Having heard the call to go west where new land was being settled, and having decided where he wanted to locate. Rufus Ossian Johnson ad his brother Willie from southeast Michigan loaded their immigrant car with lumber for building, some farm machinery and household goods, plus and ox to do the farming and headed west. They arrived at Andover, Dakota Territory, Day County in the spring of 1880. From there they moved their belongings to Homer Township and Rufus settle on the northeast quarter of Section 20. A house was built from the lumber. The northwest quarter of Section 21 was taken as a tree claim.
In December 1885 Rufus, better know as R.O., married Mahala Nancy Hannon, who had arrived in Hover Township in 1882, later taking up a claim there. She sold her property in 1899 when they enlarged the house. They had seven children; Minnie who married William Cameron, Frank, Ward, Howard, Joseph Clifford, Retta and Adrian. Howard became a minister and pastored Presbyterian churches throughout Nebraska and Kansas for 50 years. Retta married Floyd Tompkins and moved to Flint, Michigan, where they went into business. The others remained in the community and farmed until their retirement. Clifford operated the farm for few years and R.O., who and machinery business, which Frank owned and Frank in operating a garage and machinery business, which Frank owned and operated until his retirement.
R.O. Later resumed farming with the help of his son Adrian, who took over upon his father’s death. Adrian owns and continues to occupy and farm the land. The farm consists of 640 acres with a few head of sheep. The balance of the pasture and some cropland is leased by younger generations of the family, grandsons of Minnie and Clifford.
A history of South Dakota Century Farms, Copyright 1985.
His children were: daughter Minnie Nina Cameron b 23 Aug 1886, d 29 Dec 1966 married William Henry Cameron II; son Frank Shelby Johnson b 39 Mar 1888, d 15 Apr 1971, married Genevieve Clark; son Ward Hannon Johnson b 17 Mar 1891 d Dec 1966, married Grace Dwight after her death he married Evelyn Eaton; Rev Howard Daniels Johnson married Anna Bell Lemmon after her death he married Marie; son Joseph Clifford Johnson b 20 Oct 1894, d 5 Jul 1976 married Effie Krait; daughter Retta Mahala Tompkins b 13 May 1898, d Jul 1982, married Floyd Tompkins; son Adrian O. Johnson b 2 Oct 1910, d 11 Jun 1996, married Faith Merryfield.
In December 1885 Rufus, better know as R.O., married Mahala Nancy Hannon, who had arrived in Hover Township in 1882, later taking up a claim there. She sold her property in 1899 when they enlarged the house. They had seven children; Minnie who married William Cameron, Frank, Ward, Howard, Joseph Clifford, Retta and Adrian. Howard became a minister and pastored Presbyterian churches throughout Nebraska and Kansas for 50 years. Retta married Floyd Tompkins and moved to Flint, Michigan, where they went into business. The others remained in the community and farmed until their retirement. Clifford operated the farm for few years and R.O., who and machinery business, which Frank owned and Frank in operating a garage and machinery business, which Frank owned and operated until his retirement.
R.O. Later resumed farming with the help of his son Adrian, who took over upon his father’s death. Adrian owns and continues to occupy and farm the land. The farm consists of 640 acres with a few head of sheep. The balance of the pasture and some cropland is leased by younger generations of the family, grandsons of Minnie and Clifford.
A history of South Dakota Century Farms, Copyright 1985.
His children were: daughter Minnie Nina Cameron b 23 Aug 1886, d 29 Dec 1966 married William Henry Cameron II; son Frank Shelby Johnson b 39 Mar 1888, d 15 Apr 1971, married Genevieve Clark; son Ward Hannon Johnson b 17 Mar 1891 d Dec 1966, married Grace Dwight after her death he married Evelyn Eaton; Rev Howard Daniels Johnson married Anna Bell Lemmon after her death he married Marie; son Joseph Clifford Johnson b 20 Oct 1894, d 5 Jul 1976 married Effie Krait; daughter Retta Mahala Tompkins b 13 May 1898, d Jul 1982, married Floyd Tompkins; son Adrian O. Johnson b 2 Oct 1910, d 11 Jun 1996, married Faith Merryfield.
