FRED JOHNSON

 

Another son of foreign shores who has made good in his adopted country, and is now a part of the growth and progress of his section of it, is Fred Johnson, who was born in Anderstadsokn, Smaland, Sweden, January 29, 1876, a son of Andrew and Catherine (Carlson) Johnson.  The father was a shoe merchant in the old country, and the family migrated to America in 1893, and soon settled in Sutter County, one-half mile west and one mile south of Tudor.

Fred Johnson was educated in the public schools of Sweden, and also attended the Central Grammar School of Sutter County.  He is the youngest in a family of three brothers, and has been associated in ranching operations with his brothers, J. S. and Carl A. Johnson, since old enough to work for his livelihood.  Since the family’s first arrival here the three brothers had been carrying on the farming, the father retiring from more active work.  This association of interests continued until three years ago, when they divided their holdings, setting aside twenty-four acres in orchard for their mother for her lifetime.  Mr. Johnson received thirty-five acres as his share, but makes his home on his mother’s ranch, attending to both ranches, his own being developed to peaches and prunes.  The father died on January 14, 1916, at the age of seventy-four and the mother, who makes her home with our subject, will be seventy-nine years old on the 12^th day of August, 1923.

The marriage of Mr. Johnson, which took place at his ranch on October 22, 1903, united him with Miss Sadie L. Trafton, born at O’Banion Corners, in Sutter County, a daughter of Henry E. and Naomi (White) Trafton, the former a native of Cornish, Maine, the latter of Illinois.  Henry E. Trafton came to California, but was drowned when Mrs. Johnson was a very small child; she was but four years old when her mother died.  So the orphan girl never really knew what it was to have a father and mother.  From the age of five years she lived with Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Carlson, of Oswald, Sutter County, and was educated at the Central and Barry Schools.  Five children have come to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson: Esther, wife of Russell Sargent, and Bernice, Emmett, Thelma, and Freda.  Mr. Johnson was for twelve years a trustee of the Central District school.  He is a member of the Wilson center of the Sutter County Farm Bureau.  He was associated with his brothers in propagating the Johnson Cling Peach, which has been so far perfected that it stands by itself in yield and flavor.  They also have two other new varieties of cling peaches that they are developing; and in their experimenting with these thus far they have made satisfactory progress, finding their flavor and grain perfect.