A New Home in Wisconsin

John Johnson's obituary indicates that the family lived in New York for about four years before traveling to Wisconsin.



Karen Hulford provides information about the Johnson's first few years in America.  From A Johnson Family History:

Shortly after arriving in New York, the Johnson family made their way up to the Buffalo area where Engebret found work with a Quaker family…a lack of money precluded continuing their journey on to Wisconsin.  In 1849 after the birth of two more daughters, they made their way to Wisconsin where they settled in Dunn Township in Dane County and took up farming on land purchased for cash from Helen’s brothers Nils and Lars Ellefsen Mastre who were the first Norwegian settlers in that area.[1]  A land title was recorded in Milwaukee for Engebret on May 3, 1858.  Engebret was to become a very successful farmer and, indeed, was one of the wealthiest farmers in the township.  Again, in his words:

“The terrain consists largely of woods interspersed with swampy areas.  Clearing the land was consequently a tough job for the early settlers; but the soil is fertile, and even now we can count on an average yield of twenty bushels per acre.  We have good pasturage and easy access to water, so the township is well suited for cattle-raising.  I have lived on this place ever since my arrival; no particular misfortune has struck either me or my family, and God has clearly blessed the labors of my hands in this country.”  

It would seem that five more children were born to the Johnsons:  Julia, Susan, Isaac, Ellen, and Harriet (Hattie).[2]  Engebret and Hellene lived in the McFarland area until their deaths in 1885 and 1882, respectively.  Almost certainly, they are buried at the old Lutheran church in McFarland.

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[1] Nils immigrated on the Aeolus in August of 1843 and was to marry and have nine children; he later moved on to Minnesota and then to the Dakota Territories.  Lars later moved to Iowa.[2] The number and names of these latter children are confusing.  Julia and Susan appear in the 1850 census but not the 1860 census.  Isaac, Ellen, and Harriet appear in the 1860 and 1870 census, but their ages seem to overlap those of Julia and Susan who may have died at a young age.

Accounts of other emigrants indicate they traveled from New York to Albany by steamboat, then from Buffalo, New York across the Great Lakes to Milwaukee, Wisconsin by steamboat.

Home of Ingebrigt and Helene Johnson in Dane, Wisconsin

Photo courtesy of Karen Hulford 

Family of Ingebrigt and Helene Johnson

Ron Larson, McFarland's Norwegian Heritage, 1991:

Ingebrigt and Helene “had at least another six children while living in Dunn [Dunn Township, Dane County, Wis.]  

The Johnson's bought much land south of the village [of McFarland] and it remained in the family well into the 20th century after he died on February 7, 1885. [Cemetery records indicate he died on February 8, 1885].”

For a more in-depth look at the children of Ingebrigt and Helene Johnson see the page called Children of Ingebrigt and Helene Johnson / Siblings of John Johnson. 


This is the family of Ingebrigt and Helene as taken from Dunn, Dane County, Wisconsin census records.  The record provided by Karen Hulford is a little different.


1850 Census                    1860 Census                     1870 Census                    1880 Census
Ingbute 35 Norway           Ingring 52 Norway           Ingel 63 Norway               Ingelbe 73 Norway
Helen 34 Norway              Hellen 46 Norway            Hellen 58 Norway             Hellen 68 Norway
John 16 Norway
Christine 14 Norway
                                          Ann 22 Norway
                                          Mary 20
Elisha 10 M Norway
Ole 8 M Norway               Ole 16 Norway
Alef 8 M Norway              Eli 16 Norway
Adah 6 F Norway             Ada 14 New York
Janette 3 Wisconsin          Janette 12 New York
Julia 2 Wisconsin              
                                          Isaac 10 Wisconsin          Isaac 20 Wisconsin
                                          Ellen 8 Wisconsin             Ellen 17 Wisconsin
                                          Hamit (F) 6 Wisconsin      Hatti 16 Wisconsin

Note:  John sailed to America at age 11 years
           Elisha was a girl named Elise.
           Oldest child Anne Marie had already left home.

Norwegian Names in United States Census Records

Early U.S. census takers very commonly misunderstood and miswrote the names of Norwegian immigrants.  The immigrants themselves were frequently most concerned about adopting a name that could be easily written and pronounced in English.

An excellent and easy-to-understand explanation of Norwegian names and the ways they were changed by early census takers is provided by Norwegian Ridge.

Clues that the families in these census records are the same family:

• Parent names and ages are the same or similar
• Two boys of the same age - this is a major clue
• Children have similar names from census to census
• Place of birth 

Clues that this is the family of OUR John Johnson

• John's marriage record (below) provides the names of his parents
• Dates, ages, and places named in John's obituary are the same

1850 Census: Dunn, Dane County, Wisconsin

1860 Census: Dunn, Dane County, Wisconsin

1870 Census: Dunn, Dane County, Wisconsin

1880 Census: Dunn, Dane County, Wisconsin

1861 Plat Map of the area where McFarland, Wisconsin is now located.  
Land of Ingebrigt Johnson is in the lower left corner.
Dates indicate the year the land was purchased.
from  "City of the Second Lake: A History of McFarland, Wisconsin" pg 4.

Ingebrigt's Land in Wisconsin

One of the few area farmers of Norwegian ancestry who was an original owner was "Inbert" Johnson.  In 1849 Mr. Johnson paid the United States government $50 for forty acres of land in section 10 of Dunn Township.   

If he was as poor as most of his countrymen, he probably resorted to borrowing from money lenders at an outrageous rate of interest to purchase the land and set up his farm.
But apparently hard work and good wheat crops finally paid off, for in 1855 he purchased an additional forty acres, and by 1861 he was the proud owner of 200 acres of rich farmland between Second Lake and Mud Lake in section 10.   

Either Mr. Johnson or the government clerks had difficulty deciding on the Americanization of his firt name, for it is listed as Inbert, Ingebright, and Engbert on the 1861 plat map.

From "City of the Second Lake: A History of McFarland, Wisconsin" by Barbara Houghton, Jane Licht, and Margaret Nielsen, 1998, Grote Publishing, Madison, Wisconsin & Community Publications, McFarland, Wisconsin.  pg 5-6

10 Oct 1858  John Married Mary A. Ray

John Johnson married Mary A. Ray in Ellenboro, Grant County, Wisconsin. The marriage certificate lists John’s parents as Ingle and Helen. His parents' names are one primary clue that the John in the 1850 census is our John Johnson.

Unfortunately, we do not have a confirmed photo of Mary Ray Johnson.

Marriage Record of John Johnson and Mary Ray.

Children of John and Mary BEFORE the Civil War

John and Mary had 4 children while living in Dunn Township, Dane County, Wisconsin. 

Two named children were born before the war. 

In addition, John Johnson's obituary indicates that he and Mary had two more children who died as infants or children but are not listed on any census. They lost a total of three children, including the John listed below.

John (1859 – ) listed on 1860 census but not 1870 or later

Frances “Frankie” Maria [or Marie]    (Jan 1861 – 23 July 1924).