Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1882 — A Western Samson. [ARTICLE]

A Western Samson.

[Boone (Iowa) Standard.] Jonas Johnson, or “Big Jonas,” is the Goliah of this region, and some of the stories of his strength and endurance sound fabulous. Iu 1858 he gained a natioual reputation by walking from Illinois to California, pushing his provisions before him in a wheelbarrow. He was living in Kuox county, Illinois, when the gold fever swept over the country, aud being in the early twenties of his life was fired with ambition to joiu the Argonauts. He was imperfectly acquainted with English, and had but $lO in cash,so he walked across Illmois and lowa to Ornaua, making the distance in two weeks. There he bought a wheel-bar-row, and laid iu a stock of provisions, With these, on the 15th day of April, he pushed boldlj* out, and ninety daj r s thereafter he “lauded” safely at tbe diggins, some fifty miles northeast of Sacramento, the first successful placer mines. Here he went to w’ork in the r

same independent way he made the journey—aloue—and \yas successful. He was able to earn from $lO to S2O per day, according to tbe number of hours he put iu. A year satisfied him, and with a bag well filled with “dust” he returned, by way of Panama and New York, to bis former home in Illinois. His feats of strength are no less remarkable. About twenty j*ears ago he found a cow in no uncommon predicament in those days—mired in a slough. A team of horses planted on firm ground had proved unable to draw her from the mire, whereupon Jonas, laying down some boards to give a good footing, lifted her bodily out of tbe swamp, and, seiziug her by the horns, dragged her to firm ground. At another time his wanon loaded with hay became mired down aud tbe horses failed to extricate it. Jonas got impatiei t, and going to the rear, he raised the load and pushed it forward to better ground, making a life which is moderately esrinnatpd at 1 800 pounds, and performed under unfavorable conditions. He is now a hale, ruddyfaced man of 65 years, loea ed on a tine farm of 120 acres iu Boone and Hamilton counties, well stocked and improved besides being tbe fortunate owner of two others, 160 and 180 acres respectively. He was born iu Bwedeu, was 22 years old when he came to America, aud has been a resident of this country for twenty-three j’ears. He stands 7 feet 2 inches in his stockings, and tips the beam at 245 pounds. A No. 12 boot accommodates his foot aud his hand is that of a giant.