Herman August Johnson

My paternal  grandfather was Herman August Johnson who was born on September 22, 1888, in Nurmes, Ita-Suomen Laani, Finland, the son of Anna C E Strom and Carl J Johnson. He married Margaret Katherine Devine on April 6, 1915, in Portland, Maine.  Hermans parents names may be different for several reasons. First the only source that gives their names is Hermans marriage record to Margaret. Second reason is that on other records Herman is listed as born in Finland and his parents both born in Sweden. Since the name Johnson has several variations in Sweden, and in Finland, it could possibly be Johnsson, Jonsson, Johansson, Johnsson, Johnston, Jonson, Jonsson and many more versions.

Wikipedia says:  ""Johnson is a surname of Danish, English, Scottish and Swedish origin. The name itself is a patronym of the given name John, literally meaning "son of John". " and "The name has been extremely popular in Europe since the Christian era as a result of it being given to St John the Baptist, St John the Evangelist and nearly one thousand other Christian saints. Johnson is the ninth most common surname in Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia, second most common in the United States and 154th most common in the world. As a Scottish family name, Johnson is occasionally a variation of Johnston, a habitational name." Read More Here

Herman's death place, date, cause, or burial is not known. He died or disappeared before the 1930 census when he would have been 42 years old, That is when his wife, Margaret, was listed back in Maine living with her half brother. He is one of my brick walls and I hope some day to find that one little piece of information that will help me find his ancestors.

1888 Herman August Johnson was born on September 22, 1888, in Nurmes, Ita-Suomen Laani, Finland. The date and place, Nurmes, is from the WWII draft cards. Nurmes is a town and municipality of Finland. It was located in the former province of Eastern Finland until 2010 and is now in the North Karelia region. Itä-Suomen lääni is also a part of Eastern Finland.

1905 at age 17 Herman arrived in the USA, this year is stated in some sources but no other details are known.

1910 age 22, cannot find Herman on the census, searched both of the directory address, were not on the census, in 1910 was 20 Belmont St (ward 2, ed 1858) and in 1911 was 6 Newport St (ward 2, ed 1859). But Herman is listed in the Worcester, Massachusetts, City directory as:  Johnson Herman A baker 15 Pleasant bds 20 Belmont / Walter Clayton Bakery 15 Pleasant h 8 Cottage

1911 age 23 Herman is listed in the Worcester, Massachusett directory as: Johnson Herman A baker 15 Pleasant bds 6 Newport

1912 age 24 cannot find Herman. The Clayton Bakery was sold in 1911,  and the 1912 directory showed Zaeder Julius C & Co (F.J. Zaeder) Zaeder's Cafe at 15 Pleasant, h 73 Merrick, NO sign of Herman until 1915 marriage.

1915 at the age of 26 Herman married Margaret Katherine Devine in Portland, Maine, on April 6, 1915.  Their marriage record shows his parents as both deceased. Showed his father was  Carl J  Johnson and his mother was Anna C/E Strom. Herman also listed his place of residence as Worcester Mass but I have not found him in the directories there. Marriage intention was filed March 30, 1915, married by C.H. Davis res Portland, married in Portland.

1916 at the age of 27 Hermans daughter Irene Dictoria was born on February 12, 1916, in Woodstock, Vermont.

1917 at the age of 27 Herman filled out the WWII Draft Registration listing his residence as Woodstock, Vermont, and his relative as his wife & 3 children, states that he was born 22 Sep 1888 Finland, is employed as a baker at EC MacFarland in Woodstock VT.

1917 at the age of 29 Hermans son Richard Frantz was born on October 19, 1917, in Woodstock, Vermont.

1920 at the age of 32 Herman and the family had moved to Massachusetts. They were listed on the  Boston Ward 11, Suffolk, Massachusetts census at 156 East Cottage St; the census shows 5 children using the last name Johnson: Margaret (born Fischer), Carlton (born Pease), Irene, Richard, Auburn (last 3 are Johnson). (Margaret and Carlton will be listed under their mothers post).
1920 was also the year their son  Herman Auburn was born, this child died in 1921.

1921 at the age of 33 Herman was listed in the Boston, Massachusetts, directory as:  Johnson Herman A baker h 12 Wait Rox (Roxbury)

1922 at the age of 33 Hermans son Francis Herman Alburn August was born on January 16, 1922, in Boston, Massachusetts. He is also listed in the Boston, Massachusetts, directory as: Johnson Herman baker h 3144a Wash J P (Jamaica Plains) (in 1918 there was a Pratt Bread Company at 3190 Washington St)

1924 at the age of 36 Herman is listed in the Boston, Massachusetts, as: Johnson Herman A baker h 22 Southern av Dor (probably means Dorchester)

1926 at the age of 38 Herman is now missing. His son, Eugenes, birth record that was filed late states that his mother, Margaret, lived in Egleston Square (intersection of Columbus Avenue and Washington Street at the border between Jamaica Plain and Roxbury) Jamaica Plains but I am confused over this because her residence should have said Maine. 

1930 Hermans wife and children are listed on the Maine census, Margaret is listed as Widowed which leads me to believe that Herman died between 1926 and 1929.