crabtree was Millie Johnson. Picture developed by McCargar's Photo Finishing of Salinia Kansas.