A History of South Dakota and Its People - MAGNUS JOHNSON

Magnus Johnson has resided on his farm on Section 33, Palisades Township, for almost three decades and is widely recognized as one of the most prosperous agriculturists and respected citizens of Minnehaha County, South Dakota. His birth occurred in the province of Skaner, Sweden, on the 26th of October, 1847, and his father died when he was but five years of age.

He left home when a youth of sixteen and during the following nine years was a deep-sea sailor, touching at many of the ports of the world.

He sailed on American vessels for some years and in 1876, abandoned the sea at San Francisco, subsequently spending about eleven months at work on a river steamer on the Sacramento River.

Mr. Johnson then secured employment as a farm hand in California and was thus engaged for about seven years, on the expiration of which period he returned to Sweden on a visit. He spent the winter in his native land and in the spring of 1883, again came to the United States, bringing with him his intended wife, Miss Josephine B. Pearson, who had a brother living in Valley Springs, South Dakota.

Great Grandfather Magnus Johnson of Garretson and wife, the former Josephine B. Pearson of Sweden.

Thus it was that Mr. Johnson came to this state and here he was married immediately after his arrival. He paid nine hundred dollars for a quarter section of land in McCook County, three miles west of Salem, and two years later traded the property for his present home farm, paying five hundred dollars in addition. He has lived on this place in Palisade Township continuously since 1885 and has made many excellent improvements thereon.

In 1908, his two sons, Eddie and Charlie, purchased the northwest quarter of Section 6, Red Rock Township, paying eight thousand dollars for the property, which is now easily worth more than twice that amount. They are associated with him in his farming interests. In the conduct of his agricultural interests he has won a most gratifying and well merited measure of prosperity that has established his reputation as a substantial and leading citizen of the community.

To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have been born nine children; seven of whom survive, as follows: Eddie Washington; Charlie Cleveland; Emily Sophia; who is the wife of Adolph Karlil, a farmer of Red Rock Township; Hilma Augusta, who gave her hand in marriage to Willis Sutherland, of Garretson; Julia M., now Mrs. Edward Eitriem; Alice V., at home; and Melvin Walfred.

Mr. Johnson gives his political allegiance to the Republican Party and his fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, have called him to positions of public trust. He served as supervisor for a period of seventeen years, acted as a member of the school board for about five years and has been constable during the past two years. Higher public honors have been tendered him, but these he has declined.

His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the United Lutheran Church, to which his wife and children also belong. His son Eddie has been organist in the church for the past twelve years and is also a member of the Garretson Band, manifesting considerable talent in music.

The life of Magnus Johnson has been one of activity and usefulness, crowned with success, and because of the fact that he has never taken advantage of the necessities of his fellow men in business transactions but has always been straightforward and honorable, he is accorded the confidence and friendly regard in those with whom he has been associated. *** THE S.J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1915

My 4th Great-Grandfather, CAPTAIN ANTOINE PAULIN OF HAZEN'S CANADIAN REGIMENT ''CONGRESS' OWN'' AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Antoine Paulin was born on the 24th day of April 1734, the son of Antoine Paulin and Marie-Dominique Valois, of the parish of Saint-Paul de Varces, bishopric of Grenoble, in the actual department of Isère, France.

Antoine Paulin (he always signs his name: "At Paulin") was first a private in the regiments of La Reine. In 1755, a squadron of eighteen ships was organized at Brest and Rochefort, France, under Commodore Du Bois de La Motte. Six battalions taken from the regiments of La Reine, Bourgogne, Languedoc, Béarn, and Guyenne, nearly 3,000 soldiers, set sail on May 3. The Marquis de Montcalm was appointed general in chief.

. The old French War was called the most dramatic of The American Wars, because of the skill with which Montcalm used his advantages and the courage with which he was so ably seconded by regulars and militia alike.

For three years, Montcalm's campaign against the English in New France was successful.This brilliant victory of Montcalm's campaign in America, where he sought to defend and hold the French territory for his country, has been told in song and story by the French and the Canadians. It was a tale told many times over by the veteran of our family, Antoine Paulin, to his children and grandchildren and they never tired hearing of his many experiences in this war and in the next in which he was involved, the American Revolution. The very names of the Great Generals, Montcalm, Washington and Lafayette, brought tears to the eyes of more than one grandchild.

