The Johnsons: a Swedish family in Denver
By: Erick Falcão
Tags: Genealogy, Denver, Immigration, Sweden

Cigar store at the corner of Arapahoe and Fifteenth Street in the 1890’s (Photo: Colorado Encyclopedia)

Sven and Albertina’s tombstone at the Fairmount Cemetery, in Denver, CO (Photo: Find a Grave).

The Johnson Family

Sven and Albertina had seven children:

C-1. Anna Seraphine Johnson

C-2. Luther Timothy Johnson

C-3. Josephine Albertina Johnson

C-4. Edward Swen Johnson

C-5. Arthur Samuel Johnson

C-6. Agnes Sophie Johnson

C-7. Albert Lawrence Johnson

C-1. Anna Seraphine Johnson

Born on July 10th, 1879, in Chicago, Illinois, and deceased on December 13th, 1944, in Glendale, California. Annie worked as milliner in Denver, in 1900. She married Albert Peterson on September 23rd, 1905, in Chicago, despite living in Denver at the time. After the weeding, Anna moved back to Denver, before going to California in 1941. They did not have children.

From right to left: Luther, Francis, Glen, and Elizabeth Johnson.

C-2. Luther Timothy Johnson

Born on August 4th, 1881, in Chicago, Illinois, and deceased on June 4th, 1952, in San Mateo County, California. Luther married Elizabeth Peyton on September 23rd, 1902, in Golden, Colorado. He worked as a machinist, first in a railroad company in Denver, then in a dynamite plant owned by DuPont in Louviers, Colorado. Luther and Elizabeth lived in Louviers until mid 1940s, before moving to California. They had two children:

GC-2.1. Francis Edward Johnson,

born on August 12th, 1903, in Pueblo, Colorado, and deceased on March 15, 1970, in Los Angeles, California. Francis married Giorgiana Elma Chesnut on October 10th, 1925, in Golden, Colorado. Francis and Georgia had two children:

GGC-2.1.1. Richard Glenn Johnson, born on August 30th, 1932, in Los Angeles, and deceased on November 18th, 2000, in Santa Paula, California. Richard married Marilyn J. Murphy on June 15th, 1963, in Los Angeles.

GGC-2.1.2. Francis Edward Johnson, born on January 11th, 1938, in Los Angeles.

GC-2.2. Glenn Luther Johnson,

born on January 6th, 1912, in Denver, and deceased on October 11th, 1960, in Coma, San Mateo, California. Glenn married Melva Ann Mary Albin on June 25th, 1937, in San Mateo County. Glenn and Melva had at least one child:

GGC-2.2.1. Douglas R. Johnson, born on March 2nd, 1940, in San Francisco, California.

C-3. Josephine Albertina Johnson

born on January 29th, 1884, in Chicago, Illinois, and deceased on October 17th, 1967, in Glendale, California. Josephine used to be a School Teacher before marrying Gilbert Carl Larson on November 19th, 1913, in Denver, Colorado. After marriage, they moved to Sheridan, Phelps County, Nebraska, and, in the late 1930s, to Glendale, California. Josephine and Gilbert did not have children.

Edward Johnson and Louise Hensgen.

C-4. Edward Swen Johnson

born on March 5th, 1886, in Denver, Colorado, and deceased on March 20th, 1951, in Pasadena, California. Edward married to a French woman, Louise Marie Hensgen, on March 11th, 1905, in Denver. Louise was the daughter of Jean Nicolas Hensgen and Marie Catherine Mourer. After the wedding, Edward and Louise lived in at least two addresses: 2881 South Acoma Street and 372 South Gilpin Street. In 1910, Edward worked as a Salesman for a cigar company. However, during the 1920s, Edward and Louise got divorced. Louise remarried in 1930 in Denver, while Edward moved to Los Angeles. There, he married Gladys L. McKelvy on August 18th, 1938. He lived in Pasadena until his death. Edward had four children with Louise:

GC-4.1. Renee Marion Johnson,

born on February 11th, 1910, in Denver, and deceased on December 5th, 1994, in Novato, California. Renee married George Collins Kinnear on February 25th, 1935, in Denver. Before marriage, Renee worked as Recording Clerk at a telephone company. Renee and George had two children:

GCC-4.1.1. George Edward Kinnear, born on April 10th, 1936, in Denver, and deceased on December 4th, 2008, in Los Angeles. George married Paula J. Plamondon on May 27th, 1961, in Los Angeles. George and Paula divorced in 1969. George married for a second time on July 4th, 2000, with Peri A. Williams.

