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THE LARS JOHNSON STORY
In the introduction to his book, "Dakota Territory", George Kingsbury relates that during the early 1700s, the Iowas, Omahas and Ottoes Indian tribes were in possession of Southern Dakota...they roamed and warred throughout the regions watered by the Des Moines River, Big Sioux and James Rivers. Annually they assembled in peace around their council fires at the Red Pipestone Quarry. Gradually these tribes were driven south and west by the great nation of Dakota Indians who were moving down from the north. During the movement south, the Dakotas became disbanded and scattered into separate war...
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THE LARS JOHNSON STORY
In the introduction to his book, "Dakota Territory", George Kingsbury relates that during the early 1700s, the Iowas, Omahas and Ottoes Indian tribes were in possession of Southern Dakota...they roamed and warred throughout the regions watered by the Des Moines River, Big Sioux and James Rivers. Annually they assembled in peace around their council fires at the Red Pipestone Quarry. Gradually these tribes were driven south and west by the great nation of Dakota Indians who were moving down from the north. During the movement south, the Dakotas became disbanded and scattered into separate war parties. In order to be distinguished from other tribes, one group called themselves "Lakotahs", meaning "friendborn", or friendly people. History and tradition agree in placing the Dacotahs as sovereign of the vast region of county between Mississippi and the mountains, and embracing the Dakota Territory.
In 1803, the Dakota Territory was part of the land purchased by the United States from France...the Louisiana Purchase. Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, was very interested as to the nature and resources of the interior of the United States west of the Mississippi river. Captain Meriweather Lewis and Lt. William Clark were chosen to organize and conduct an expedition to locate waterways leading to the Pacific Ocean. This famous historical expedition entered into the Dakota region on August 21, 1804, near the area where the towns of Elk Point and Vermillion are now located. Two years later, after they had successfully journeyed to the Pacific Ocean and were returning to St. Louis, they gave reports of the quantities of beaver, mink, marten and buffalo, and interest in fur trade became very great, particularly around 1817 when Joseph LaFramboise, a mixed-blood French-Ottawa established a settlement where Fort Pierre now stands (this is the oldest continuous settlement in the state.)
By 1858, the abundant supply of furs in the Dakota Territory had been depleted by the French and also the British traders. Settlement had not become widespread because land still remained the property of the Indian tribes. The Dakota Land Company was organized in the spring of 1857, and a party of men was sent into the Dakota Territory to establish desirable town sites and the control of water powers. Settlements were made at Sioux falls, Flandreau, Medary (on the Big Sioux in the southern part of Brookings County), and Renshaw (near the present site of Estelline).
In April, 1858, the Yankton Sioux Indians made a treaty with the whites, giving up all of their land, with the exception of 400,000 acres, between the Big Sioux and Missouri Rivers, as far north as Pierre and Lake Kampeska. Until the Indians departed for the designated reservation, the many settlers that had gathered along the banks of the Missouri waited to claim the rich Dakota lands. On July 10, 1859, hundreds of them came over, beginning the settlements at Yankton, Bon Homme, Meckling and Vermillion.
One of the last acts of President James Buchanan was to sign a bill creating the area now occupied by North and South Dakota and extending westward to the Rocky Mountains and designating it a free territory. March 2, 1861 saw the birth of the Dakota Territory. Yankton became the permanent capital and Governor Jayne had a census taken, showing 2402 white people in the Territory.
During the period from 1862 to 1875, there was little progress in settling the area. Farmers had difficulty in learning the way of the prairie soil, which, in a comparatively dry climate, requires different methods of cultivation from the heavy clay soil of the more humid eastern states. However, the discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874 turned the eyes of the world upon South Dakota. Among those who came during the gold rush was Marvin Hughitt, president of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. He was impressed with the vast possibilities of the Dakota prairies if railroads were built to bring in supplies and carry out the products, and he returned home to try a great experiment in western development. (Brief History of South Dakota, Doane Robinson). With the railroads leading the way for the settler, the great Dakota boom from 1877 to 1883 converted the wilderness into a thriving, prosperous, productive, well-settled American commonwealth. Population spread all over the land, and towns were built, farms opened, schools established, and churches erected. Within five years, the towns of Brookings, Madison, Mitchell, Huron, Pierre, Watertown, Redfield, Aberdeen, Webster and Milbank had become important cities.
During the mid-century development of the Dakota Territory, news of the rich and abundant farmland opportunities in the New World reached Norway. LARS JOHNSON was the son of Jonannes Larsen, who had settled at Skreppen, Garnhagen, Brodel and Rosethaugen...all part of the Gamme Farm in Toten, Norway. Lars had married Anna Marie Pedersdtr Glasrud. In 1866 they left their homeland for a new life in a new country, America. It was a difficult six-week journey crossing the Atlantic Ocean with six of their children: Bertha Maria (Berthe Maria, b. 8/8/1851),
John Andrew (Johan Andreas, b. 9/7/1854), Peter Anton (Peder Anthon, b/ 9/12/1857, Jane (Jorgine, b. 3/8/1860), Lars (Louis, b. 11/11/1862, and Charley (Carl Johannes, b. 9/12/1865). When they arrived in New York City, they found they did not have enough money for the family to travel further westward. After contacting a Hexom family in Decorah, Iowa, and receiving money from them, they were able to continue the rest of their journey and finally arrive in Decorah.