In September, 1759. Montcalm fought his last battle on the plains of Abraham, in Quebec. It was his last valiant effort to save the colony for France. As he rode down the front of his line of battle, stopping to say a few stirring and encouraging words to each regiment as he passed, he made a lasting impression on his troops. He was in the full uniform of a Lieutenant General of the King of France, wearing his cuirass and mounted upon his black charger. and he seemed to present to his men a living picture of France itself. The fierce battle of the Plains of Abraham took place on Sept. 13, 1759. Montcalm was wounded three times and died Sept. 14, and three brigadiers and one colonel also shared the fate of their great commander, whom some called "the last great Frenchman of the Western World." General Wolfe, the great English commander, was also killed. And it seems strange that the two great Generals who opposed each other, (yet admired and liked each other, having often exchanged courtesies and imported delicacies, each from his own country), should both expire at the same height in their careers. It is only fitting that they share a common monument which was erected in 1827 and bears this epitaph: "Wolfe–Montcalm:

"Valor gave them the same death, History the same renown, Posterity the same monument."

Quebec in 1759, the conquered city, birthplace and home at this time of Théotiste Cottard, future wife of Antoine Paulin, was a scene of desolation. The Cathedral and churches and all but the distant parts of the city were in ruins.Théotiste Cottard was ten years old when her family were evacuated from Quebec, in 1760. Her mother had died five years previously and since it is evident, by later proof, that she could not read or write, perhaps she had to help with the work at home and could not attend school. At seventeen, Théotiste was married to Antoine Paulin, who was then thirty years old. This marriage took place on January 12, 1767, at the Parish of Saint-Antoine de Chambly, Quebec, Canada, and they afterward lived in Saint-Denis, near Saint-Antoine de Chambly. In the period of time prior to the American Invasion of Canada in 1775, they became parents of a son, Amable, and three daughters: Marie, Théotiste, and Geneviève.

It was ironic that now the Colonies, which a quarter of a century before had given their sons and their means to wrest Canada from France, should now turn to that country for aid in order to deprive England of her American possessions. General Schuyler was stationed, with his small army, on Ile-aux-Noix, Que. which completely commanded the outlet of Lake Champlain. From here, scouts were sent into Canada, from which they brought back encouraging reports. Colonel Ethen Allen said that the captains of militia were ready to join the Americans whenever they should appear with sufficient force. In Canada, the Captains of Militia were men of great consequence at all times and were granted great social privileges. Presumably, Antoine Paulin was a Captain of Militia. He was among the first to again take up arms against the English. His commission as Captain of the "Independent Company of Canadian Volunteers'' is dated November 20, 1775, Saint-Denis being given as his residence. In January 1776, his company was annexed to that of Colonel Moses Hazen's regiment of light infantry, while at Quebec. Both these regiments continued in active service for the duration of the war, and both obtained a vote of thanks from the American Congress upon its termination. A family war story;

Hazen's regiment returned to Chambly in time to join in the retreat. Captain Paulin had to arrange for his family to leave with the army. Wagons prepared for the women and children were added to the baggage train. Early Sunday morning June 16, 1776, the army started south on the thirteen mile march to St. John's. They had barely left Chambly when Burgoyne's advance guard entered it. In fact, as the last of the American troops left Chambly, at one end, Burgoyne's troops were entering the other. Madame Paulin often related the following incident of the retreat. In the hurry and terror of the flight, Amable, the only son, became separated from the family and was left behind. When he was found, he seemed quite happy, perched upon a table and being amused by British soldiers. During the invasion, there had been a parting of the ways among the inhabitants, and these soldiers were, no doubt, some of their neighbors, so Amable was soon returned to his anxious family.

The Adjutant General's office of the War Department in Washington has records which show that Antoine Paulin was, during the spring of 1777, in garrison at Albany. Anthony Paulin, volunteer, appears on the muster rolls of Major George Chardin Nicholson's detachment of French Cadets, Livingston's Battalion, Continental troops, Revolutionary war, for the period from April 1, to May 12, 1777, with a record of enlistment, April, 1777. The same record shows that Antoine Paulin served as Captain in an independent company annexed to a regiment of Continental troops, commanded by Colonel Moses Hazen, Revolutionary War. His name appears on the payroll for the period from June, 1778 to July, 1779.

