More about Great Grandfather Joseph Johnson

More about Great Grandfather Joseph Johnson

Captain Joseph Johnson, Olena, Christine, Marie, Ingeborg, William, Joseph - Probably taken in 1892

As I traveled through New Jersey on my genealogy vacation this summer, I visited a place I believe Joseph Johnson our “Sea Captain” great grandfather first arrived in America.  Joseph (41 years old) traveled from Norway with his wife Olena (34) and three daughters Christine (10 years old), Marie (7 years old) and Ingeborg (4 years old) probably in 1886.  I am still investigating what ship he actually arrived on, but that minor detail can wait, this story can’t.  In the 1880’s Scandinavia was in economic decline due to major crop failures.  Many people from that area immigrated to the United States, the numbers tripled over the last half of the 19^th century according to the population and immigration statistics of the time.

Joseph, Olena and their daughters probably lived in Oslo, Norway in 1885, since the daughters were born in there.  Joseph was a mariner and possibly worked as a sailor or building boats.  He brought the family over to New Jersey, specifically Port Norris.  The reason was simple, this was the prevailing location for maritime activity in South Jersey and many Scandinavians were settling in this area.

Port Norris, Commercial Township,
Cumberland County, New Jersey Map

A little history:  In the late 1700s , early 1800s the Port Norris region was used as a small port to ship logs, cut from the very wooded area, up the Maurice River and also out the Delaware bay and up and down the coast for the building of the cities along the shore.  Oystering grew during this time and in the late-1800s the Delaware Bay became one of the most important resources for the American oyster. In 1876, the Central Railroad built a shortline from Bridgeton to Port Norris and Bivalve to load large quantities of these harvested oysters into “Iced Boxcars” and ship them to Camden, Philadelphia, and even New York City. You could buy oysters from the street vendors in Philadelphia, much the way we buy pretzels and hot dogs today. 

 Hundreds of Schooners sailed out on the tide to harvest these oyster beds, load the oysters onto flatbed boats and haul them back to shore.  The Railroad owned most of the shore town of Bivalve including the docks and storefronts. 

People from as far away as Philadelphia would come to Bivalve to watch the fleet of sailboats sail out, it was quite a sight to behold, and became a big tourist event.  Of course they stayed and had grand dinners of oysters.   ½ mile inland was Port Norris where many of the ship captains’ and crew lived, along with the sail makers, carpenters, store owners, and all the other people to support this growing harbor town.  At the peak of the oyster fishery, Port Norris could claim more millionaires than any other town in New Jersey.

Today Bivalve consists of a small crushed shell road leading to the old marina.  You can see only the rotting pilings left from the many docks that once lined up and down the shore.    Remnants of the track that the Railroad used sit next to some old buildings, once used at store fronts, warehouses for shucking oysters and the railroad office. Now these buildings house the non-profit organization call the “Bayshore Project” with a mission to preserve this local history.  If you are in the area it is worth a short visit.  Port Norris is just up the road with a Main Street several blocks long.  Now, it is a sleepy little town with only a small grocery store and modest homes, some with the gingerbread molding of yesteryear.  There was a decline in oysters due to pollution and the two towns waned.

                With some hints from a cousin and additional research assistance from the Port Norris Historical Society, I found a series of newspaper articles called “Port Norris Pickings” that mentioned our Great Grandfather Joseph Johnson during the time he lived in Port Norris.  Here are his family events and the newspaper articles chronologically:

1886-1887 - Johnson family moved to Port Norris from Norway.  Joseph (41), Olena (34), Christine (10), Marie (7) and Ingeborg (4).

February, 1888 Joseph Johnson had a shipboard accident that severely injured him internally and broke his leg.  He stayed in the Mariner Hospital in Portland, Maine for 3 months recovering before he could be moved.

March 27, 1888 William B Johnson (our grandfather) was born in Port Norris, the first of the family born in America.   Joseph was not home for the birth or during the first 3 months of the infant’s life and not earning any money.

