Memorable Manitobans: Bjorn S. “Bjossi” Johnson (1887-1973)

Click to enlarge

Bjorn S. Johnson
Click to enlarge

Farmer, community activist.

Born at Gardar, North Dakota in 1887, son of Icelandic immigrants, in 1902 the family came to Canada and settled on a farm in the Grund district. On 17 November 1915, he married Thorhildur Jonina “Hilla” Frederickson (1890-1985), one of 11 children of Icelandic immigrants, at Glenboro. Four years later, they purchased her father’s farm four miles south of Glenboro, operating it until 1958 when they retired and moved to Glenboro.

He served for 50 years on the board of the Lutheran Church at Grund, including 40 years as Chairman. He was a councillor in the Rural Municipality of Argyle for nine years, a member of the Glenboro Fair Board for more than 40 years, and served on the board of a hospital he helped establish at Glenboro. He also helped to establish a local playground and swimming facility. In 1964, he was given a Golden Boy Award in recognition of his community service.

He died at Glenboro on 10 March 1973 and was buried in the Glenboro Cemetery.

Sources:

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“9 Golden Boys and Golden Gal”, Winnipeg Free Press, 9 November 1964.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 12 March 1973, page 30.

Obituary, Glenboro Gazette, 14 March 1973, page 2.

Obituary [T. J. Johnson], Winnipeg Free Press, 17 June 1985, page 34.

Bjorn S. Johnson, FindAGrave.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

We thank Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 4 March 2024

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:

Custom Search

Browse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Browse deaths occurring in:
1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca

Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements

Help us keep
history alive!