John J. Dahl, whose home is on section 26, Norway Township, is engaged in general farming, but makes a specialty of dairying. He was born on the 8th of October, 1856, in Norway, and is a son of John and Olena (Johnson) Johnson. His parents were lifelong residents of Norway, and of the nine children born to them only two came to the United States, these being our subject and his brother, Ole, who is employed in the shops of Racine. Eight of the family are still living and the others reside in Norway. The father, who was employed as a laborer, was born in 1824 and died in 1913. The mother’s birth occurred in 1826 and she passed away in 1896. Both were faithful members of the Lutheran church.
John J. Dahl was reared and educated in his native land and it was in 1880 that he crossed the Atlantic and became a resident of Racine County, Wisconsin. He spent two years working on a farm in Raymond Township and then followed the carpenter’s trade for many years. He was in debt thirty-six dollars on his arrival in this County, but being industrious and enterprising, he steadily prospered and met with success in carpenter work. In 1899, however, he retired from that business and purchased eighty acres of land in Norway Township, where he now resides. He has erected thereon a good residence and made other substantial improvements, including good outbuildings, and at the present time follows general farming. He has dairy interests, however, and keeps on hand full blooded Holstein cows, shipping his milk to Yorkville. He has cleared much of his land and made all of the improvements thereon, having an up-to-date residence, a good silo and a windmill upon his place.
In 1882 Mr. Dahl married Miss Mary Johnson, a daughter of Johannes Johnson, also a native of Norway, in which country Mrs. Dahl was born. She came to the United States in 1880 and took up her residence in Raymond Township, this County. To Mr. and Mrs. Dahl were born five children: Lovina, now the wife of Ed Overson, a resident of Yorkville Township; Inga, the wife of Oscar Gunderson, of Norway Township; Anna and Clarence, both at home; and Olaf, deceased. Mrs. Dahl died in 1909, leaving many friends to mourn her loss. She was a member of the Lutheran church, to which Mr. Dahl also belongs, and by his ballot he supports the men and measures of the Republican Party. The family is one of prominence in the community where they reside.