Skip Navigation

Engel Johnson

15th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
The Scandinavian Regiment
Engel  Johnson Profile Image
Ashippun History Committee

Database Record Change Request

Name at Enlist

Engel Johnson

Birth Name
Lived

7 Sep 1835 – 24 Apr 1901

Birth Place

Tysnæs prestegjeld, Bergen

Birth Country

Norway

Resident of Muster-In

Leeds, Columbia County, WI

Company at Enlistment

B

Rank at Enlistment

Musician

Muster Date

16 Nov 1861

Death Location

Lincoln County, WA

Burial Location

Sherman Cemetery, Lincoln County, WA

Immigration

1857

Spouse

Martha Nielsdatter Johnsen

Spouse Lived

19 Apr 1846- 15 Dec 1912

Married On

15 Nov 1866

Marriage Location

St. Ansgar, Mitchell, IA

Engel Johnson was born in Tysnæs prestegjeld, Bergen, Norway. He joined the WI 15th Infantry, Company B. The men of the company called themselves the “Wergeland Guards” in honor of Henrik Wergeland, the famous Norwegian writer and poet. The army listed him as living in Leeds, Columbia County, WI, age 25, and unmarried. He enlisted for three years on September 24, 1861 at Madison, WI, and mustered there on November 16, 1861 as a Drummer. Johnson “Never reported sick or absent.” He mustered out with Company B on December 2, 1864 at Chattanooga, TN.

After the war, he moved to Mitchell County, IA. There, he married Martha Nielsdatter Johnsen. They married on November 15, 1866 in St. Ansgar, Mitchell, IA. Shortly thereafter, they moved to MN. In 1875, they were listed as living in Nunda, Freeborn, MN with three children, all of whom were born in MN: John (1867), Nicoli (1871), and Edward (1874). By 1876, the family was in Deer Creek, Worth, IA. Engel and Martha had four more children: Josephine (1876), Martin (1880), Emma (1883), and Lewis (1886). Engel was working as a farmer. By 1889, they were living in Lincoln County, WA. He died on April 24, 1901 and Martha on December 15, 1912. Both are buried in Sherman Cemetery, Lincoln County, WA.

 

Sources: Series 1200: Records of Civil War Regiments, 1861-1900, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, box 76-4; Regimental Muster and Descriptive Rolls, 1861-1865, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, vol. 20, p. 32; Det Femtende Regiment. Wisconsin Frivillige [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers], Ole A. Buslett, 1894, Decorah, IA, p. 385; Nordmændene i Amerika, Martin Ulvestad, 1907, History Book Co., Minneapolis, MN, p. 296; Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, Vol I & II, compiled under direction of the Adjutant General, Madison, WI, 1886, p. 809; findagrave.com; 1875 MN Census, MNSC_7, Line 3; 1880 Census, Roll: 371, Family History Film: 1254371, Page: 431C, Enumeration District: 243, Image: 0184; 1900 Census, Roll: 1747, Page: 13A, Enumeration District: 0034, FHL microfilm: 1241747; 1889 WA Census, Roll: V228_11, Line 37; Iowa Marriage Records, FHL Film # 1502967, Ref ID: 2:3L8ZGBM; photo provided by great great great grandson, Roger Johnson.