The first year in Iowa was not an easy one for the family. Lars worked as a carpenter and they lived in a granary. He was able to save enough money to purchase a team of horses and a covered wagon. But Lars was a farmer, and they dreamed of a new and better life for themselves and their children.
According to historian P.E. Tyrrell, Lake County was formally organized in 1873 and the first election held on October 13, 1874 established the County Seat on Section 27-106-52, with total votes cast of 43. Historical records show that the first white settlers to arrive in Lake County were William Lee, John Walker and Joseph Mason, from Winneconne, Wisconsin, and Herman Luce, William Luce, Jabe Clemens and Edward Millitis from Filmore County, Minnesota in 1870.
It was in the spring of 1873 that nineteen-year-old John Andrew Johnson, the eldest son of Lars, started west on an exploratory trip in a teamdrawn light wagon, accompanied by John Patterson. he had heard of the virgin prairie farmland available in the Dakota Territory, particularly in Lake County. When they arrived at a location on Skunk Lakes (later named Lake Madison and Lake Herman), they found a lake filled with fish, much opportunity for trapping, and rich farmland...an ideal site for a homestead. At this time, the John Hart, Lee and Walker families were already living along the shore of Lake Madison.
Enthusiastically, J.A. returned to Decorah and within a short time, the entire Johnson family began their westward trek in a prairie schooner: Lars and Anna Maria, and their daughters, Jane (later Mrs. Olaf Berge) and Berthe Maria and her husband, Martin Olson, together with John Andrew, Carl, Louis and the two youngest sons who had been born in Decorah: Martin and Adolf. According to Carl (Charley J), he remembers that there were six wagons in the caravan, and the trip from Decorah to Lake County took twelve days, averaging approximately 30 miles per day. There were 30 sheep and 25 cattle that were brought along. Peter moved from Iowa to the Dakota Territory two years later.
When they arrived in 1874 on the north shore of Lake Madison, just three years after the first settlers came, they filed claim on this first property and built sod houses and barns for housing the livestock they had brought with them across the prairie. Using teams of oxen and horses, the pioneers broke about 50 acres of virgin prairie that fall, preparing for the spring planting. The work was heavy because of the sod of the tall grass which covered the prairies. Seed was obtained from farmers living in the Sioux Valley. This original homestead was later owned by their grandson, Leonard Johnson. It was a hard life and many pioneers became discouraged from the hardships of the times: bitterly cold winters, blizzards, prairie fires, windstorms, isolation and loneliness all contributed to the departure of many early settlers who returned to Decorah or, for some, back to Norway. Lars acquired many quarters of land from farmers who left their homestead claims.
During this same years, Bertha Maria and her husband, Martin Olson, homesteaded land just north of her parent's farm (later owned by their son, Oscar A Olson). In 1875 J.A. filed claim on land a short distance away from the family homestead and began farming for himself. This farm was later occupied by his brother, Charley Johnson.
The land was highly productive, yielding 25-30 bushels per acre of fine quality wheat. Food was abundant, with good fishing from the lake as well as wild ducks, geese and prairie chickens available for hunting. Antelope also roamed the prairies to provide meat for the settlers. Wheat was taken to Del Rapids, where it was ground into flour for their use. Several accounts of lake County history verify that bands of Indians camped frequently along the shores of Lake Madison, but they were friendly and never disturbed the settlers.
The first Norwegian Lutheran church service was held in the home of Lars and Anna Maria Johnson. Services were generally conducted by visiting Lutheran ministers until finally the Lake Madison congregation was formed. The constitution of the church was written in the living room of their home. Land on which the church stands was a gift of the Lars Johnson family. The first school in the area was also located across the road from the Johnson homestead.
The Johnson sons were all interested in farming and all first settled near the lakes. Martin later joined Fitzgerald's Hardware Store, Louis moved to a farm near Sinai, Peter and Charley both farmed near Ruthland. J.A. became interested in county and local government, serving as assessor and treasurer during early Lake County history. he served as a state senator from 1895-1911, and was serving in this capacity when the new state of South Dakota duly took its place in the Union on November 2, 1889. J.A., in 1885, bought a general store in the city of Madison from Mr. Seilstad, and for many decades people of Madison and the surrounding farms traded at Johnson's store.
Lars and Anna Maria Johnson's descendants are many. Just as agriculture was the reason for Lars and Anna's historic and courageous move to this area, so does agriculture continue to be the primary industry in Lake County, and many generations of Johnsons still are actively pursuing agriculture as a way of life. Much of the pioneer spirit evidenced by Lars and Anna Maria and other settlers is still present. State tourist literature refers to South Dakota as "the Land of Infinite Variety", as well as the "Land of Opportunity", which the Johnson family experienced. The deep faith and trust in God that governed the lives of Lars and Anna precluded the South Dakota state motto, "Under God the People Rule".
We hope that the history and genealogy of Lars and Anna Maria Johnson will provide you and your families a deepened sense of pride in our heritage. |
