Bernt/Bendigt (Mathias) Johnson "Bennie"
Born 17 May 1846 in Norway, parents Johan and Karie Nilsen.
Came to the U.S. in ca. 1869. Arrived in Racine in 1870. Married 24 Dec 1872 at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Racine to Caroline (Karie) Gulick, who was born in 1853 in the Town of Dover, WI, (her father and mother were born in Norway). They had nine children;
Carrie (bn 1873,d 6 Jan1955),
Johnnie (bn 21 July 1876, d 3 Jun 1885),
Willie, (William G.)(bn 1878, d 20 July 1896),
Mamie (bn1880),
Benjamin F.(bn 1 July 1882, d 3 Jan 1948),
Melvin Leorine, (bn 18 July 1886, d 1942),
Viola (bn 1887, d1893) and
Ollie, (Olive Ruth) (bn 1 Jan 1890,d 1962?).
Bennie's wife, Karie/Caroline died 5 Jan 1890 5 days after giving birth to Olive, and Bernt raised the surviving children until he died 28 March 1895. The remaining three younger children were then raised at the Taylor Orphan Asylum in Racine.
Bernt was a shoemaker until the fall of 1875 when he opened a saloon on Main Street. "Bennie" as he was known operated a saloon and billiard hall over the 20 years. It was a busy time, for example, in August 1877 He was charged with allowing billiards to be played on Sunday. The saloons were at the following Racine, Main Street locations;
63 Main in 1875 & 76;
70 Main in 1878-1881; (Major Downtown fire May 5, 1882)
327 Main 1883 - 1887 and
318 Main 1888 until he died 28 March 1895.
Bernt was known as "quite a violinist even through he was left handed, he used the bow with some dexterity". In the early 1880s he also was a violin maker and one of his violins remains with the family today. He manufactured various items including 'The B. M. Johnson self acting skate' which was advertised in the Racine Daily Journal. He was also known as an inventor of some genius and perfected several patents between 1885 and 1893 (twelve are known, see attached) some basic and others rather complex for that era. In 1890 and 1891 Bernt and John Reichert manufactured saddlery hardware at 318 Main street such as Bridle-Bits, likely based on their three jointly held patents. Bernt struggled over the years to protect his many patents, which resulted in various lawsuits for enforcement. When He died in 1895, at 45 years old, the newspaper said, "his life was a battle for his rights
Born 17 May 1846 in Norway, parents Johan and Karie Nilsen.
Came to the U.S. in ca. 1869. Arrived in Racine in 1870. Married 24 Dec 1872 at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Racine to Caroline (Karie) Gulick, who was born in 1853 in the Town of Dover, WI, (her father and mother were born in Norway). They had nine children;
Carrie (bn 1873,d 6 Jan1955),
Johnnie (bn 21 July 1876, d 3 Jun 1885),
Willie, (William G.)(bn 1878, d 20 July 1896),
Mamie (bn1880),
Benjamin F.(bn 1 July 1882, d 3 Jan 1948),
Melvin Leorine, (bn 18 July 1886, d 1942),
Viola (bn 1887, d1893) and
Ollie, (Olive Ruth) (bn 1 Jan 1890,d 1962?).
Bennie's wife, Karie/Caroline died 5 Jan 1890 5 days after giving birth to Olive, and Bernt raised the surviving children until he died 28 March 1895. The remaining three younger children were then raised at the Taylor Orphan Asylum in Racine.
Bernt was a shoemaker until the fall of 1875 when he opened a saloon on Main Street. "Bennie" as he was known operated a saloon and billiard hall over the 20 years. It was a busy time, for example, in August 1877 He was charged with allowing billiards to be played on Sunday. The saloons were at the following Racine, Main Street locations;
63 Main in 1875 & 76;
70 Main in 1878-1881; (Major Downtown fire May 5, 1882)
327 Main 1883 - 1887 and
318 Main 1888 until he died 28 March 1895.
Bernt was known as "quite a violinist even through he was left handed, he used the bow with some dexterity". In the early 1880s he also was a violin maker and one of his violins remains with the family today. He manufactured various items including 'The B. M. Johnson self acting skate' which was advertised in the Racine Daily Journal. He was also known as an inventor of some genius and perfected several patents between 1885 and 1893 (twelve are known, see attached) some basic and others rather complex for that era. In 1890 and 1891 Bernt and John Reichert manufactured saddlery hardware at 318 Main street such as Bridle-Bits, likely based on their three jointly held patents. Bernt struggled over the years to protect his many patents, which resulted in various lawsuits for enforcement. When He died in 1895, at 45 years old, the newspaper said, "his life was a battle for his rights
Bernt/Bendigt (Mathias) Johnson "Bennie"
Born 17 May 1846 in Norway, parents Johan and Karie Nilsen.
