Old Log Wall and Cradle
The picture above shows the old log wall of the old Langeby Farm House which is, now, incorporated in the enlarged and modernized home . Also, shown is the old family cradle in which Johan Johansen was placed as an infant as was his father and his father before him. An old spoon also decorates the wall but I don't recall the story for this family heirloom. The present owner is Garry Hubert's second cousin Petter Dursett..
John Johansen b. 9 June 1890 on Langeby oeste Farm
Other Phototraphs :
The Story of Johan Johansen |
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as told to Katherine Bellamy |
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I left Norway when I was 16 years old in 1907, I had been to sea with
my father since I finished the sixth grade.
My father could heal - people came to him and he healed them. I asked him how he did it and he said it was a gift and when I was ready he would give it to me. But I never went back to Norway while he was alive. I went to San Francisco, I didn't know the lingo but after the earthquake everything was booming and the harbor was full of ships. In 1910 I went to Alaska looking for gold. At Seward I met a Swede and a man from North Dakota on their way to Fairbanks. We went over the pass from Seward to Anchorage (nothing at Anchorage then) digging in creeks along the way over three passes. Found nothing but a rusty pan and after that I came back to camp and told the others, "I'm going back," and picked up my bed roll and pack. The other two looked at each other--didn't say nothing but packed up too. "You don't have to come because I leave. I'll take care of myself." When we got back to Seward I found out the rule of Alaska: 3 go in, 3 must come out. There was three feet of snow in Seward. I had breakfast and walked to the dock. I saw Charlie (I had played solo with him many times in Seward). "What's doing," I asked. He was boss of the railroad getting coal out. "Snow covered tracks up at the pass-have to go in and fix it up." "Any chance for a job?" "Are you a carpenter?" "One of the best," I said. Then I got cold feet. "I don't have any tools." Charlie said, "There tool for all. You're hired." When the ice broke up I went to Nome on a ship. Hundred of people on the shore picking up gold that had washed down with the ice. I came back with enough to get to Seattle and San Francisco. In San Francisco I was acquainted and sailed out of there on ships many times. When I was in Panama on my way to South America I met the man from North Dakota in a restaurant and another time I saw the Swede in Vancouver. Both had stayed in Alaska and struck it rich. I was independent-if I didn't like a job, "Pay me off", I'd say. No trouble getting jobs any time-lucky. In San Francisco there was a theater up Market Street. I liked to go there. I'd go to dances. Free, not married-go where I pleased. When we got paid off at the dock, the others would go for a beer and spend 2 or 3 hours there. I'd go off by myself right away. No drinking. I came in on a ship at Seattle and called the judge's house where Christne was working doing cooking and caring for four bedroom house for $35 a month. I asked if she could go out that night. The Mrs. said yes she could. I arrived at 7 p.m. "Let's go kid." She was in tears with a sink full of dishes. The Mrs. had had a tea party that afternoon and the judge had brought home a group for dinner. I rolled up sleeves and we did the dishes. At 10 p.m. I called the Mrs. in and said I'd be back for Christine's truk in the morning. She said, "You can't do that." "We're getting married, I said. "You can't treat a girl like this." "Be good to her," she replied.
We were married the next day and I went back to the dock to get my pay and left the ship. We fooled around Seattle for a few weeks until I ran out of money and went back to get another ship.
I could have had my own ship. The union was striking. The boss said, "You walk off, I'll see you'll never get another ship." I walked off. couldn't' let the boys down. Never got another ship. So went to work loading on the dock.
