The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-11-29

This was the brief telegram which
announced the death of one of the or
ioinal settlers of Mankato.
Old settlers will ever remember Mr..
Johnson, and those who came here in
later years heard much of him.
Mr. Johnson was past ninety-one
years of age He had been making his
home with his son, C. ID. johnson, in
Brainerd for many years. His last
visit to Mankato was in 1902, on the
occasion of the semi-centennial cele-
bration of the founding of the city.
Death News Was No Surprise.
The news of Mr.. Johnson's death oc-
casioned no surprise among his old
time friends. He has not been in the
best of health for several years, al
though he was able to pay a visit
to st. Paul last winter and spent sew
eral days at the capital, enticed there
by the session of the legislature of
which he was member of the first
body that ever sat in the then terri
tory. His age and infirmities were
against him. He simply wore out a
strong and vigorous constitution.
The following biography appears in
the semi-centennial book:
Parsons King Johnson, first settler
in Mankato, was born at Brandon,
Rutland county, Vermont, May s, 1916
His parents, Charles and Eunice
(King) johnson, were prominent peo-
pie of Brandon, where his father held
number of local offices. His mother
was descendant of Jonathan Carver,
the English traveller, who claimed to
have purchased of the Sioux Indians
on May l, 1867, tract of land, eX-
tending from the Falls of st. Anthony
to Lake Pepin, and thence one hundred
miles to the east. An uncle of 2. X.
named William King, visited the pres
ent site of st. Paul in 1916 to look
up his Carver inheritance. Brandon
was also the native place of Hon
Stephen A. Douglas, and he and young
johnson were students together for a
time at the village academy, under
the tutorship of the noted instructor
Chapman. Soon after the death of h:s
mother in 1881, young Johnson wa:
apprenticed to the tailor's trade at
Pittsford, Vermont. In the autumn
of 1884, the articles of apprenticeship
were cancelled by mutual consent, ant
johnson entered a tailoring establish
ment at Rutland, Vermont. Remain
ing here only six months, he removed
to Thetford, Vermont, where he open
ed tailor shop of his own, and hat
a number of assistants in his employ
Forming the acquaintance of the prin
cipal of the town academy, he was in
duced by him to take up course o
study under his private instruction
He also became much interested II
the village lyceum. Hearing much o
the advantages to young men to b
found in the newly organized terrltor.
of Wisconsin, Johnson, with numbe
of his companions, in the spring o
1887, emigrated to that then distan
wilderness. Their destination was Ra
cine, which after long and adven
turous journey, by land and lake
they finally reached. Racine then com
prised only a few rude shanties, an
did not impress our Green Mountain
boys very favorably. Milwaukee, ais
proved disappointing and they trie
Chicago.
Was Not Favorably Impressed.
Chicago then was very tough tow
full of gamblers and lawless peopl
generally A big fight occurred In tn
bar room of their hotel on the frs
night OF our friends arrival. To stat
New England youths, such seen
was shocking, and they concluded no
to stay there another night, and start
ed for home. At the boat landin
Johnson met an acquaintance fror
Thetford, who had just landed. an
who induced him to accompany hir
to Elgin, Illinois. Elgin again prove
disappointing, but Johnson proceede
to Rockford, where he was better suit
ed. Here he formed a partnership wit
William H. Tinker (now of st. Paul
in the tailoring business, which cor
tinued for four years. In the sprin
of lS4l, finding the hard times wer
crippling his business at Rockford, h
removed to Prairie du Chen, where h
soon worked up lucrative trade wit
the prosperous Indian traders of tina
point. and the army officers at Fol-
Atchison Here he formed the acquair
tance of Hon. Henry NJ. Rice, the
sutler and Indian trader at the latt'
place, and they became fast friend
Here, also, he obtained his first tast
of politics, and was appointed
Governor Doty, deputy sheriff and nj
tary public. In the winter of 1876
b he made a business visit to st. Pau
and removed there the followir
spring. He took an active part in tt
J. organization of Minnesota territor