The story goes, on with pioneer John C. Bohanon
John Campbell Bohanon, one of our early pioneers, was born August 23, 1817 in Alexander, Maine. His parents were Ananiah and Amelia Campbell Bohanon. He attended school in Maine, and at age 14, worked both with his father on the farm and felling trees in the woods. At age 21 he worked for himself chopping logs in the winter and driving logs in the spring.
On March 10, 1840 he married his first half-cousin, Lucretia Mc Kenzie. He was 23 at that time. They had four sons, Sylvester, Lee Charles, Horace Willard (known as Willard) and Frederick.
In 1851 he left Calais, Maine, with his wife, children and mother-in-law, Hannah Mc Kenzie. They traveled by train and then by river boat to St. Anthony. He staked his claim at 5th and Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis at the site of where the elaborate West Hotel used to be.
He went logging for the winter, but while he was in the woods a person referred to as ‘old man Stimson’ had jumped his claim. The young men who worked at logging camps had to be away for months at a time, but it was worth it because they earned $15 a month and their keep.
Having lost his claim, on March 27, 1852, John Bohanon slung his ax over his shoulder and walked north along the Mississippi to what was known as Camden Place. There, he made another government land claim at a place where the soil was rich and the area heavily wooded. It consisted of 160 acres from the river to Humboldt and 40th to 44th. He grubbed out the brush, cleared the area and built a pioneer home for his family and mother-in-law. The home was located at about 41st and Dupont N.
The first crop at his new farm was corn, which sold for 15 cents a bushel. Running through his property was a creek (Bohanon Creek). Rufus Farnham, another early pioneer, came into the picture in 1853 and built a shingle mill where the creek emptied into the Mississippi. From that time on it was known as Shingle Mill Creek.
That same year the taxes were $3.67 for 160 acres! John Bohanon complained about the taxes being too high as, “after all, Minnesota wasn’t even a state yet, and what were you getting for your tax money?”
John had several occupations in Camden: lumberman, farmer and landowner. He was described as being 5’9 1/2” tall with dark hair, blue eyes and a beard. Unfortunately, his family was not without tragedy. In January, 1853, his wife Lucretia passed away at the age of 35. Their two-mont-old son, Frederick passed away in 1852. But time went by and love blossomed again when John married Sophia Longfellow, a distant relative of the poet, Longfellow. Sophia’s family had recently settled in Camden Place in 1856, and John and Sophia were married November 9, 1856 in the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which they were members. With strong ties to that church, John, in 1857, donated land at 44th and Fremont Avenue to the North Methodist Episcopal Church. It wasn’t until 1879 that the church was built (and is still at that location), having been built over several times, the last being 1964. It is now known as North United Methodist Church.
John and Sophia went on to have seven children – five boys and two girls. In 1882, 31 years after John left Maine, he and Sophia went on a trip, a sentimental journey, back to Maine. While there, they came to the conclusion that Minnesota was the best place to live!
In 1885 the remains of the Bohanon homestead graveyard were transferred to Crystal Lake Cemetery. In l887 John’s farm was taken into the city and plotted into lots. One property at 43rd and Emerson was the only piece of property still in the family name. In 1889 he retired from active business. In 1891 he built a beautiful new house overlooking Shingle Creek near where his farm house stood.
On September 8, 1898, at age 81, John died of a stroke. He and other members of his family including two wives, three children and his first mother-in-law are all buried at Mound Cemetery, Brooklyn Center, with names inscribed on a tall obelisk.
It is a distinct possibility that many people in Camden are living on property once owned by John Bohanon!
Post script: A family secret: During the Civil War John Bohanon was part of an underground movement to help slaves escape to Canada. One of the runaways asked permission to take the Bohanon name and his wish was granted.
Note: Thanks to the two great-great granddaughters of John Bohanon, Eila Spriestersbach Miller and Chris Gentry for supplying information for this story, and great-granddaughter, Verna Bohanon Hodson, who was the organist for 70 years at the church to which John Bohanon donated the property.