A.K. JOHNSON HARNESS AND SHOE REPAIR

by A.K. Johnson family

Entry B10 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Parade going east past A.K. Johnson Harness and
Shoe Repair 1920

A.K. Johnson was born November 11, 1867
and passed away at the Ord, Nebraska
Hospital at the age of 97 years, 10 months and
18 days. He was buried in the Ord Cemetery.

He was born in Sheyatland, Sweden in the
county of Rumshulla. In the spring of 1885,
he came to the United States and then to
Nebraska to see a brother and sister. In 1906
he filed on a Kincaid Homestead in South
Cherry County. In 1909 he was married to
Anna Hansen of Ord, Nebraska and to this
union five children were born, one dying in
infancy.

In 1915, he moved to Mullen to start the
harness and shoe repair business. He was first
located in the Hawley building, then moved
to the Porter building on Main Street where
the Dutton restaurant is now located. It was
called A.K. Johnson Harness & Shoe Repair.
He made new saddles, harness and bridles
besides repairing them. He repaired shoes
and also bought cream and eggs. He thought
the Sandhills was a great dairy county. His
usual monthly run of cream was from 250 to
600 cans of cream. Some of his customers
came 70 miles or more. He sold various other
articles made of leather.

He continued in this business until 1921
when he returned to the ranch. At this
location, he proposed building a school house
in the Well's precinct. Everyone in the
neighborhood donated lumber and time to
build it. A man in the neighborhood was hired
to teach the school. The children's ages
ranged from 7 to 21 years of age who attended
this school. It was also the Wells' voting place.

A.K. was a charter member of the Masonic
Lodge #282 A.F. and A.M. of Mullen. He was
a member for over 65 years and received the
Jordon Medal. He was a member of the
United Methodist Church for over 50 years.