from FAG member Just-Us Relatives:
PIONEER RESIDENT
DIED IN THE WEST

James S. Johnson Passed
Away in Seattle, Wed.
February 10th.

Friends here were grieved to receive the sad news the past week of the death of
our former townsman and early pioneer, James S. Johnson, at his home in Seattle
on Wednesday morning, February 10th. He passed away of apoplexy after several
weeks illness.

J. S. Johnson, the subject of our sketch was born in Luzerne County,
Pennsylvania, in the year 1842. He received his training on a farm and was
educated in the district schools. After fourteen years of age he commenced doing
for himself largely, and took charge of a farm which he operated until he was
twenty one years old. He came West with his people and settled in Spirit Lake in
1862. He commenced trapping, and engaged in the fur business continuing in that
line until 1866. In 1864 while on one of his trips trapping on the Rock River he
found himself one day at a point about four miles above Rock Rapids. He had a
companion with him and they were on an island called Big Grove. It was March,
and the two men prepared their place in the grove in order to obtain a night's
rest. Our subject was awakened in the morning by the sound of rushing waters,
and rising from his bed he found that the river was rapidly rising and the
current was then sweeping over the ground not more than four feet from the tent.
Having no boats, and it being too far to swim ashore, and the two men at once
commenced falling trees, and in this way built a substantial platform high above
and apparently secure from the encroachment of the flood. On this platform they
put all their traps, furs, tents and other utensils, and for seven long days
they were confined to this unsafe resting place. Our subject suffered severely
from this cold, as the wind shifted and came from the northwest for four days.
During this time it blew almost a hurricane. Their bed was blown from the
platform and could not be recovered. They also lost many of their traps and some
furs. This is only one of the many exciting adventures through which our subject
passed during the early life in the Northwest. In 1866 our subject left his
trapping and engaged in farming, locating on a homestead in Center Grove
township, Dickinson County, Iowa, better known now as the J. W. Klein place,
which Mr. Klein afterwards purchased. Here he resided until ‘75 when he came to
Spirit Lake and engaged in the livery business. In which line he continued for
four years and then sold out and turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, in
which line he continued until 1889. For several years he traveled over Dakota,
Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska, during the winter months buying furs.
He built the building now occupied by the Davis & White office, also a fine
residence for those days on Parsons Street.

In the year of 1866, Mr. Johnson married Miss Lucy Hastings, a daughter of C. E.
Hastings. Five children were born to this union; Carrie, Mary, Jane, Chauncey,
Clarence and Charles. Being one of the pioneer settlers of the county he was
interested in all matters pertaining to its growth and development. He took an
active part in public matters, and held various offices, among them that of
township trustee, county supervisor, deputy sheriff, etc. He was a man of high
business character and was recognized as one of the most substantial and
responsible business men of Spirit Lake. Up to the time of his moving away and
for several years previous he was a stockholder and director of the Dickinson
County Bank which institution he assisted to organize.

Mr. Johnson was made a mason in the Spirit Lake lodge in 1876, and took his
demit when he left for the west in 1890.

*Published in the Spirit Lake Beacon, Dickinson County, Iowa, Thursday, February
18, 1915, Page 1.