The Boise citizen. (Boise, Idaho) 1906-1910, 1907-10-04
TO INFLUENCE.
.THE SON OF THE VILLAGE DRUNKARD BECOMES
GOVERNOR OF STATE

Tn our last gave graphic pen picture of Governor John
Johnson Minnesota, from the pen of William Hard in the
American Magazine We give continuance Of the article today
the lives of such men Johnson be the strongest nspa
ton the American youth
Gustav Johnson John Jonsons father came to America ap
pars in the early 6fes He by trade blacksmith By birth
he was more than blacksmith He was the little
property But dpated this property It of drink
and bad companions Arriving the end of his he prac
tced his old country but he had failed lose his
nnons at the same had his resources and order
10 shake himself all of his old environment and begin life
anew he came America Hesetd St Peter which at that
time could only by prairie schooner else by real water
up the Mississippi and then the Minnesota He came with
hosts of other Scandnavians who destined change Mime
sota from of the blue water which what the
the land of the blue brown or black eye IN Minnesota
makes YOU look the
Shortly Johnson arrived in St Peter there also ar
rived Swedish girl named Caroline Haden She was alone She
had lost her parents by disease and her brothers by chance She
never brothers again She married Gustav Johnson and
their second named John Albert Johns father therefore,
and his mother too completely separated from the traditions
Of the old country The mother could not trace her ancestry and
the father John grew up totally new product
in totally new land
This absence of background accenated by the fact that in
the third or fourth year of Johns life his parents moved from
place about four miles of ST. Peter into St Peter itself The
warlke mood The famous massacre OF NE"
Um was in 1862 the year after johns DH
The house. SMALL rude which John born is now simply
mass of dseveled his place of BIRTH as in his ancestry
Governor Johnson nothing look back to but an abrupt and
complete break between the past and the present
For several wears after moving Peter Johns father Gus
av continued to practice trade the trade of the blacksmith lie
was strong intelligent workman But suddenly IKE
ghost from across the Atlantic his old passion Ills
known that back in Sweden her husband na
long ago. in his youth evoked and temporarily buried ue d W
drink BY the time John thirteen Gustav had Sold MS
his blacksmith shop $780, had gone and lost he h
come back again. had repentance had been turned away from
the door of his own house by sensible neghbor the time OF the
birth child had been examined and convicted for co
by doctor of the village and had been sentenced
the county poortouse
1t was sad tragic story would be mentioned here were
not for two facts First the of his father became ataSrc
element John ofnsons first campaign for governor oecou W
fate of his father became essential element IN the
John Johnson's personal character and without the ue'l
his personal character John Johnson would never have been Cover
4 Bow Who Stood BY His Mother
ohn Johnson left school when he thirteen in order to support
lis mother resourcees by her husbands hnacal anu
failure John was only the second His mother objected TO ms
leaving school He insisted He saw duty the first ele
ment in his education
He could not at first support the whole family His mother took
Washing Peoples recollection OF John Johnson III -
when he was wheeling mothers wasfngs about IN nus
wagon But the washings did not last for long Two y
Johns father failed two years after John went to WORK ~
son. this little boy fifteen years OF age came 10 ms
told her that she stop working tie couu "
her and also his Younger brothers and sisters lie was now W
of the family.
His mother resisted his determination She woman OF
strong mind and OF strong body. In her extreme o ag
death was expected she used walk to kasota three n
would refuse to ride. And her mental energy "d 4
physical energy But John umphed over her. one S'opp
in uabino And when he had her. she used always
say that it was the proud moment OF her lie one e
proud to have produced who could overcome ei
teen John attained to leadership OF his own Iaiy
leadership, from then to now has continued " -
leadership, personal, intimate touching. eu. ;d his
"I always regarded John the head OF le all, rit
younger brother Fred when asked him about te stag y M
IN his family Fred editor now and hoe o"i'e =