Pgs 943-44

MARTIN JOHNSON was born March 3, 1857, in Kongsberg, Norway, son of Herman and Leal t K. (Horto) Johnson, both of whom were born in Kongsberg—the father September 30, 1828, the mother December 8, 1826. The  parents  of  Herman Johnson,  Johanas and Bertha Johnson, had four children, namely: Christ, who died in Norway; Ole, who is in Norway, if living; Martha, who died in Norway; and Herman.  Johanas Johnson, who was a shoemaker by trade, died when his son Herman was only nine years old, leaving his widow and children alone.  When Herman was a boy he had poor opportunities for an education, and has earned his own living from the age of thirteen years.  He went to work in a gunshop, learned the gunsmith's trade, and worked at this occupation for the government in one place for thirty-one years, receiving at first but sixteen cents a day, and gradually working up to ten or fifteen dollars a month. While here he was united in marriage with Leal K. Horto, and they have had a family of eight children, as follows: Johanna, who died in Norway at the   age of fifteen; Martin, who died in infancy in Norway; Thorvle, engaged  in  the  mercantile business in Maple Grove township with his brother Martin;   Martin, the subject of this sketch; Bernard, who is married and is engaged in a shingle mill in Merrill, Wis.; Martinius, who married Nellie Gullickson and lives on the homestead, caring for his father and mother (they have one daughter, Laura M., born March 20, 1890); John, who owns and operates an eighty-acre farm in Angelica, Shawano county, is married and has a son named  Harry; and Johanna, wife of Ole Oleson, a general business man of Crystal Falls, Mich. (they have three children--Herbert, Carrie and Norman). The parents of Mrs. Herman Johnson, Tolorf and Ingeberg (Larson) Horto, had seven children, namely: Christopher, who died in Little Suamico, Oconto  Co., Wis.; Lars, living in Norway; Engas, deceased in Norway, who worked forty years for one family named White, for which she received a pension; Amberg, who died in Norway; Leal K., Mrs. Johnson; Asa, who died in Norway; and Bertha, who lives in Norway.  Mr. Horto worked in the silvcr mines all his life, and was also on the fire department.

Herman Johnson sailed from Christiania for America in 1873, and landing in New York after a voyage of fourteen days came to Angelica township, Shawano Co., Wis., where he was employed for a short time in a sawmill.  In six months his wife and children joined him, and he remained in Angelica some seven years, working for six years in a sawmill for Gov. Upham.  At that time this  was all wild  country.  Mr. and Mrs. Johnson bought eighty acres of land in the town of Maple Grove, built a home and lived on this land three years.  At the end of that time he had twenty acres cleared, and selling the place bought eighty acres of unimproved land in Section No. 2 (on which he and his son now live), built a frame house, and immediately started to clear the land, but had no team for two years. Here with his wife he has since lived, and they expect to spend the remainder of their days with their son.  The children, for the most part, remained at home until married.

Martin Johnson came to America before his parents, when only fifteen years of age, since which time he has made his own living, for seven years being chiefly employed in the woods. On December 1, 1879, he was united in marriage with Mary Oleson, who was born in Kewaunee county, Wis., in January, 1857, and they have had five children, namely, Ludwig, Charlie, Mattie, Otto (now deceased) and Clara. The father of Mrs. Johnson, who was a farmer by occupation, came with his wife and daughter from Hedemarken, Norway, to America, locating in Kewaunee county, Wis., in an early day, and died soon after his arrival. Since his marriage Martin Johnson has been engaged in farming. He first bought land in Section No. 1, in Lessor township, Shawano county, opened it up and cleared a small tract, but he sold this, and removing to Angelica township bought sixty acres of land in Section 31, now having a farm of 100 acres, of which fifty are cleared. Politically he is a Republican. In religious affiliation the family are Lutherans.