Sunday Stories: The John Henry and Caroline Virginia (Sinco) Johnson Family

Excerpted from the Sutherland Centennial 1891 – 1991, published in 1991.

John Henry Johnson was a widely known and highly honored early pioneer of the Sutherland Community, arriving here in the year of 1885. With an eye for what the future had in store for this area, and having faith and acting in good judgment, he reaped the benefits of his hard work.

John Henry was born in Putnam County, Indiana on May 29, 1847, the son of Abraham and Lucinda (Woods) Johnson. Abraham was a farmer in Indiana until 1885, when he moved his family to Ringgold County, Iowa. There he also farmed. John Henry was about eight years of age when the family moved to Iowa, there he received his education.

On completing his education, Mr. Johnson farmed until 1885, when he came to Lincoln County and obtained a homestead on the NW ½ of Section 30, Township 13, Range 34, 12 miles southwest of Sutherland.

He was an eye-witness and a participant to the wonderful transformation which took place here in the years to follow.

His first years here were characterized by toil of the most strenuous sort, but he persisted and by unremitting industry, and sound judgment in his operation, he finally realized the success which was bound to result from his enterprise. He conducted general farming operations and in later years retired to a home on eight acres in the town of Sutherland.

April 14, 1870, he was united in marriage to Caroline Virginia Sinco, a native of Jefferson County, Iowa. They became the parents of 10 children: Leona J., the wife of Fred Pierson of Sutherland; Ottie, the wife of C. B. McKinstry, a banker at Sedgwick, Colorado; Eunice, the wife of S. E. Anderson; Mable, the wife of J. N. Buchanan of Sedgwick, Colorado; Mary Francis, the wife of Harry McElroy Stewart, a farmer near Sutherland; Bertha who was a teacher in the Sutherland Public School System; Mortimer, who was in the hardware and implement business; Abraham, a farmer near Elsie, Nebraska. Alger, who had a furniture and hardware business in Laramie, Wyoming; 

and Otto V. who at the outbreak of the war between the United States and Germany offered his service to his country, becoming a member of Company K, 355^th Regiment, 89^th Division. He was sent overseas with his Regiment, and after active and faithful service was killed in battle on November 6, 1918; five days before the signing of the Armistice. Otto was a young man of excellent qualities of character, popular among his associates, and his death was greatly regretted throughout the community.

Mr. Johnson gave his political support to the Democratic Party. Was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

He passed away at his home on August 16, 1926. His wife, Caroline, died July 24, 1927. Both laid to rest at the Sutherland Cemetery.

Note: The Sutherland American Legion Post #208 was named after Otto V. Johnson. You can read more about that HERE in a previous post.