Hazen's regiment took part in the fall campaign, which included the battles of Germantown and Brandywine, where Lafayette was wounded At Brandywine, Hazen's, Dayton's and Ogden's regiments alone, maintained a resolute position on the left. At the close of the campaign on December 20th, the army went into winter quarters at Valley Forge, Chester County, 23 miles from Philadelphia. In ''The Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army of the War of the Revolution'', Captain Antoine Paulin's name is twice listed, once as an officer in the Continental Army, and the second time, among the Pennsylvania officers. This was the first time that Captain Paulin was in winter quarters with his chief, and he must have seen a lot of Lafayette, whose first winter it was, on this continent. Both were natives of Southern France, Lafayette's ancestral chateau being in Auvergne and Paulin's home in Dauphinée. The Marquis was just learning to speak the English language, while Paulin had been about twenty years resident here and no doubt the latter enjoyed once more conversing in his native tongue, French, and hearing news of France, itself. Tradition is very positive and unanimous in asserting that there was much intimacy and great friendliness between Lafayette and Paulin. The Captain’s four children, born in Canada, were old enough at the time, to remember many incidents of the war, and to recall them later, for the benefit of their families.

January 24. 1778. Gates wrote to Washington at Valley Forge to request that he furnish Colonel Hazen's regiment for the expedition. Orders were immediately issued to Hazen’s regiment to march toward Albany, there to join in another invasion of Canada, but under Lafayette, whose letters later show Hazen's regiment in Albany. They had marched the long distance from Valley Forge, Pa., to Albany. N.Y. during the coldest season, through deep snow. Hazen's regiment of the Continental Line, sometimes called, from the fighting qualities of its men. "Hazen's Infernals", were, many of them, probably like Captain Paulin, natives of the French Alpine region. Before leaving Albany, he administered the Oath of allegiance to the United Colonies to all the Officers of the Northern Department of the Continental Army, including Canadians, and of course, Captain Paulin. This made them American citizens.

The Battle of Monmouth is memorable as the only battle of the Revolution in which the thirteen colonies all are represented. The two Congress' Own regiments took part in it, Hazen's in the right wing of the continentals. The Sunday of June 28, 1778, when the battle was fought, was the hottest of the year, many soldiers dying from the effects of the heat.

Much gaiety accompanied the privations of the Revolution. No sooner was the army in winter quarters, than the ladies began to appear. There was tea drinking from cabin to cabin, dinners of compliment to the visiting foreigners and rallies in barracks, ''where everybody who could sing, sang." Babies were born in camp, children also died there, and were buried there. Our Revolutionary ancestors had trials of this kind, also. They lost twin children tradition says, also others, leavings no records except in memory. The first child spared to them after leaving their home in Canada, was Françoise, born in the year of peace, as she always added, that expression meaning so much to that army family. During the Summer of 1780, the women and children, families of the officers and privates, were sent to West Point.

In September, 1780, came Arnold's treachery. He was the only American of note to betray his country. His accomplice, Major Andre, the spy, met his fate at Tappan, where Captain Paulin's regiment was in camp. A detachment from his company was on duty at the execution.

Another attack of special interest to the descendants of Captain Paulin, as he had the honor of being in the attacking party of Lafayette's "picked troops" including "the brave army of his Virginia campaign." Hazen's regiment was on the right of the storming party at Yorktown.

October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered and his army of 7000 men marched out between the combined armies, drawn up in two lines of more than a mile in length, the Americans on the right side of the road, with Washington and his aides mounted at the head.

Comte de Rochambeau, his suite and the troops in complete uniform were on the left. Their band of music, of which the timbrel formed a part, produced, while marching to the ground, an enchanting effect.

October 31st, General Hazen gave a dinner to a number of French army and American army officers, where the chief topic of conversation, and of mutual congratulation, was the late "glorious success."

This must have been a red-letter day for Captain Paulin, well repaying all the hardships endured.

The French Ambassador, Monsieur La Luzerne, invited Congress to be present at a solemn mass celebrated in St. Mary’s church, Philadelphia, November 4th, and the members attended in a body. Abbe Bandel, of the French embassy, was the orator of the day.

