Pearl Johnson Papers

Collection — Container: 1 photo

Identifier: OGLMC-1270

Scope and Contents

The Pearl Johnson Papers consist of a 16-page autobiography in which Johnson relates stories of her father's Norwegian ancestry, her youth, farm life, and growing up in North Dakota. In addition, this collection contains an obituary for Pearl Johnson, a poem that Clara Forde wrote linking her memories with her mother, a memorial card from her funeral, names of children, and a photograph of Pearl from 1972.

Dates

created: 1979-1993
Other: Majority of material found in undated
Other: Date acquired: 05/20/1993

Creator

Johnson, Pearl (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Biographical or Historical Information

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Pearl B. (Tharaldson) Johnson was born August 29, 1896, on a farm near Pekin, Nelson County, North Dakota. She lived there until 1907, when she was sent to live with an aunt in Grand Forks. While there she met and married Louis Johnson, a farmer born in Telemarken, Norway. Pearl was fourteen at the time of their marriage. Louis and Pearl began their married life at the Oscar Smith farm, two miles north of the farm of her parents in Nelson County. After her father died, Pearl and Louis rented her mother's farm for a few years. In about 1916, Pearl and Louis lived on a homestead in McKenzie County. Five years later, when iron polluted their farm's water supply, they returned to the Pekin farm. In 1947, Louis and Pearl moved to Minneapolis, where Louis managed the Gronna Memorial Home and Pearl served as the home's matron. Louis and Pearl had ten children, four boys and six girls. Louis died January 14, 1963, while Pearl died September 20, 1979, at the Community Hospital in McVille, North Dakota.

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