The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-21
SUCCESS OF A BOP FARMER
The Johanson Children Expect to Clear
$4,000 by Thei Work This Year.

The Johanson Children Expect to Clear
$1,000 by Their Work This Year.
C~RooKsToH, Mimi. Aug. 1S.-Charley johann
| son. known in the Red River Valley as the Bo-
nanZa Boy Farmer. expects to clear nearly
$1,000 or the products Of his farm this year.
| He is II years old and has a brother. Frank.
aged IA. and a sister. Lena. aged IL.
Twelve years ago John Johanson came here
| from Norway. bought n few farming utensils
and a team OF b~roken-down car horses. and
one bright April morning in 1883 left Chicago.
headed oward the great Northwest After
weeks OF travelling over rough roads. the half
starved man and worn -out horses arrived at
Crookston. Here misfortune overlook him.
One horse died and the other broke a leg and
had to be shot. 1t was q crushing blow to Jo-
hanson. Halt his earnings for nearly two
years were gone. 1t meant two more years of
struggling before he could have his family with
him. but he set at work pluckily. and in the fall
Of 6 o entered a Homestead on 16o acres of
farming land about thirty miles from here. He
bought q horse. some lumber. and tools with
the money he had earned. and before the first
snow had put up a small shanty on his claim.
Here he lived all winter. undergoing a great
deal OF hardship. The next summer he worked
for his old employer. but in 1892 he worked his
own farm. produced his first crop Of wheat, and
cleared enough money to enable him to send
for his family in Norway. T ~
About this time his wife died. and the three
children were left alone. Thu United States
Consul was consulted. and he secured passage
for them on a transatlantic liner. and the
young travellers were soon on their way to
their new home. The entire responsibility for
their care and safety fell upon Charley. who
was not quite IL years old. Each child was
tagged as follows: Forward to John johann
SON Crookston. Mimi, United States of Amer
ica.i' and their tickets. together with their
money. were sewed to the inside OF Charley's
coat None of the children could speak \ word
of English The United States Consul gave
ents Of police at New York. Chicago. and St.
Paul. and instructed Charlie to show them TO
any p per 50 C who SPOKE sn to r;o him. Inc children
In the fall of 1886. after five years c%ontlnu-
GUS residence on his claim. In only one ofwhich
papers. became a full-fedged citizen Of the
United States, and secured a patent from the
Government for the land; It was shortly after
this that he was mortally hurt in an accident
He lived in an almost helpless condition for six
N %G the ScG a9IhaoIEa S Mnif iara ai te ne on RG the ssoaideFs
After his fathers death Charley persuaded
the guardian OF the three children not to sell
sister try to run it; He hired a man on shares
and Lena looked after the poultry. the vege-
table garden and their two cows. All three
pltched IN ana Ola the nOuseWOrk. Inc nrSt
crop was a success and brought a handsome
eiling through the country buying wheat dur
ing the harvest took entire charge of the
marketing Of the crop for. Charley and handed
over to him $500 clear profit for 1897. This
stimulated Charley's ambition, and he i'm
mediately began 70 make preparations for
the harvest OF 1888. Improved arming nipple;
meAts were purchased. a woman was hired
TO do the homework. Frank and Lena were
sent to school and two men were employed
and put at work breaking in new land for the
next seasons crop. AZ the suggestion OF his
Minneapolis friend $50 more chickens were
turned over to Lena and Frank. The wheat
crop is a phenomenal one. It is estimated at
2S bushels OF wheat to the acre. Harvesting
has begun and the crop will soon be marketed.
The profit on the wheat alone, 1t is estimated,
will reach $1,000. while the fax will bring $3.50
more, and the chickens have already earned
$50 more than their keep with the holidays
coming on when the young chickens will be
killed and marketed.