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Julia J. Johnson shares the pioneer days of her parents

Part VII

1909 Mildred was born July 22nd in Chicago, and she was such a little darling, full of pep and energy. When she was older, she was a lot of help to me and still is. 1913 November 22 Esther was born in Chicago, she was such a nice little baby, blue eyes, a lot of dark hair. But we couldn’t keep her very long she was only six weeks when she passed away. We missed her so much. She was buried in Oakwoods Cemetery in Chicago.

1915 we moved back to Marshall on account of Andrews health. The doctor told him to go to a drier country so we moved back to Marshall. Every fall Andrew would be laid up for six weeks at the time with inflammatory Rheumatism, and such suffering. We had bought a lot in Chicago and was going to build there. The lot had sidewalk in and trees planted. It was a very nice lot, and Mr. Cunningham said he would help us get started to build. We lived in Chicago over eleven years, and Andrew worked for Mr. Cunningham all the years we were there, except for a few months at the Illinois Steel Mills.

After we got back to Marshall we rented a house on 2nd street by the river from Mr. Wichle. We lived there not quite two years. We bought a lot from Jake Eastman, 76 feet wide and hundred and sixty six feet deep. It used to be a ball park, and there was also a garden of part of it, with potatoes. So when Andrew started to dig the basement, he dug up potatoes with the dirt. Well the house got so much finished we could move in the last day of December 1916 and was it ever nice to move into our own home. It shure was a struggle to meet the payments every month but we made it and got it all paid for. And what a good feeling. Not many years after we moved in our house all the banks were closed. But I shure was lucky. The day before the banks were closed I drew out of the bank all we had in there except eighty eight cents, and Andrew said leave that in the bank for seed. We didn’t know any thing about the banks being closed till the next morning, I heard it over the radio. But the money I drew out of the bank was enough to pay up the loan on our house. So we were both glad and sad at the same time.

1916 Bob was born April 11th, and Mrs. Dahl said to name him Robert Ferdenind. It was such a nice name but Bob don’t think so. Bob had real blond hair and so curly. He was such a cute little baby, but he was a little tricky. Mildred would sit and rock and sing him to sleep. And as soon as she had laid him down and had gone out, Bob would scream, and poor Millie had to come in and go through the whole thing all over again. She had him so spoiled. She would give him a good shaking up and was so mad at him. But if anybody ever said anything bad about Bob, Millie was right there to defend him, and we were told off by her. When Bob got old enough to work, he was along with Andrew and helped, and also learned the trade of plastering, which he kept up for many years.

Well I have many nice memories through the years that is past. Andrew and I celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary Sept. 8, 1951. And Andrew passed away Nov. 25, 1952. Eighty one years old. I am so thankful to my children for being so good to me. And to you Helen, and Lillian, Butch, Obbie, and Mel. I shure have appreciated all you have done for me.

Now my history is ended. I hope you will excuse spelling and scribbling. And God Bless you all.

Julia J. Johnson, 610 Kendall Street, Marshall, MN — March 28, 1966″

Source: “Pioneer Days of My Parents,” Julia K. Johnson, 1966.

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