Thomas (Thore) H Johnson

GAR - Co B 95 Ill Infantry

Thor H. Johnson, veteran of the Civil War, pioneer of Barron County, and one of the real founders and builders of his community, came here in 1869, and bought 160 acres of railroad land in Section 19, east, Maple Grove Township, cleared 100 acres and opened a farm. He built a good set of buildings, and for many years had what was considered the best and largest house in this part of the county.

He was a progressive man, he believed in the future of the county, and he had a clear vision of the advantages to be gained by using modern methods and equipment. With this thought in view, he was the first man to own and operate a threshing machine in this ounty, thus inaugurating a new era in farm work. He was also. a horse fancier, and raised and owned many fine animals. But it was not alone in material things that he took part.

Being a thorough believer in education, as he was, he gave an acre of land for a school site to District No. 8, was a promoter of the project which resulted in the building of the schoolhouse there, and served as treasurer of the board for many years. He was also vitally interested in town affairs, helped to build some of the first roads, and served as supervisor for a long period. In many other ways, he took part in the progress of the community, and had the respect and admiration of all who knew him, his reputation extending far beyond the borders of the township in which he lived.

After a busy life, filled with worthy endeavor, he died Nov. 2, 1914, and township and county united in mourning the loss of so good a citizen. Thor H. Johnson was born Sept. 16, 1845, in Norway, son of Oliver and Rena (Johnson) Johnson, who brought him to this country when he was a boy, and located on a farm in Illinois. Shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted, and served until the close of that conflict. Upon his discharge he located in Chicago, where he engaged in the meat business. From there he came to Barron County.

Mr. Johnson was married Oct. 26, 1867, to Anna Larson, who died April 28, 1878, leaving six children: John, Edward, Thomas, Henry, Daniel and Esther.

Jan. 1, 1881, he married Wilhelmina Storm, daughter of John and Sophia (Greenquist) Storm, natives of Sweden, who came to America in 1880, and settled in Maple Grove Township, this county, where they farmed the remainder of their lives, the father dying July, 1896, and the mother, March 12, 1899. By this marriage, Mr. Johnson had ten children: Alma, born Oct. 29, 1881, is now Mrs. Fred Richards, at Chetek, this county. Melvin was born April 4, 1883, and is a farmer in Maple Grove Township. Lena was born Dec. 25, 1885, and is the wife of John Wetzel, of Maple Grove Township. Emily was born Jan. 8, 1888, and is a trained nurse in Minneapolis. Myrtle was born Oct. 7, 1889, and is now Mrs. Adolph Olson, of Maple Grove Township. Ralph L. was born Aug. 6, 1892, and is now a farmer of Maple Grove Township. Fred was born Aug. 30, 1894, and is now a farmer near Chetek, this county. Viola, born March 8, 1897, is the wife of Raymond Hunt, of Maple Grove Township. Marion, born July 15, 1899, is now Mrs. Elmer Malum, living near Cameron, this county. Emmett was born Aug. 21, 1902, and now operates the farm for his mother.

--Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., &

Co., 1922, pp. 178-179.

Some records state that Thor was born in Illinois.

Thore enlisted at Belvidere, Illinois on December 30, 1863, for a period of three years and was mustered in on February 1, 1864, into the same unit, Company B, 95th Illinois Infantry at Camp Butler, Illinois. Thore also made it into battle by the time of the Red River Expedition. During this expedition, about May 1864, he contracted Typhoid Fever and chronic diarrhea at Alexandria, Louisiana. The summer of 1864, he was wounded in the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, Georgia. He was grazed across his skull from front to back. The fall of 1864, Thore contracted fever and ague at Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was with Sherman on his march to the sea and in the spring of 1865, Thore incurred a rupture at Goldsboro, North Carolina, and at Cairo, Illinois, about the fall of 1865 he contracted rheumatism. He was treated in hospitals at Vicksburg, Mississippi, New Albany, Indiana, and Jeffersonville, Indiana (Joe Holt U.S.A. General Hospital). Thore was also take prisoner and served nine months in Andersonville, the infamous Confederate prison. He was transferred to the 47th Illinois Infantry on July 26, 1865. Thore was 19 years old, 5 ft - 4 in. tall with brown hair, hazel eyes, and fair complexion. He was listed as a farmer from Boone County, Illinois who had been born in Norway.

“THE 95th”

“The 95th Infantry Illinois Volunteers was organized at Camp Fuller, Rockford, Illinois, in August 1862, by Colonel Lawrence S. Church, and mustered into the United States service September 4, 1862.

The Regiment moved from camp, November 4, 1862, and proceeded via Cairo and Columbus, to Jackson, Tennessee, and, afterward, to Grand Junction, Tennessee, where it was assigned to General McArthur’s Division, Army of the Tennessee. Took part in General Grant’s campaign in Northern Mississippi in the winter of 1862.

