Johnson, Oscar

OSCAR JOHNSON 1reftext77_94.gif

Oscar Johnson was born on June 12, 1890 in Brookings, South Dakota and came to Alberta with his parents, Lars and Sophie, settling at Bittern Lake, Alberta. Later on, he bought for ten dollars a homestead, NW. 1/4 of 5-57-R6-W4th, one and one-half miles east of Elk Point and resided in the district until his death on March 28,1958 at sixty-seven years of age.

He married Josephine Koren from Rusylvia, Alberta on November 16, 1933 and raised six children - four sons and two daughters: Ludwig (Louie) Johnson, born September 5, 1934, now lives in Edmonton, Alberta: Alice, born February 4, 1936, married Palmer Pynten in 1951 and now resides in Hay River, N.W.T.; Viola, born April 29, 1937, married Joseph Yarmuch in 1956 and now resides in Elk Point, Alberta; Victor Johnson, born May 13, 1938, now lives in Elk Point, Alberta; Wesley Johnson, born May 13, 1945, married Mary Dubina in 1973, and now resides at Spruce Grove, Alberta; The youngest son, Stanley Johnson, born June 30 1947, died in an accident in July of 1964 at the age of seventeen years.

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Oscar and Josie Johnson with their children Louie, Alice, Victor and Viola.

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Bob Quin Postmaster, Handing Oscar Johnson a scroll for faithful service

OSCAR JOHNSON OF LAKE ELIZA

Oscar Johnson came from Sweden in 1910 at the age of nineteen years. He filed on a homestead at Lake Eliza. He gave it that name.

I, Hildur Lundgren, Mother, Dad, and my sister came to Canada from the States in 1914. I met my husband, Oscar Johnson when he hauled the mail to Caskeyville. We were married in 1921. He got the post office at his place and hauled the mail for twenty-five years. He first got the mail from Caskeyville. Mrs. Caskey had the post office at her home.

He had some tough trips in those days as there were no real roads, only trails, and real cold in the winter travelling with horses. He had his dinners at Mrs. Caskey's place and took the mail for Lake Eliza to his place. The weather and trails were so bad at time I thought he would never get back, but he never missed a mail day.

Later they changed the mail route to St. Paul so he hauled it to St. Paul and back to Lake Eliza. He hauled the mail for quite a few years until they took away all the small post offices.

We didn't have the late modern machinery they have now so it was hard going at times. He batched for ten years before we were married. We had three children, Alice, Doris, and Clarence. Oscar retired at the age of 71. He passed away in 1963 in a tractor accident.

Now I live in Elk Point at Buckingham House and like it very much. All are so nice here.

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FRONT ROW, Left to Right: Lars Johnson, Sophia Johnson, Marvia Valentine

BACK ROW, Jack Valentine, Annie Valentine Myrna Valentine. About 1941