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FA contested land case reported by the Grand Forks Herald on this date
in 1901 resulted in some surprising testimony.
It seems that the wife of Nels Johnson was contesting the sale of a quarter
section of land that she and her husband had homesteaded. Her husband
had sold the quarter section of land near Northwood, North Dakota to the
Northwood Trust and Safety Bank. Mrs. Johnson claimed to Judge Fisk that
the land equally belonged to her, and could not be sold without her consent.
Mr. Johnson had been one of the more prominent farmers near Northwood
for many years. It was a well-known fact by the people in the area however,
that there was some marital trouble between Nels and his wife. It was
not until Mr. Johnson’s testimony however, did anyone realize just
how much trouble there really was.
Testifying from the stand, Mr. Johnson reported that his wife always insisted
on doing things her own way. Seven years ago, his wife announced that
she could no longer live on the farmstead, and wanted to move to back
her own farmstead a few miles away. So, off they went with the children
to Mrs. Johnson’s old farmstead.
The new living arrangements didn’t seem to improve the Johnson’s
marriage relationship however. After two years, Mr. Johnson moved back
to the original homestead by himself.
Questioned why he moved back, Mr. Johnson reported that things “just
started to get too hot.” On one occasion he reported, Mrs. Johnson
attacked him with a butcher knife and stabbed him. Mr. Johnson went on
to say that this incident “he did not take very kindly to.”
On another occasion according to Mr. Johnson, his wife attempted to “use
him for target practice.” She apparently chased him from the house
to the barn, firing several shots from a revolver at him. When asked about
her possible motive, Mr. Johnson could only offer that “she’s
not in her right mind at all times.”
The attorney for Mr. Johnson tried to prove that Mrs. Johnson refused
to live on property. Because of this, the land could be sold without her
consent.
In the courtroom, Judge Fisk couldn’t help but notice the scowls
and head-shaking given by Mrs. Johnson upon hearing her husband’s
testimony.
The Grand Forks Herald, as reported in The Fargo Forum and Daily Republican,
Saturday Evening, November 9, 1901. pg. 3.
Written by Dave Seifert
This text and audio may not be copied without securing
prior permission from North Dakota Public Radio.
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