San Joaquin County Biographies


This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm



 
WILLIAM H. JOHNSEN.
 
        For the past thirty-nine years William H. Johnsen has made his home in 
the San Joaquin Valley near Tracy, and he has been a valued factor in promoting 
the development and progress of this district. He was born in Holstein on 
October 6, 1853, his parents being William A. and Catherine (Voss) Johnsen. The 
father died in Germany in 1914, eighty-nine years old; the mother passed away in 
1892, sixty-nine years old.
        On his mother's side Mr. Johnsen is related to the famous Voss family 
and his second cousin, Mr. Voss, of the firm of Bloom & Voss, famous 
ship�builders of Hamburg, was at one time head architect of Holland's navy and 
was doubtless the greatest ship architect of his time. Another cousin was John 
Voss, world traveler and lecturer, who passed away in February, 1922, while on a 
visit at Mr. Johnsen's home and was buried at Tracy.
        In the land of his nativity, William H. Johnsen was reared and his 
education was acquired in the public schools there. In his twentieth year he 
entered the German army, spending eight months in the service of the carpenter's 
department. He had previously learned the carpenter's trade and he became a good 
workman in that line. In 1874 he sailed for America, shipping as a seaman on the 
American vessel Franklin, at Hamburg. From there he went to Cardiff, England, 
where he subsequently sailed as a ship's carpenter and seaman on the ship "Gem," 
and by way of Havana he made his, way to New Orleans. For the next three years 
he was engaged on cotton vessels, sailing from New Orleans to European ports. 
Leaving England in the latter part of February, 1877, aboard the sailing vessel 
Samaria, where he served as ship's carpenter, he doubled Cape Horn and reached 
San Francisco July 31, 1877, and since that time he has lived in California. He 
made his first visit to the West Side of San Joaquin County in May, 1878, but 
continued to sail during the winter months, working as a carpenter in San 
Joaquin County in the summer time; he was the only carpenter in the Jefferson 
and New Jerusalem districts for several years. He now owns eighty acres of land 
under a good state of cultivation and his farm is well developed, constituting a 
valuable property.
        The marriage of Mr. Johnsen occurred on April 27, 1883, and united him 
with Mrs. Jeanette Scott, the widow of Mungo Scott, of San Joaquin County, and a 
native of Nova Scotia. By this marriage there were two daughters, Annette M. is 
now Mrs. Frank Nicolaysen, and Marguerite C. is the wife of Lloyd Gerry of San 
Francisco. For many years Mr. Johnsen served as a trustee of the Jefferson 
school district and the cause of education finds in him a warm friend. He 
belongs to Summer Lodge No. 177, I. O. O. F., of Tracy and also has membership 
with the Tracy Encampment. He is now living retired at his ranch home near 
Tracy, after a busy and useful life.
 
History of San Joaquin County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 
1923
p  724        
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.