Johnson Family

 1940s & Earlier Johnson Family Photos

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This was posted on a Facebook group page along with the above photos.  

The following is a letter from Alfrida Johnson (age 49) to her son, Walt Johnson (age 23), who was stationed in the Navy on the Solomon Islands at the time.

The event described in the letter was a household move from North Dakota to Minnesota. Walt’s parents had lived in North Dakota since their marriage in 1912 (31 years). The relationships of the people in the letter are:

Pa, Your Dad (Alfrida’s husband, Helmer, age 57),

Eleanor Ramsey (daughter, age 19, married to Bud Ramsey in ‘42),

Levi Johnson (son, age 17),

Sis (Helen Johnson) (daughter, age 15),

Grandma (Alfrida’s mother, Julianna Susag, age 76),

Ragna Susag (age 36 - sister to Alfrida),

Grandpa (Alfrida’s father, David Susag, age 77)

Oscar & Deline Johnson (Alfrida’s sister and brother-in-law, ages 39 & 38 respectively)

October 17, 1943

Frazee, Minn

Dear Walter,

Well here I am. I know I should have been before but it’s no use of excuses, I need all the scoldings I got and then some. Enuf said.

This is Chapter one about this Minn. business and this is for your information. I stopped the buying of the M. Wold farm west of Binford because it was further from school then we lived before and I did not like a long school road. This year we had a good crop and I told Pa we were well fixed to keep on farming like we had but we had bad luck last winter with the calves. They were either born dead or died afterward. We raised 4 calves from 12 cows and in the spring 1 cow died (the big black cow). We had the cow’s bangs (a bacterial disease aka Brucellosis) tested this summer and they passed the test O.K. And then the land Co. of Fargo refused to repair the barn and then the farm boss R. Smith hired an (Inspector) to sit out on the farm while Pa was busy combining and hauling grain and that made Pa mad and told him, the inspector, to get. And he (Pa I mean) did not want to rent from R. Smith anymore.

We had looked at this farm here in Minn this summer and was figuring on buying it. We bot it from O.A. Olson of Fargo. It is a mile S.E. of Frazee on U.S. #10 and N.P.R. Road. All the traffic a stone throw from the house. At present Eleanor is working in Frazee at a restaurant and tonite Levi & Sis went to the show in town. They have cushioned seats at the theater in Frazee. It is 11 miles from Detroit Lakes and about 19 east of Grandpa’s. We were up to see them today. Grandma is very poorly. She is not able to be up now and she does not remember things very good. Ragna is teaching school and I don’t see how things will go when she is away all day and Grandma sick abed, I asked your (dad) if I could stay and take care of mother but he said I could not as he could not get along without me (such a baby he is) but don’t write that back cus he won’t like it. Grandma needs Dr. & Hospital care, so I don’t know if Ragna and Grandpa decided to take her to the hospital tonite or not.

Oscar & Deline are living on a farm here in Minn. too (or have you heard)

Second Chapter coming up. There is another Helmer Johnson living here at Frazee so we must use the initial and R. no. in our address now.

Love Mother

R.F.D #3

Frazee, Minn

This was posted on Facebook by Rob Johnson on June 25, 2023.

The following Unsolicited Advice:

Take the time to hear old stories from your parents and grandparents.

In a random post my Cousin made, she included a letter, along with some pictures, written in 1943 by my Grandma (who passed away in the early 70’s) to my Uncle Walt who was in the military.

My Grandma made a comment on a picture about Hillard (my Dad) driving a tractor from Binford ND area to Frazee MN (on the back roads) when they moved 80 years ago.

I REALLY wish I had been able to hear that story from my Dad.

Then it hit me. There is one person in the world that might know that story. My 91 year old Uncle Mencer (the last of 10 siblings still living)……so I called him.

Sure enough he remembered all the details (he was 11 at the time) and told that my Dad drove the tractor pulling a trailer (with the Chicken Coop and Chickens on it) going about 17 mph on Old Highway 10.

Wow what a trip. I am so thankful that Uncle Mencer was able to tell me the story.

He even confirmed my suspicions that my Dad might have uttered a couple colorful words as he drove into the new farmstead in the dark that night…..driving a tractor while pulling a trailer of Chickens for the last 10 hours….

Thanks Beverly R. Johnson for keeping him young.

Click on a link below to continue with the JOHNSON FAMILY photos and stories.

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Johnson Family (home)  - Kinstories (home)  -  Susag Family  -  Flatau Family  -  Beckman Family
Granquist Family  -  Anderson Family  -  Stout Family  -  Walker Family  -  Peterson Family  -  Morris Family  - Cauble Family