Charles Emil Johnson

FAMILY HISTORY
Charles Emil Johnson was born in the province of Ostergotland, Sweden on July 24, 1857. It is thought that he was from the town of Odeshog which is located in the central part of southern Sweden on the Lake of Vattern, one of the larger lakes in the country. Ostergotland, "the land of eastern Goths", is a province between two coasts, as different as an imaginative nature could make them. The western coast is formed by Lake Vattern, a long, narrow inland sea around which nestle some of the nation's most treasured natural and historical sights. The east coast is on the Baltic Sea, comparatively harsh and unyielding, but just as beautiful in a bolder fashion. Between are some of the most fertile farmlands and finest estates in the entire country. (1)
Charles Johnson worked as a farmhand for J. E. Pettersson, and a "reference" (see Appendix) describes him as willing, honest and faithful. He was the only one of his family to immigrate to the United States, arriving in 1880. He settled in Smethport, Pa. after a short period spent in Jamestown, N.Y. and worked at the Smethport Extract Works (Acetone Plant in East Smethport) for $1.00/day. Later in life he worked for Judge J. W. Bouton on West Main Street as a caretaker. He was a charter member of and very active 4r1 the Evangelical Lutheran Church (later, Ansgarius Lutheran and Trinity Lutheran) which was the center of the family's religious and social life. In 1928 he returned to Sweden for a visit, sailing on the Gripsholm. At least four souvenirs from this trip remain, shot glasses from Goteborg, one of which belongs to Howard Hull and the other, to Michael Hull. Madelaine Johnson has a modern-looking glass and silver jar and a three-footed copper planter which had been given by Charles to his daughter, Lena.
Charles Johnson died in Smethport, Pa. on October 3, 1930. Pictures of him show a serious looking man with a large mustache.
Josephine Ryberg Johnson was born on January 8, 1862 in the province of Halland, Sweden. This province is on the west coast of Sweden in the southern part of the country. Her entire family came over to the United States in 1873 with the exception of her eldest brother. In Sweden the family had been quite well-to-do with a family business and even had household help. Then the father drank and gambled and lost his money so he decided to come to American where "he could make a lot of money." Not knowing anything about farming they weren't successful at it. The farm they settled on was on the Clermont-Wilcox road, closer to Wilcox.
Josephine Ryberg had three brothers and three sisters.