"And the banners of England, the surrendered and the conquered flags, were placed upon the altar steps, as a sign and a symbol that God's hand guided, and to Him was Praise and Glory Forever and Ever." (From another oration .)

Seven thousand French soldiers were present. Washington and Lafayette were unable to attend, but on December 13th, they were present at the Mass of Thanksgiving for the victory of Yorktown at the same church. No one knew better than they that the aid of France had been absolutely necessary for the success of the American cause in general and Yorktown in particular.

The soldiers of Congress Own and their families were left, at the close of the war, in great distress. The pay of the soldiers was much in arrears. All of those who had estates in Canada and Nova Scotia and had followed the American Army, suffered confiscation and loss.

In January, 1782, by an Act of Congress, supernumerary of officers were considered retired on half pay. In this list, appears the name of Captain Antoine Paulin. His discharge is dated July 1, 1782, though a Washington record, Bureau of Pensions, gives the date as 1783.

In an Act dated May 11, 1782, the State of New York granted a tract of land in the Northeast and central parts of Clinton county to the refugees from Canada and Nova Scotia. These lands were divided into 80 and 420 acre lots except 5 000 acres, which were divided into fifteen equal parts, and these were granted to the officers and privates among the refugees.

On the shores of beautiful lake Champlain, a permanent home was made by Captain Antoine Paulin, the first since leaving Chambly. Que., in June of 1776, ten eventful years. This land was, of course, practically wilderness, mostly covered with timber, and it must have been a long time before it was cleared enough to build on it. But eventually a home was built and it was from here. that all the Paulins were eventually married. Pierre, the younger son, the only child born in Corbeau, married in Canada, but returned here to live and raise a large family, as was customary in those days.

The War of 1812 brought terror of war to the doors of our veteran and his family. The border suffered much, as the struggle in the early part was chiefly on the northern frontier of New York, the troops from both sides passing near the Paulin's home, by land and water.

Only one month before the death of the veteran, a British force from Canada, of over 1400 men embarked on sloops and gun-boats, and made a marauding expedition upon Plattsburgh, a neighboring village. They destroyed a large amount of public and private property and loaded their vessels with practically everything they could lift, furniture, clothing, valuables and even kitchen utensils. On their return, they plundered and burned along the shore, until they arrived at Saxe's Landing. Here something alarmed them and they hurriedly re-embarked and returned to Canada. Corbeau, our veteran's home, was only a mile or two north. and so they were spared. One of the veteran's grandsons used to tell an incident of this raid, of the war of 1812. The family had collected around their invalid patriarch, and were watching the "old enemy's" progress up the beautiful lake, where so many peaceful years had passed. Perhaps scenes from the past came up in the veteran's mind as he sat helpless and passive; the long fight for independence, the courage of his soldiers, their patient endurance of incredible hardships, extremes of cold and heat as at Valley Forge and Monmouth. Probably, though, the brave old soldier's thoughts dwelt more on the present, for as he looked on the long line of vessels, knowing so well what boded for the unfortunate inhabitants, he wept, and pointing to the enemy, exclaimed: "If I were young again I'd be in this war, too." To be a helpless spectator in another invasion was a severe ordeal for the patriotic old soldier, Captain Antoine Paulin. He did not long survive it.

Antoine Peltier, another grandson, told this incident, relative to the war of 1812, also. He was young at the time, but it made a great impression on him. One day, during the campaign in the neighborhood, while sitting on the porch of his home, a boatload of American soldiers sailed by. On perceiving the well-known form of the officer, they paused and fired a salute. The veteran rose to his feet and returned the salute, and in so doing, stumbled, slipped, and fell across the body of his small grandson. Neither was injured seriously, the incident was indelibly impressed upon the mind of the boy who recalled this incident about seventy years later, when visiting his grandchildren.

We have no details of the closing scene in a life of so much interest .This period was probably too painful for the Captain’s children to dwell upon, owing to the devoted love they bore their father. In the midst of this tense and anxious period, Antoine Paulin ''breathed forth his soul to God'', September 7, 1813, in the 77th year of his age, the 47th year of his married life and the 27th years as an American Citizen. in Corbeau, now Cooperville. N.Y.

From ;Capt. Paulin by Dorthy Peltier

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