My Genealogy Hound

Frank Johnson, farmer, stock-raiser and thresher, was born near Sweden, March 7, 1833, the son of Jonas and Martha (Swanhendrickson) Johnson, who spent their entire lives in Sweden, the father engaged in farming. Frank was educated by his mother and by his own efforts. At the age of twenty-one he began for himself, and was for four years on Swedish vessels, also the same length of time on American vessels, mostly between England and the United States. His last trip was around the world, in three years, on an American vessel, “The Belle of Creole,” commanded by Capt. Benjamin Crewell. On his return, in 1861, he was married at Antwerp, Belgium, by the American Consul J. W. Quiggle, in February, to Miss Sofi Sjoberg, a native of Sweden, born October, 24, 1839, and ten children were born to this marriage, four now living: Ida Maria, Christopher, Sofi and James Garfield. The same year of his marriage Mr. Johnson came on to New Orleans, and from there to St. Louis, and still from there to Centralia, Ill., where he remained for a number of years. He then returned to St. Louis, where he worked at his trade, as ship carpenter, for five years. In 1866 he came to Gasconade County, settled on Gasconade River seventeen miles west of Hermann, where he has 160 acres of good bottom land which was considered a worthless swamp when he settled there, but which, by judicious draining, he has made one of the best in the county. He is a natural genius, and has invented an improvement in the cleaning apparatus of the thresher, which has since been in almost universal use by the leading manufacturers of the country. He was twice elected justice of the peace, but declined to serve. He was for two summers in the Alton Agricultural Works, one year as foreman and the next as superintendent. He is a Republican in politics his first presidential vote being for Ulysses S. Grant, in 1868. Mr. Johnson is interested in the breeding of Poland-China hogs, and is also making preparation for the breeding of thorough-bred Holstein cattle, having his barns conveniently arranged. His first invention, the grain-cleaning apparatus for the thresher was patented in 1874, for which he was offered $3,000, but refused. Soon after with a slight change to prevent infringement, the companies adopted its use. In 1883 he invented and had patented another and better cleaner, on which he has been offered a royalty. He has it in use with a full-sized thresher constructed by himself. He worked two years with the late Capt. Eads during the war, making gunboats.