Moved from Memphis to Milliken’s Bend in the spring of 1863. Participated in the march to Grand Gulf, and all the battles between that place and the rear of Vicksburg. Was in the charges of May 19th and 22nd, losing 25 killed, 124 wounded, and 10 missing a much heavier loss than that of any other Regiment in the Division.

In March, 1864, went on Red River expedition under General A. J. Smith, and was engaged at the capture of Fort DeRussey and in the battles of Old River, Cloutierville, Mansouri, Yellow Bayou, and the movements of that advance and retreat.

In May, 1864, returned to Vicksburg, and soon after moved to Memphis and took part in the ill-fated Sturgis expedition. Was in the battle of Guntown, and fought with undaunted bravery, but was overpowered, and, with the whole of Sturgis’s army, retreated in confusion to Memphis. Colonel Thomas W. Humphrey was killed, and nearly the whole Regiment was killed, wounded or made prisoners. The campaign nearly annihilated the Regiment.

After recruiting at Memphis, the command, in August, joined General Mower. Moved up White River, and Marched from Brownsville, through Arkansas, to Missouri in pursuit of Price. The 95th arrived at Benton Barracks, Missouri, November 1, 1864. November 30th, moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Took part in the battle of Nashville, December 15, 1864 and in pursuit of Hood’s defeated army to Tennessee river. January 2, 1865, embarked for New Orleans, arriving February 21st.

On March 14, moved to Dauphin Island, at the mouth of Mobile Bay. On March 18, landed at Cedar Point, with Colonel Moore’s Brigade, and commenced the first offensive operation against Mobile. Took part in General Canby’s movement from Fish river. During the siege of Spanish Fort, carried its trenches to within 30 yards of the fort, April 8, 1865, being the first Regiment to occupy what was known in the rebel line as the “Red Fort”.

After the fall of Mobile, the 95th marched to Montgomery, Alabama arriving April 25th. From thence, moved to Opelika, Alabama.

July 18th, started home. August 3rd arrived at Vicksburg, 10th at St. Louis, and moved to Camp Butler, Illinois, where August 18, 1865, it was mustered out of service.

During the summer of 1864, the Regiment had a detachment of 100 men, with Major Charles B. Loop, Captain James Nish and Captain A. S. Steward, in charge. They participated in the battles of Kenesaw Mountain, Chattahoochie river, Atlanta, Joensboro and Lovejoy Station. The Regiment has marched 1,800 miles, and moved by rail and water 8,160 miles. Eighty-four men have been killed in battle or died of wounds and 176 died of disease. The total number of men who have belonged to the 95th - 1,355.”

Randina and children were still to be found in Boone County, Illinois on the 1865 state census.

Thore was honorably discharged from the army at Springfield, Illinois on January 17, 1866. On January 15, 1890, he applied for a partial disability pension.

After his discharge, he went to Chicago and worked in the meat business. He married Anna Larson on October 26, 1867 in Illinois.
In about 1869 Thore and Anna left Illinois and moved to Green County, Wisconsin in Mount Pleasant Township. Here we find the family now called Thomas Johnson on the 1870 Wisconsin census. Thomas Johnson 25 - farmer, born in Norway (Thore) Ann 24 born in Norway (Anna) Henry 2 born in Illinois (John A. Henry) Ed 8 mo. born in Illinois Rhoda 50 born in Norway (Rannei, Ranej, Randina) Albert 14 born in Illinois (Oliver) Nelson 12 born in Illinois

Here we again see a difference in many of the names, i.e. Thore in called Thomas, Anna is called Ann, John A. Henry is called Henry, Oliver is called Albert, and Randina is called Rhoda. The whole family, Thore, his wife, children, mother and two brothers all lived together at this time. It was while they lived in Green County, Wisconsin that their next child was born. Thomas Oscar, born June 15, 1871

The family then moved to Barron County, Wisconsin in about 1872, where Thore purchased the homestead in Maple Grove Township where he lived out the remainder of his years. Here three more children were born: Henry Robert, born April 4, 1873 Daniel, born March 1, 1875 Esther, born September 22, 1877

His first wife, Anna died on April 28, 1880. She had been born in Norway on October 26, 1849. At this time Thore’s brother Oliver, who had recently married, took all six children for Thore and kept them until he remarried.
Thore was married on January 1, 1881, to Wilhemina Strom, born June 15, 1860 – died January 26, 1944, from Alvsborg, Sweden. Wilhemina’s parents were John Strom and Sophia Greenquist

They were married by Judge J. G. Johnson at Maple Grove Township with neighbors Theodorus and Mary Ammudson as witnesses. It is here on his marriage certificate that Thore lists his parents as Halvor and Randie Johnson. Children: Alma, born October 29, 1881 Melvin, born April 4, 1883 Lena, born December 25, 1885 Emily, born January 8, 1888 Myrtle, born October 7, 1889

       Ralph L., born August 6, 1892 	Fred A., born August 20, 1894 	Viola, born March 8, 1897 	Marion (Merriam?), born July 15, 1899 	Emmett, born August 21, 1902