John Jacob Johnson

   Other names for John were George J. Johnson and George Othmar Johnson.

  General Notes:

Grandson DeWayne B. Johnson wrote about his grandfather Johnson thus on 8/17/1986:

"I have a darker image of my father's father [than his memory of his Talbot grandparents], both dark and dim. He died when I was 9 [in 1929] but I truly can't say I remember him remotely well. Grandmother Johnson was a sterner figure, in my memory, than Grandmother Talbot. I feel now that what I did as a boy often seemed to displease her. I know I was supposed to care for her but I am not at all sure that I did.

"As with Grandparents Talbot, we also visited those grandparents but I cannot conjure up a good image of their home except for a romanticized notion of Tiffany-type lamps; etched-glass front, side and back doors; screened porch for summertime sleeping and that's about it."

  Medical Notes:

From Obituary in newspaper: "He was ill at his home in Paton for six weeks when his condition became such that it was necessary to take him to the hospital for special treatment, but little could be done to relieve him."

  Birth Notes:

Obituary says "Bau, Denmark," but there is no such place. However, "Bau" is the German for Bov in Sonderjylland (South Jutland) county on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The main town is Padborg.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Moved: Moved to farm in Rodman, Iowa?, Abt 1900, Rodman, Palo Alto, Iowa, United States. Per obituary, "...farmed at West Bend and Rodman. In 1912 he retired and moved to Rodman, later moving to California"

• Moved: Moved to California, Abt 1918, California, United States. Some time after retirement in 1912, moved to California, then moved to Paton, Iowa in 1924.

• Religion: Lutheran.

• Alt. Birth, 30 Aug 1854. Obituary in Humboldt, Iowa newspaper says 30 Aug 1854. Do not know source of 30 Aug 1854 date.

• Confirmation: Confirmed in Danish Lutheran faith, 1870, Denmark. According to obituary, was confirmed in the Danish Lutheran fait at 16 years of age.

• Emigration: Emigrated from Denmark to United States, 1881 or 1880, Iowa, United States. Emigrated as a child with his parents [or entire family?]. According to his obituary, the family came to the United States in 1881, but other sources say it was 1880. The obituary says they "settled near Gilmore City," Iowa [obit says Illinois, probably wrong state].

• Citizenship: Became a United States citizen, 1882, Iowa, United States. According to obituary, became a citizen in 1882. Do not know where.

• Moved: After marriage, farmed in Nebraska, 1884 ?, Wauneta, Nebraska, United States. Per Ardis Johnson Bynum 8/26/06, George (Jorgensen?) Johnson and Mary Jensen settled first in Wauneta, Nebraska [after their marriage]

• Moved: Moved to farm in West Bend, Iowa, 1897, West Bend, Kossuth Co., Iowa, United States. Per obituary, "...farmed at West Bend and Rodman."

• Retirement: Retired and moved to Rodman, Iowa, 1912, Rodman, Palo Alto, Iowa, United States. Per obituary, "...farmed at West Bend and Rodman. In 1912 he retired and moved to Rodman, later moving to California."

• Moved: Moved to Paton, Iowa, to live with daughter Marie & husband, 1924, Paton, Greene, Iowa, United States. Per obituary: "Five years ago [1924] Mr. and Mrs. Johnson came to Paton, Iowa, where they have since made their home with their daughter, Mrs. O. E. Pearson [Marie B. Johnson]."

John married Marie (Mary) B. Jensen, daughter of Jens Christian Jensen and Ane Cathrine Hansdatter, on 22 Dec 1883 in Wauneta(?), Nebraska, United States. (Marie (Mary) B. Jensen was born on 5 Mar 1854 in Asaa, Broenderslev-Dronninglund, Nordjyllands, Denmark and died on 11 Aug 1937 in Paton, Greene, Iowa, United States (?).)