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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