Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-11-14
Madison, Nov. u.

home on Wisconsin avenue dICer d |
long illness and a battle most brayely |
fought He had been quite i'll for
over year with stomach trouble and
fraiJ from the same cause for some
years before that Last winter he
was confined to Tfis home the greater
part of the time, but even then from
his sick bed continued to labor and
study along many lines, attending 20
bis correspondence and writing ar
ticles for the press. Towards spring
he began to improve and some hopes
were entertained of his recovery, but
the desired end seemed not to be real
lied and in June the patient resolved
to undergo an operation. He went TO
Rochester Mimi, where DR.. Mayo,
specialist, performed it. His weakened
condition and advanced years were
against him, but his great courage
bore him up and he seemed to improve
after the ordeal so that he was able
to return home July 5. From that
time, however, he was confined TO his
bed and bravely fought a losing fight
against the encroachment of disease.
For the past ten days he had been
sinking and it was known the end was
near, so that when he passed away the
entire family was present at the bed
side. DR.. keenan,, his physician, ar
rived just as the end came. He gave
as the cause Of death inanimation or
exhaustion, from toxaemia, Or blood
70 r0l11 mn n1IT
and mesenteric adenoitis after long
standing but entirely healed ulcer
yentriculi, or ulcer OF the stomach.
John Anderson Johnson was born
in Gisholt, Holden parish, Norway,
April Is, 1882. His parents came to
America when he was but IL years
old, settling first. in Walworth county
and in 1852 coming to the town of
Pleasant Springs. AS a boy he
worked on the farm in the summer
and taught school in the winter, thus
early acquiring the habits of industry
and study that formed the basis of his
successful career. He also sold farm
machinery occasionally and in 1862
he and NJ e. Fuller started the nipple.
ment business in Madison which from
small beginnings has grown to be one
of the largest implement shops of it's
kind in the northwest If not in the
country. Mr. Johnson's inventive
mind no less than his shrewdness was
of the greatest value to the firm and
the large line of implements manu-
featured was mainly the product of
his ingenious continuance. Many of
his inventions have been patented.
A dozen years ago Mr.. Johnson Or
ganized the Gisholt Machine company
for the manufacture of machine
lathes, naming the company after his
old home birthplace which he loved
and paintings of which hang upon
the walls of the splendid new shops
recently built. Associated with him
In this enterprise were his four sons,
all of whom have learned the machin-
lists trade from the ground up and
chiefly in the shops of their own build
ing, All the principal machine COM
panies of the country use the Gisholt
lathe. The firm keeps an agent in
Europe and among the principal pur-
chasers is Krupp, the famous German
gun-makers. Mr.. Johnson was presi-
dent of this company as he also was
for years of the Fuller & Johnson
company
He was the chief organizer OF the
Hekla Fire Insurance company and
for long time its president. He was
also for time interested in the Re
holt Plow company. He was also
heavily interested in some of the
Madison banks and was one of the
wealthiest and most prominent Scan
dinavians of the northwest.
But Mr.. Johnson's activities were
not confined to business alone. He
was deeply interested in all public
questions and hearty supporter of
all movements for the civic veal
He was a republican, an active parti-
san. though quite independent. Many
political honors came to him and
many more might have come had he
yielded to the solicitation of friends
He was for eight years county clerk
for Dane county, from 1851 to 1859.
was elected to the assembly in 1856
and served as senator from 1874
In the campaign Of 1884 he bolted the
republican ticket and became a mug
wamp. In 1886 he was named by the
democrats for state treasurer against
H B. Harshaw. He was defeated
with the rest of the ticket at the polls
and in the next election was back IN
the republican ranks where he re-
manned a loyal fighter to the end
Despite his early disadvantages for
an education, Mr.. Johnson was a
deep student along many lines and
was recognized as an authority N
them. He had a direct and lucid style
and his articles in both English and
Norwegian attracted wide attention
Few writer's in the northwest had
clearer grasp on tariff questions,
while in questions of politics, educa-
ton, finance, machinery and agricul- |
ture he was also deeply read. His |
articles on The Absence of the |
American Flag in Foreign Waters, |
written on the observations Of his |
manv trips abroad was published in |
pamphlet form by the Society for the
Advancement Of American Shipping. |
In 1896 he was elected president Of
the National Association Of Imple- |
ment and Vehicle Manufacturers AMI |
represented that association in the
DELEGATION sent to South America in |
the interest of q eater international |
trade by the National Association Of
Manufacturers and this was followed
nv a, intorestino and vaIuable brooch