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- John Pearson, born in Billinge, Sweden on February 14, 1849, was thesixth born of nine children of Pear Pearson and Elenor J John Pearson,born in Billinge, Sweden on February 14, 1849, was the sixth born of nine children of Pear Pearson and Elenor Jönson. His parents wereland owners, they also operated a grist-mill as well. John grew to manhood and was educated in Sweden. In 1869, at agetwenty, he came to the United States. After arrival at New York, heproceeded to Kansas City, Missouri. He spent a year there and in 1870went west with a 'floating' gang leveling rails on railroads, arrivingthen in Denver, Colorado. Leaving Denver, he took charge of engines for the Kansas Pacific Railroadat Hugo, Colorado. By the spring of 1871 he was working in sawmills,smelting works and stamp mills at Black Hawk, Colorado. In 1876 he located in southeastern Kansas near Columbus, where heinvested in land. In the spring of 1877 he went to San Francisco,California and on to Oregon where he prospected until the spring of 1878.He then returned east to Cheyenne, Wyoming and joined the flow of peopleto the Black Hills of South Dakota. In Deadwood, South Dakota he hired out as a steam engine operator ofsawmills. He bought an interest in the business which he held for twoyears. In 1880 he sold those two plants and bought two mills operatingnear Spearfish, South Dakota, moving them in 1882 to Crook County,Wyoming on the south fork of Hay Creek. In 1886 he sold the old mills and purchased new improved machineryand erected it where it stood until it burned in 1974. On April 1884, at Spearfish, South Dakota, he was united in marriageto Miss Augusta Johnson. Miss Johnson, born in Sweden in 1858, was a daughter of John and AnnaLea (nee Lovisa) Johnson, who had immigrated from Sweden in 1881,locating at Jewel City, Kansas. Mr. Johnson died and was buried there.His widow and children moved to the Black Hills settling in Spearfish. In later years Mrs. Johnson made her home with Mr. and Mrs. Pearson,passing away in 1900 at the age of seventy-seven years. She was buried inthe Pearson family cemetery just two years after the death of herdaughter. Mr. Pearson’s sawmill camp became known as Eothen when a post officewas established there in 1887, which operated for twenty-six years, thenclosing in 1913. It was located in the store building. The post officeboxes are still being preserved at the ranch to date (1979). Mr. Pearson operated a road house for overnight quests. His large barnand corrals accommodated many teams and saddle horses. At one time Mr. Pearson owned eight thousand acres of land. He ran alarge number of cattle, horses and angora goats. He also planted a verylarge fruit orchard. Mr. Pearson had extensive holdings in South Dakota. In 1903 he helpedbuild the old First National Bank in Belle Fourche and was one of thedirectors. He was a Justice of the Peace. He owned a ten residences and manylots, also a lodging house. He owned a block across the street from theDon Pratt Hotel in Belle Fourche, South Dakota. He built the PearsonOpera House in 1905. He Also owned property in Minnesota. Mr. Pearson retired to an apartment in his lodging house in order todevote his time to the supervision of his extensive interests. To Mr. and Mrs. Pearson were born seven children. A son and a daughterdying in infancy. The surviving children were; Charles A., Frank O.,Margaret Nee Pearson) Whalen, Nels Otto, and John II. Mr. Pearson passed away in 1922 at the age eighty-three. His wifedied in 1898 at the age of forty, both are buried in the Pearson familycemetery overlooking the valley of South Hay Creek. --- this statement is listed on page 389 and 391 in the book - Pioneers O Crook County 1876-1920, by the Crook CountyHistorical Society, Crook County, Wyoming, published byState Publishing Company, 303 East Sioux, Pierre, South Dakota, Copyright 1981. His parents were land owners, they also operated a grist-mill aswell. John grew tomanhood and was educated in Sweden. In 1869, at age twenty, he came tothe United States. After arrival at New York, he proceeded to KansasCity, Missouri. He spent a year there and in 1870 went west with a'floating' gang leveling rails on railroads, arriving then in Denver,Colorado. Leaving Denver, he took charge of engines for the Kansas Pacific Railroadat Hugo, Colorado. By the spring of 1871 he was working in sawmills,smelting works and stamp mills at Black Hawk, Colorado. In 1876 he located in southeastern Kansas near Columbus, where heinvested in land. In the spring of 1877 he went to San Francisco,California and on to Oregon where he prospected until the spring of 1878.He then returned east to Cheyenne, Wyoming and joined the flow of peopleto the Black Hills of South Dakota. In Deadwood, South Dakota he hired out as a steam engine operator ofsawmills. He bought an interest in the business which he held for twoyears. In 1880 he sold those two plants and bought two mills operatingnear Spearfish, South Dakota, moving them in 1882 to Crook County,Wyoming on the south fork of Hay Creek. In 1886 he sold the old mills and purchased new improved machineryand erected it where it stood until it burned in 1974. On April 1884, at Spearfish, South Dakota, he was united in marriageto Miss Augusta Johnson. Miss Johnson, born in Sweden in 1858, was a daughter of John and AnnaLea (nee Lovisa) Johnson, who had immigrated from Sweden in 1881,locating at Jewel City, Kansas. Mr. Johnson died and was buried there.His widow and children moved to the Black Hills settling in Spearfish. In later years Mrs. Johnson made her home with Mr. and Mrs. Pearson,passing away in 1900 at the age of seventy-seven years. She was buried inthe Pearson family cemetery just two years after the death of herdaughter. Mr. Pearson’s sawmill camp became known as Eothen when a post officewas established there in 1887, which operated for twenty-six years, thenclosing in 1913. It was located in the store building. The post officeboxes are still being preserved at the ranch to date (1979). Mr. Pearson operated a road house for overnight quests. His large barnand corrals accommodated many teams and saddle horses. At one time Mr. Pearson owned eight thousand acres of land. He ran alarge number of cattle, horses and angora goats. He also planted a verylarge fruit orchard. Mr. Pearson had extensive holdings in South Dakota. In 1903 he helpedbuild the old First National Bank in Belle Fourche and was one of thedirectors. He was a Justice of the Peace. He owned a ten residences and manylots, also a lodging house. He owned a block across the street from theDon Pratt Hotel in Belle Fourche, South Dakota. He built the PearsonOpera House in 1905. He also owned property in Minnesota. Mr. Pearson retired to an apartment in his lodging house in order todevote his time to the supervision of his extensive interests. To Mr. and Mrs. Pearson were born seven children. A son and a daughterdying in infancy. The surviving children were; Charles A., Frank O.,Margaret Nee Pearson) Whalen, Nels Otto, and John II. Mr. Pearson passed away in 1922 at the age eighty-three. His wifedied in 1898 at the age of forty, both are buried in the Pearson familycemetery overlooking the valley of South Hay Creek. --- this statement is listed on page 389 and 391 in the book - Pioneers O Crook County 1876-1920, by the Crook CountyHistorical Society, Crook County, Wyoming, published by State Publishing Company, 303 East Sioux, Pierre, South Dakota, Copyright 1981.
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1849 - 1922 (72 years)
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