J. D. Johnson was born in Sogn, Norway and his wife, Mina Falla, was born at Hurdal, Norway. They came with their parents and settled in Grant county, Minnesota Mr. Johnson's name was originally John D. Barclay, but when they came to Minnesota, his cousin by the same name was a close neighbor. This caused quite a mix-up with the mail and the identity of each man. So, as to avoid trouble the man who later came to Mose, North Dakota, changed his name from Barclay to Johnson.
J. D. Johnson and Mina Falla were married in Elbow Lake, Minnesota and farmed there until 1899. ANDREW T. FALLA, a brother of Mina, left Grant county for a homestead in North Dakota, in May 1899 and Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Johnson followed him in the fall. Several others from the same neighborhood also came about the same time and settled in Bryan and Rosendal Township. Mr. Falla homesteaded on the NW quarter of Section 6 and the Johnsons took the E1/2 of the E1/2 of Section 6, Bryan Township. They came by immigrant car to Courtenay and drove across from there with team and wagon.
There were four children in the J. D. Johnson family at that time. There were no buildings on their farm so they stayed with Falla's until a small house could be built. Mr. Falla had built a good-sized barn and they all lived in the hayloft.
Mr. Johnson worked for Anton Jenson in his store in McHenry so as to get some groceries, as money was scarce when starting a new home. He was very interested in politics, and helped organize the Township. He was elected Township clerk and held that office until his death in 1940, when his son took over for the next thirty years.
There were 16 children born to the J. D. Johnsons. They were:
John, W. , Bina, Thomas, Henry, George, Tillie, Arthur, Joseph, Mabel, Myrtle, Elmer, Annie and Margaret. Three others had died very young. Henry Johnson (who submitted this history) and four sisters are the only ones living now (1975).
HENRY JOHNSON married Agnes Adrian in 1941 and they have three children:
Shirley, Ellen and Eugene. Shirley married Loren Johnson, a teacher. They have two children and live at Fairfield, Montana. Ellen married Larry Hoiberg, a principal in a Grand Forks school. They have two children. Eugene married Debra Williams and he teaches school at St. John, North Dakota. They have one child.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 page 247