This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Johnson,Bonger,Friske,Farr,Whithers,Blome,Daherr Classification: Biography Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4EC.2ACE/890 Message Board Post: The third building in this block was erected by Peter Johnson of the firm of Johnson & Bongers..........Like the majority of the businessmen Mr. Johnson came here with hardlly any means , and what he accumulated has been made in our city by honest, steady work. he came from Denmark in 1870 and the following year he located in Tomah, having only one summer's wages ahead which he had earned in railroading. Here he began working on the trade of shoemaker in the shop of Ludwig Friske, where he remained for 6 or 7 years. Then he opened a shop of his own, whiich he afterward sold to D. Farr in 1879 when he went to Colorado. Two years later he returned to Tomah and went into railroading again. During this time he put up a fine brick block which he afterward traded,getting in exchange , the old Wither's building and the money wherewith to start a shoe store which he opened in 1891. A year later Herman Bonger went into partnership with him and the business since than has been con! ducted under the names Johnson and Bongers. Mr. Johnson was a heavy loser in the fire last fall, as there had been no insurance on his building. Less than a year form the time of the fire, however he has completed and moved into as fine a building as there is in the city. As will be noted in our illustration this building is uniforn in style and construction with that of J.F. Blome being the same size 25 x 70 feet. The plans were drawn together, the contracts combined and let to the same person E.A. Daherr, of this city. By being built together a material savings was made on each and the symmetry of the architecture adds to the beauty of the fronts. The first floor is occupied by Johnson & Bongers and Yackel Bros. The second story will soon be finished in dwelling apartments for Mr. Johnson's family. Johnson & Bongers The shoe store at Johnson and Bongers occupies the south half of the Johnson Building with the shop for repair and custom work in the rear. It is appropriately called "THE CITY SHOE STORE" as it is the only store in Tomah devoted exclusively to footwear. Its arrangement also is true city style. The shelves extend to the 14 ft. ceiling and run the complete length of the store. All these shelves are easily reached by means of that neat and wonderfully convenient constrivance ---the patent rolling ladder. (Hope this will help a family researchers)