I became boss of the gang. Our gang did more work than others. I stayed with them and no fooling. One man in particular was quiet and did his work well. One day I saw him in church. When I was retirement age I went to get severance pay. The boss said, "What do you want - I'll give it to you." "I don't want nothing. I want to quite working." What to do with retirement pay? Went down to Portland to talk to Mr. Chatham of Georgia Pacific. He took me all over and showed me everything and sat me down at his desk to talk for about an hour. I was convinced he knew his business and invested the whole thing with him. I've been lucky in the stock market. It's been something to keep me occupied. I should have gone into real estate but it worried mamma. I bought 2 lots- about 5 acres for $900. Christine worried so I sold them for $1600. Wanted to buy some Martha Lake property for a farm. Christine didn't want to farm. But I've been lucky in the stock market. Got in pretty heavy when the market was low this time - thought sure it would turn when Nixon left. But it's been slow. They tired to get me the other Friday for more margin --kept calling on the phone but I was out fishing until late. By Monday Georgia Pacific had gone up 5 points which took care of everything. Lucky. I like music. I wanted to play. My teacher asked me to sing, "O.K.," he said. "Perfect pitch." ...Couple of weeks ago I was fishing at the poplars in cold rain. The motor gave out and the wind drifted the boat out into the Sound while I was trying to start the motor. I gave up and rigged up a sail with some old jackets. Sailed across the Sound and landed at Madison Point. Secured the boat and climbed up a snow bank to a house with a light. They took me in - nice young couple - insisted I take a warm bath and gave me a hot meal and wouldn't let me go home, I called mamma and they came out the next day and took me home. Phil brough the boat back later. They were such nice people and wouldn't take anything for their trouble. I sent them the biggest box of candy I could find. End of This Written Record |
Picture of Langeby Farm's Northern Coast Line
1991
From what I understand, the property of this farm ran quite a long way along this coast line . The northern portion was given to the government to add to their national site where the famous Gostad ship was found.
The houses of the family, Garry's cousin still own this land, can be reached only through a path way, no larger than a small car track, that runs through two huge rock forms. In Viking days, this was important for protection from the enemy.
Story #2 in part as told to Judy A. Remmick-Hubert |
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He was born on 9 June 1890 as was his sickly twin sister. The
family had lived many centuries before in Sandefjord, Norway and this is
where he was born.
His father was a faith healer and earned most of his living healing people. His father did not like to work on the farm. Johan worked first on his grandfather's boat then on his fathers fishing boat when he was very young until he was about 16. Then he decided that he would go to America. Johan' processios included 10 honey bee hives that he wanted someone to care until he had earn his fortune. The three geese he had prized so highly was killed by his father who sold them to a man in the village. He sailed to America and landed at Elis Island. He took a train to Seattle. His brother was supposed to have met him when he arrived at the station. He was not. So, what to do? He was in a new country who's people spoke English. John did not know any English. Luckily there was a man other who could speak Norwegian and knew his brother. His brother had been too busy playing poker that he had lost track of time and wasn't there to greet him. The man helped him. The first two words that he learned in English were "Me too". This was because the man who had helped him had told him to say, "Me too", after he spoke in English. They went to dinner. The man said what he wanted and John voiced, "Me too." He named his fishing boat "Me Too". One of the funny stories John often repeated was when he was out fishing a boat they passed was named 'No Sense' and John laughed and said , "Me too". In 1907 John went to Seward Alaska.... With some of his gold nuggets he made for his daughter Pat a necklace and a bracelet for her two daughters.... I have a nugget necklas and Garry has for his watch fob a ten dollar gold piece earned in Alaska ... He then worked for a ship line that dropped coast line and channel markers up and down the California coast. He returned to Seattle... On the 13th of Nov 1912 he became a naturalized citizen of the USA. Married L. Christine Joendtr., Myksvoll [Maxvold] on 7 July 1915, Seattle, WA, USA
John and L.. Christine Johansen m. 7 July 1915, Seattle, WA, USA 10 Nov 1915, Age 26 gained the certificate to be an "Able Seaman for service on the High Sea and any Inland waters".
After refusing to cross the picket lines during a strike with the ship company he had worked, John worked on the docks ....and continued to do so with great sucess as one of the best liked dock bosses until he retired....
In 1923, John, his wife and children traveled to Norway to visit relatives for the first time and they would make other trips back to the "old country"..... They visited relatives in and near Sandefjord.
Langeby oeste Farm House - 1923 The Johansens , also, visted the Myksvoll clan.
1923 - Myksvolls on a picnic near Myksvoll n. Bergen, Norway. "me" is Pat Johansen who'd later m. M. P. Hubert. 30 April 1929 was enrolled a Master Mason, Occidental Lodge, No. 72 F. & A. M. . Recived his fifty year card in 1979. In the 1930s, as a foreman on the docks of Seattle , WA.., John was often called upon to difficult jobs.
After he retired from the hard work on the docks he started to play in the stock market and continued to do us up to the last few months of his life with the help of his son-in-law, M.P. Hubert..... Died in 1980.
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Story #3 Uncle John - As Recounted by John M. Johansen, Nephew of John's |
