Thor Johnson (1828-1909)

JOHNSON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 2/20/2025 at 12:00:37

From Jewell Record February 25, 1909 (page 1)

PIONEER PASSES AWAY

Last Tuesday evening, February 16, Thor Johnson, one of the pioneers of Hamilton county, passed away at his home in Jewell at the very advanced age of 81 years, and was buried in the cemetery here Friday afternoon. The funeral service was conducted by Rev. Eastvold, pastor of the deceased man, from the Norwegian Lutheran church and was largely attended.

Thor Johnson was one of the really good old gentlemen that sometimes live on earth and the life he led was a benediction and a blessing to those with whom he came in contact. In the goods of this world he was not prospered, and far more than his share, it seemed, of hardship and suffering was his lot. For forty years he lived in this vicinity, and not a day of the past twenty-five of those years has been a day for him free from suffering. Twenty-five years ago he suffered a frozen foot while going to the coal banks for coal, and from that day he suffered from its effects and was forced to use crutches and cane.

But in spite of hardship and suffering he was ever known to everyone as a really good man, one whom it was a privilege to know. That privilege has not been the writer's, as during the past few years he had been almost an invalid. The telling of the story of his long life of Christian goodness is left to those who have known him well and have promised to prepare such a narrative for the next week's issue of the Record.