John N. Johnson was born January 11, 1857, near Kongsvinger, Norway, and came to America in 1876, traveling first to Decorah, Iowa, and finding work there.
In 1881, he married Marthea Overby, who came from Kongsvinger, Norway, to live in Allamakee County, Iowa, until her marriage. In the spring of 1882, they came to Griggs County to take a homestead in Romness Township, where they started farming. Mr. Johnson took an active part in the organization of Ringsaker Church.
Ten children were born to them:
The first was JOHN PETTER in 1882. He was employed at a bank in Pembina, North Dakota and later at Ambrose, North Dakota. In 1925, he married Sarah Cowley of Ambrose. They had one son, Gerald, and a daughter, Grace (Mrs. Lloyd Brothen). John Petter died at Ambrose on July 5, 1958.
EMMA LOVISE was born July 25, 1884 and passed away in January 1903.
CASPER ALBERT was born July 2, 1886 and farmed in Romness for many years. He married Mrs. Esther (Estenson) Dillon in California, where they lived until 1971. Then they moved to Crookston, Minnesota, where he died on February 17, 1972, (the same day as his brother Otto passed away at Grants Pass, Oregon).
MATHILDA ISABELL was born November 18, 1888. She was married to Arthur Gudim in Ringsaker Church, and passed away at Portland, Oregon in 1959.
ELMER BERNHARD was born in April, 1891 and passed away in 1923.
ARTHUR OLIVER was born on September 13, 1893. He was a veteran of World War I, and served as adjutant of the VFW Post of Cooperstown. He taught school for several years before starting to farm on the home place (land now owned by Dr. Nesheim of Mayville, North Dakota). He died on May 11, 1959, at Cooperstown. He never married.
ROBERT CONOVER was born February 8, 1896. He married Josephine Berg of Cooperstown. He died April 12, 1962, at Spokane, Washington
OTTO MELVIN was born April 3, 1899. He worked at the Larson Store before moving west in the early forties. After 1947 he and his wife, Martha Brick resided at Grants Pass, Oregon. They had one daughter, June, and one son, Wayne. Also five grandchildren at the time of Otto's death on the same day his brother Casper died.
AGNES JENETTE was born February 17, 1902 and passed away May 15, 1903.
RUTH EVELYN was born on July 8, 1904, and was married to Kenneth Enstad at Cooperstown. She is the only survivor of the John N. Johnson family (1975) and lives in Lisbon, North Dakota
In 1937, when Mr. and Mrs. Johnson observed their 56th wedding anniversary, they were reminded of their chilly reception in Griggs County when they arrived in the spring of 1882. Driving by team from Mayville, they were caught in a snowstorm and the whole party was forced to sleep in the sled in the hollow of a ravine. When the blizzard subsided the following morning they discovered that they were three miles from their original destination in Romness.
They lived on their homestead until the early twenties when they moved to Cooperstown. They were also reminded of the fact that John had been working for five years in America before he could send a ticket to his bride-to-be back in Norway. In 1914, however, they were able to visit their old homes across the sea.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 398