Johnsone  
 

Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",  published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.


     EPHRAIM JOHNSON, a farmer residing on Welch creek, four and one-half miles east of Creston, Washington, was born in Sweden, January 22, 1856.  His parents were Jonas and Stena Johnson, both now dead.  He has one brother, William, and one sister, Mrs. Matilda Haed, both living in Minnesota.
     Ephraim Johnson came to the United States with his parents at the age of eight years and settled in Nicollet county, Minnesota, where he grew to manhood on a farm.  In the spring of 1884 he came to Washington, and spent two years engaged in farming in the Palouse country.  He then came to Lincoln county and took a homestead near Creston, where he was a pioneer settler.  Here he was compelled to work for wages for a space in order to get the necessary money with which to improve his claim, and eventually he accumulated four hundred and eighty acres of land.  This land he sold in 1902 and purchased his present home, which comprises three hundred and twenty acres, all of which is good grain land.  A great portion of his farm lies on bottom land and can be irrigated.  He has first class buildings and improvements, with a three acre orchard.  He has an abundance of farm implements and stock to successfully prosecute his business.
     Ephraim Johnson was married on December 29, 1881, to Ida C. Lellengren, a native of Illinois.  Her parents were August and Mary Lellengren, who come to America from Sweden, settled first in Illinois and later in Nicollet county, Minnesota,.  They came to Creston in 1887, and there both died during the month of June, 1903.
     To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have been born six children: Delia, wife of Charles Brennan; Charles, Arthur, Myrtle, Phillip and Lloyd.
 

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