Biographical Sketch of Christ. Johnson, Franklin County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

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Christ. Johnson, farmer, stock raiser and hotel keeper at Gray's
Summit, was born in the Island of Yutland, Denmark, October 1, 1836.
He is the eldest of the fourteen children of Sharon C. and Engorberg
(Nelson) Johnson, natives of Denmark.  Sharon C. Johnson, a son of
Christ. and Ann Elizabeth Johnson, was a soldier in the Danish army
for sixteen years, being colonel and a great favorite of his regi-
ment.  He died about 1867, aged fifty years; his widow is still 
living in Denmark, at the age of eighty-two years.  When seven years
of age Christ. Johnson, subject of this sketch, left home and hired
himself to a farmer in the neighborhood for seven years, for his
board and clothes, receiving, at the expiration of that time, $25 as
a reward for his faithfulness and industry.  The next two years he
received his board and $18 per year, after which for four years he
worked for $36 per year and board, the last year receiving $65.  He
subsequently drove a Government stage, worked at stone-cutting some
time, and then enlisted in the war against Prussia and Austria, ser-
ving eighteen months.  After the close of the war he learned the
carpenter's trade, at which he worked two years, and then went to
Horsens, where, with the exception of three months, he drove a 
freight wagon for one man nine years.  About 1868 he married Katie
Peterson, a daughter of Nelson Peterson.  They emigrated to the 
United States in 1870, landing in New York City, September 10, where
Mrs. Johnson worked in a hotel until 1871, her husband working on a
farm and in a mine.  They then removed to St. Louis, Mr. Johnson ob-
taining work on the steamboat "Paulena Carl," and Mrs. Johnson work-
ing in the "Tremont House."  They rented a home, but being unfortun-
ate through sickness, they were obliged to give up house-keeping and
separate, drifting here and there until July 22, 1882, when, with
their united savings, they purchased and moved to their present farm
of 165 acres of well improved land.  They have had six children, viz.:
Sharon C. (deceased), Emma, Wilhelm, Katie and Eddie.  For several
years Mr. Johnson had the contract to do all the draying for Jay Hay-
ner & Co., general agents for the Walter A. Wood harvester and binder.

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