Tuesday, September 28, 2010

J.P. Johnson

JP Johnson
This photo is from the Memories - Brassfield + Hunt photo album. It is cropped from a group photo, but most of the people in the photo are not labeled. There is an X on this person and a label that says GrGrandpa Johnson. Also labeled is Grandpa Hunt. Based on this I am assuming this is Jorgon Peter Johnson, the father of Jennie J. Johnson, who was the wife of John Hunt, father of Thelma Sarah Hunt, who was the mother of Elvis John Brassfield. The photo is undated, but the other photos in the album are mostly pre-1920. Johnson's wife died in 1908 and John Hunt's wife died in 1914, assuming they are not in the photo dates this photo to roughly 1914-1920.

I don't have much information on Jorgon Johnson, in fact I'm not even sure his name is spelled that way, it could be Jorgan or Jørgen. His tombstone simply says JP Johnson. One census lists him as John, and another as JP.

He was born in Denmark March 27, 1851. He married Hannah G. Branshus July 4, 1873 in Denmark. He was naturalized October 6, 1877 in Cuming County, Nebraska. He died February 2, 1945 and was buried with his wife Hannah in Blair, Nebraska.

As far as the US Census is concerned, in 1920, he was listed as J P Johnson, living in Blair township, Washington County, Nebraska with his wife Elizabeth. His wife Hannah had died in 1908.

In 1910, he was listed as John P Johnson, living in the city of Blair with two daughters, Myrtle and Della O. and two sons, Vivian M. and Nathan L. Yes, that's not a typo, Vivian is listed as a 17 year old son, white male on the form.

In 1900, he was listed as John P Johnson, living in the city of Blair, Nebraska with his family. His wife Hannah, 3 daughters and 2 sons. The extra daughter's name was Hannah. Beside JP's wife's name is the number 17, meaning she had 17 children and the number 9, meaning 9 were alive as of 1900.

What doesn't make much sense to me is the name Jørgen. That should be Danish for George, not John. John would be Hans or Johan. So I'm not 100% on the name Jorgon or Jørgen.