Olaf Ferdinand Johnson, born Feb 22, 1871 at Möre in Naverstad parish, his wife Amelia, and his mother-in-law Magdalena Jakobson left Oslo harbor on April 17, 1896 for Winnipeg Canada. They are traveling to Olaf F’s brother Charles Johnson that is living south of Winnipeg, Canada. Charles Johnson lives in a town called Shanawan. The town later changes its name to Domain. Charles Johnson had immigrated to Canada ten years earlier from Sweden. Olaf F and family moves in and lives in the city of Winnipeg. Both Olaf F and Charles works for the Canadian Pacific Railway which is expanding westward at this time. They worked as Section Foremen and supervised gangs of railroad workers. Their expertise were in building railroad bridges over many of the rivers that had to be crossed.

Year 1902 Olaf F and his family are moving down to Douglas County in the state of Washington, USA. At this time there were additions to the family, of four children that had been born in Canada.

Ernest born 1896
Esther born 1898
Emma born 1900
Edgar born 1902

The family settled in an area called Moses Coulee, not far from Wenatchee. Olaf F continues to work for the railroad company, as they are building the railroad to cross over the North Cascade Mountains to make its way to the Northwest city Seattle.

A tragedy struck the family in 1904 when Olaf F’s wife Amelia passed away in acute pneumonia. Amelia was brought to the Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane where she later died. Amelia laid to rest at the Greenwood Cemetery in Spokane.

Ellen the daughter of Olaf F and Amelia who was born earlier the same year 1904, passed away at an early age. Ellen laid to rest at Moses Coulee.

Magdalena Jakobson from Möre, Naverstad Parish in Sweden, the mother of Amelia Johnson, passed away in 1920. Magdalena laid to rest at Wenatchee City Cemetery.

A few years after Magdalena passed away in 1920, Olaf F bought some land in the Sequim area out by the Olympic Peninsula, which is west of Seattle. After many years working for the railroad companies he moves out there with Emma, Edgar and Margretta Johnson. He cleared the land for trees and starts to farm the land.

In the 1930’s Esther’s family joins them. Esther married Otis Gault in Wenatchee 1920 and four children are born.


Earl born 1921
Norman born 1925, died the same year
James born 1926
Shirley born 1936

Olaf F lived and farmed the land out by Sequim area until his death in 1952.

Earl Gault passed away in 1989. Earl laid to rest at Port Angeles Cemetery.

James Gault is married to Ellen. James have in earlier marriage two daughters and two sons. James and Ellen live close to Olaf F’s old homestead.

Shirley is married to Gerard Vergeer and lives in Bremerton, WA. They have three daughters and one son.