Nels Johnson was born in Fountain, Minnesota on July 31, 1869. He came to Valley City before the turn of the century as a replacement for the Northern Pacific Agent who was on vacation. He intended to stay only through that vacation, but he met Dena Nelson, the daughter of Chris Nelson, and having fallen in love with the pretty miss he decided to stay on. In this case "on" lasted until his death at 83 years.
He left the railroad to work briefly at the First National Bank, leaving that job to take a bookkeeper's job at the thriving Russell Miller Company in 1903. He was made manager in 1908, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1940.
He married Dena Nelson in 1898. Three children were born to them:
Janice Anita,
Ernest William and
Russell Allen.
Anita and Ernest died within a few months of each other in 1947; Russell lives with his family in San Jose, California. He has two children: Christina and Eric.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 115