JOHNSON, John O.

IA 12th Inf Co G. Residence: Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa. Born in Norway. Civil War: Age 27. Enlisted 9 Oct 1861 as Corporal. Mustered 5 Nov 1861. Missing in battle of Shiloh, Tennessee, 6 Apr 1862. Taken prisoner there and sent to a prison in Georgia. Moved to Libby prison, Richmond, Virginia. Paroled at Akins Landing, Virginia, 17 Oct 1862, and exchanged at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri, in Nov 1862. Promoted Sergeant, 1 Jul 1863. Re-enlisted & re-mustered 5 Jan 1864. Mustered out 20 Jan 1866, Memphis, Tennessee. Post war: He became a farmer in Highland Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa. On 22 Jul 1869, he married Martha Thompson Tufte. They had three children. Johnson died 2 Jan 1910 and is buried in the Highland Lutheran Church cemetery in Winneshiek County. Sources: (ISW-II p479) (Family History of John O. Johnson and Martha Thomsdtr. Tufte by Arthur V. and Audrey C. Johnson Helgeson, Loveland, Colorado, publ. 1995.)