May 28, 1888 – Port Norris Pickings

Mr. Jos. Johnson, who was so severely injured by a bale falling on him whilst engaged in loading a vessel on which he was employed at Portland, Maine, some three months ago, and who has lain in the Marine Hospital at that place since that time, was brought to his home at this place on Tuesday last.  Mr. Johnson’s leg, which was broken at the time, has got nearly well, but at times he suffers terribly with a pain in his side.  It is feared he will have to undergo an operation for relief.  We hope for his ultimate recovery.

June 26, 1888 – Port Norris Pickings

On Friday night last, the Idaho Tribe of Red Men after their business meeting again regaled themselves with refreshments in the shape of fruits and ice cream, and passed a pleasant hour in songs and speeches, after which a collection was taken up among the members present and quite a sum of money was raised which was invested in canned goods, groceries and taken as a surprise to Mr.  Johnson who is incapable of doing work of any kind through injuries received on board a vessel.  The Indians were well received and were nicely entertained by Mr. Johnson and family, who are much please with their liberality.

The Idaho Tribe of the Improved Order of Red Men was a fraternal organization charitable group with the mission of helping people less fortunate in their community.  They had regular meetings in Port Norris.  It seems that the Johnson family was well liked in the community and these friends did want to help the family in their time of need. 

Jan 8, 1889 – Port Norris Pickings

Joseph Johnson, our Norwegian friend, was taken to Philadelphia to have an operation performed.  The undertaking was a successful one, and Mr. Johnson is improving as well as can be expected.

April 24, 1889 – Port Norris Pickings

Joseph Johnson, of this place who was so severely injured on board of a vessel in Philadelphia, has so far recovered that he left this morning for New York, where he has a position offered him as captain of a large coal barge.

A discrepancy in the newspapers as to where his injury occurs, in Portland, Maine or Philadelphia.  I think it was in Portland, Maine.

July 26, 1889 – Port Norris Pickings

Joseph Johnson is visiting Camden.

Aug 8, 1889 – Port Norris Pickings

Joseph Johnson has returned from a visit in Camden.

This visit to Camden could be a follow-up on his medical problems, something to do with his job.

Nov 27, 1889 Joseph Peter Johnson is born into the family. Christine is 12, Marie 9, Ingeborg 6 and William almost 2 years old.

Jan 29, 1890 – Port Norris Pickings

Belford Harris while going around yesterday collecting gifts of charity for the Johnson family overloaded his wagon and broke one of the springs.

Aug 2, 1890 – Port Norris Pickings

A number of young people of Port Norris gave a very pleasant entertainment last evening for the benefit of the unfortunate Norwegian Johnson family, with the proceeds of which they may be enabled to engage in some self-supporting business.  The program which may indeed be highly commended consisted of two of W. D. Howell’s farces.  They were entitled “The Gamotters” and “The Sleeping car.”  There was also instrumental and vocal music by the Misses Mayhew, of Philadelphia, and Cook, of Wilmington, Del.  Miss Cook possesses a superior voice and held her surprised audience spellbound.  The entertainment will be repeated this evening, with slight changes.

Dec 12, 1890 – Port Norris Pickings

Mr. Johnson, who had his hand mashed the other day, is getting along nicely.

Dec 16, 1891 Norman Johnson was born into the family.  Christine is 14, Marie 11, Ingeborg 8 and William almost 4 years old, Joseph 2.

March 8, 1892 Norman Johnson died at 3 months old.

The family moved to Camden, New Jersey sometime between 1892 and 1894.

Feb 10, 1894 Esther Johnson was born into the family in Camden, New Jersey

1895 Joseph and family are listed in the New Jersey Census in Camden.

1895 Joseph is listed as a Seaman in the Camden City Directory.  They continue to live in Camden.  Joseph died in the Marine Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland after a long illness of cancer of the bladder in 1911.

                It seems that our Johnson family had many difficulties after arriving in America, but continued to try to pursue a better life.  They must have made many friends in the community, because they receive wonderful help along the way.  Although Joseph had his troubles, his children grew up and did find better success in life than he did.  More of that in a future story.