GCC-4.1.2. Barbara A. Kinnear, born in 1939, in Denver. Barbara married Donald Locke on May 31st, 1962, in San Mateo, California. She divorced Donald in September 1967, in Marin, California.

GC-4.2. Rodger Edward Johnson,

born in 1914, and deceased in 1922, in Denver, Colorado.

GC-4.3. Lorraine Johnson,

born on July 21st, 1916, in Denver, and deceased in 1917, in Englewood, Colorado.

GC-4.4. Grace Elaine Johnson,

born on July 21st, 1916, in Denver, and deceased on February 13th, 2008, in Palo Alto, California. Grace married Donovan Leo Donald on February 14th, 1939, in Denver. After their marriage, they lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, before settling in Palo Alto, California, by the late 1940s. Elaine and Don had eight children:

GGC-4.4.1. John Rodger Donald, born in September 1940, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a Jesuit Priest, Father John “Jack” Donald served and lived in Honduras.

GGC-4.4.2. Robert Leo Donald, born on November 21st, 1941, in El Paso, Texas, and deceased on October 19th, 2004, in Palo Alto, California. Bob married Cherie R. Franchi on August 17th, 1963, in Santa Clara, California. They had five children:

GGGC-4.4.2.1. David A. Donald, born in San Mateo County, California. David married Janet.

GGGC-4.4.2.2. John R. Donald, born in Santa Clara County, California. John married to Elaine.

GGGC-4.4.2.3. Robert A. Donald, born in San Mateo County, California. Robert married to Laura.

GGGC-4.4.2.4. James M. Donald, born in San Mateo County, California.

GGC-4.4.3. Cheryl Elaine Donald, born on July 27th, 1943, in El Paso, Texas, and deceased on October 9th, 2001, in Sacramento, California. Cheryl married: (I) George William Beaubien around 1962 in Santa Clara, California, (II) Richard Joseph Daumen on July 26th, 1969, in Reno, Nevada, and (III) Francis David Franchell. Cheryl had two children:

GGGC-4.4.3.1. Teresa Anne Beaubien, born in Palo Alto, California, married to Giorgio Notari.

GGGC-4.4.3.2. Joseph Daumen

GGC-4.4.4. James Edward Donald, born on September 8th, 1945, in El Paso, Texas, and deceased on February 24th, 2003, in Davis, California. Jim married Esther Grace Javier in 1990, in Sacramento, California.

GGC-4.4.5. Kathryn Louise Donald, born on March 31st, 1949, in Palo Alto, California. Kathy married Jack L. Portlock on June 8th, 1985, in Santa Clara, California.

GGC-4.4.6. Thomas Michael Donald, born on September 22nd, 1951, in Palo Alto, California. Tom married Laura E. Blair on June 21st, 1975, in Santa Clara, California. Thomas and Laura had one child:

GGGC-4.4.6.1. Peter B. Donald, born in Santa Clara County, California.

GGC-4.4.7. Steven Patrick Donald, born on March 3rd, in San Francisco, California.

GGC-4.4.8. Michael Anthony Donald, born on October 23rd, 1963, in San Mateo, California.

C-5. Arthur Samuel Johnson

Born on January 6th, 1889, and deceased on August 1973, in Denver, Colorado. Arthur worked as a salesman, including working in a cigar store with his brother Edward in 1910. Arthur married Dorothy Fagerberg on April 1st, 1911, in Denver. They spent the rest of their lives in Denver, and left no descendancy.

C6. Agnes Sophie Johnson

Born on January 15th, 1892, in Denver, Colorado, and deceased on January 15th, 1991, in Glendale, California. Agnes worked as a bookkeeper in a cigar store before marrying George C. Metzger on August 30th, 1925, in Colorado Springs. However, George passed away three years later. After his death, Agnes moved back home with her mother, Albertina. Few years later, on August 14th, 1937, Agnes married John Wolf in Denver. Just like most of her brothers and nephews, Agnes and John moved to California during the 1940s. They did not have children.

C7. Albert Lawrence Johnson

Born on October 14th, 1894, in Denver, Colorado, and deceased on November 18th, 1959, in Arvada, Colorado. Albert made a career as Mail Carrier for the Denver Post Office. He married: (I) Ethel S. Adolphson on July 19th, 1927, in Denver, and (II) Pearl Eloise Taylor on February 18th, 1939, in Denver. Albert did not have children.