Came to the U.S. in ca. 1869. Arrived in Racine in 1870. Married 24 Dec 1872 at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Racine to Caroline (Karie) Gulick, who was born in 1853 in the Town of Dover, WI, (her father and mother were born in Norway). They had nine children;
Carrie (bn 1873,d 6 Jan1955),
Johnnie (bn 21 July 1876, d 3 Jun 1885),
Willie, (William G.)(bn 1878, d 20 July 1896),
Mamie (bn1880),
Benjamin F.(bn 1 July 1882, d 3 Jan 1948),
Melvin Leorine, (bn 18 July 1886, d 1942),
Viola (bn 1887, d1893) and
Ollie, (Olive Ruth) (bn 1 Jan 1890,d 1962?).
Bennie's wife, Karie/Caroline died 5 Jan 1890 5 days after giving birth to Olive, and Bernt raised the surviving children until he died 28 March 1895. The remaining three younger children were then raised at the Taylor Orphan Asylum in Racine.
Bernt was a shoemaker until the fall of 1875 when he opened a saloon on Main Street. "Bennie" as he was known operated a saloon and billiard hall over the 20 years. It was a busy time, for example, in August 1877 He was charged with allowing billiards to be played on Sunday. The saloons were at the following Racine, Main Street locations;
63 Main in 1875 & 76;
70 Main in 1878-1881; (Major Downtown fire May 5, 1882)
327 Main 1883 - 1887 and
318 Main 1888 until he died 28 March 1895.
Bernt was known as "quite a violinist even through he was left handed, he used the bow with some dexterity". In the early 1880s he also was a violin maker and one of his violins remains with the family today. He manufactured various items including 'The B. M. Johnson self acting skate' which was advertised in the Racine Daily Journal. He was also known as an inventor of some genius and perfected several patents between 1885 and 1893 (twelve are known, see attached) some basic and others rather complex for that era. In 1890 and 1891 Bernt and John Reichert manufactured saddlery hardware at 318 Main street such as Bridle-Bits, likely based on their three jointly held patents. Bernt struggled over the years to protect his many patents, which resulted in various lawsuits for enforcement. When He died in 1895, at 45 years old, the newspaper said, "his life was a battle for his rights
Born 17 May 1846 in Norway, parents Johan and Karie Nilsen.
Came to the U.S. in ca. 1869. Arrived in Racine in 1870. Married 24 Dec 1872 at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Racine to Caroline (Karie) Gulick, who was born in 1853 in the Town of Dover, WI, (her father and mother were born in Norway). They had nine children;
Carrie (bn 1873,d 6 Jan1955),
Johnnie (bn 21 July 1876, d 3 Jun 1885),
Willie, (William G.)(bn 1878, d 20 July 1896),
Mamie (bn1880),
Benjamin F.(bn 1 July 1882, d 3 Jan 1948),
Melvin Leorine, (bn 18 July 1886, d 1942),
Viola (bn 1887, d1893) and
Ollie, (Olive Ruth) (bn 1 Jan 1890,d 1962?).
Bennie's wife, Karie/Caroline died 5 Jan 1890 5 days after giving birth to Olive, and Bernt raised the surviving children until he died 28 March 1895. The remaining three younger children were then raised at the Taylor Orphan Asylum in Racine.
Bernt was a shoemaker until the fall of 1875 when he opened a saloon on Main Street. "Bennie" as he was known operated a saloon and billiard hall over the 20 years. It was a busy time, for example, in August 1877 He was charged with allowing billiards to be played on Sunday. The saloons were at the following Racine, Main Street locations;
63 Main in 1875 & 76;
70 Main in 1878-1881; (Major Downtown fire May 5, 1882)
327 Main 1883 - 1887 and
318 Main 1888 until he died 28 March 1895.
Bernt was known as "quite a violinist even through he was left handed, he used the bow with some dexterity". In the early 1880s he also was a violin maker and one of his violins remains with the family today. He manufactured various items including 'The B. M. Johnson self acting skate' which was advertised in the Racine Daily Journal. He was also known as an inventor of some genius and perfected several patents between 1885 and 1893 (twelve are known, see attached) some basic and others rather complex for that era. In 1890 and 1891 Bernt and John Reichert manufactured saddlery hardware at 318 Main street such as Bridle-Bits, likely based on their three jointly held patents. Bernt struggled over the years to protect his many patents, which resulted in various lawsuits for enforcement. When He died in 1895, at 45 years old, the newspaper said, "his life was a battle for his rights
Gravesite Details
The stones themselves are in excellent condition but, engraving isn't deep enough and is difficult to read. This is true on Bernt's, Caroline's and all of the other family members in the immediate area. One wonders if they were all done at the same
Family Members
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