Having heard the call to go west where new land was being settled, and having decided where he wanted to locate. Rufus Ossian Johnson ad his brother Willie from southeast Michigan loaded their immigrant car with lumber for building, some farm machinery and household goods, plus and ox to do the farming and headed west. They arrived at Andover, Dakota Territory, Day County in the spring of 1880. From there they moved their belongings to Homer Township and Rufus settle on the northeast quarter of Section 20. A house was built from the lumber. The northwest quarter of Section 21 was taken as a tree claim.
In December 1885 Rufus, better know as R.O., married Mahala Nancy Hannon, who had arrived in Hover Township in 1882, later taking up a claim there. She sold her property in 1899 when they enlarged the house. They had seven children; Minnie who married William Cameron, Frank, Ward, Howard, Joseph Clifford, Retta and Adrian. Howard became a minister and pastored Presbyterian churches throughout Nebraska and Kansas for 50 years. Retta married Floyd Tompkins and moved to Flint, Michigan, where they went into business. The others remained in the community and farmed until their retirement. Clifford operated the farm for few years and R.O., who and machinery business, which Frank owned and Frank in operating a garage and machinery business, which Frank owned and operated until his retirement.
R.O. Later resumed farming with the help of his son Adrian, who took over upon his father’s death. Adrian owns and continues to occupy and farm the land. The farm consists of 640 acres with a few head of sheep. The balance of the pasture and some cropland is leased by younger generations of the family, grandsons of Minnie and Clifford.
A history of South Dakota Century Farms, Copyright 1985.
His children were: daughter Minnie Nina Cameron b 23 Aug 1886, d 29 Dec 1966 married William Henry Cameron II; son Frank Shelby Johnson b 39 Mar 1888, d 15 Apr 1971, married Genevieve Clark; son Ward Hannon Johnson b 17 Mar 1891 d Dec 1966, married Grace Dwight after her death he married Evelyn Eaton; Rev Howard Daniels Johnson married Anna Bell Lemmon after her death he married Marie; son Joseph Clifford Johnson b 20 Oct 1894, d 5 Jul 1976 married Effie Krait; daughter Retta Mahala Tompkins b 13 May 1898, d Jul 1982, married Floyd Tompkins; son Adrian O. Johnson b 2 Oct 1910, d 11 Jun 1996, married Faith Merryfield.
In December 1885 Rufus, better know as R.O., married Mahala Nancy Hannon, who had arrived in Hover Township in 1882, later taking up a claim there. She sold her property in 1899 when they enlarged the house. They had seven children; Minnie who married William Cameron, Frank, Ward, Howard, Joseph Clifford, Retta and Adrian. Howard became a minister and pastored Presbyterian churches throughout Nebraska and Kansas for 50 years. Retta married Floyd Tompkins and moved to Flint, Michigan, where they went into business. The others remained in the community and farmed until their retirement. Clifford operated the farm for few years and R.O., who and machinery business, which Frank owned and Frank in operating a garage and machinery business, which Frank owned and operated until his retirement.
R.O. Later resumed farming with the help of his son Adrian, who took over upon his father’s death. Adrian owns and continues to occupy and farm the land. The farm consists of 640 acres with a few head of sheep. The balance of the pasture and some cropland is leased by younger generations of the family, grandsons of Minnie and Clifford.
A history of South Dakota Century Farms, Copyright 1985.
His children were: daughter Minnie Nina Cameron b 23 Aug 1886, d 29 Dec 1966 married William Henry Cameron II; son Frank Shelby Johnson b 39 Mar 1888, d 15 Apr 1971, married Genevieve Clark; son Ward Hannon Johnson b 17 Mar 1891 d Dec 1966, married Grace Dwight after her death he married Evelyn Eaton; Rev Howard Daniels Johnson married Anna Bell Lemmon after her death he married Marie; son Joseph Clifford Johnson b 20 Oct 1894, d 5 Jul 1976 married Effie Krait; daughter Retta Mahala Tompkins b 13 May 1898, d Jul 1982, married Floyd Tompkins; son Adrian O. Johnson b 2 Oct 1910, d 11 Jun 1996, married Faith Merryfield.
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