Evidently the homesteader who sold his claim to Joseph JANSON was named J. JOHNSON. This map is the 1907 plat of Buckman township, and the land is still labeled with that name. There was a time in the 1920s when the farm was owned/labeled "J. Brandl", but otherwise, 'Johnson' seemed to persist.
I've wondered alot whether ownership actually was that iffy. Grandpa Janson mentioned major ups and downs during his own tenure--was he really that close to loosing it, so often?
Well, not necessarily. Here's the well restored 1895 Minnesota census, enumerated by someone who didn't seem to care about correctly spelled names. The JANSON family is spelled Johnson, see? Hm, did Joseph say it that way? If Joe and John were pronounced CHOE and CHON, then you'd think Janson would be pronounced CHANT-SON...?
However, in those years, if the census taker came around when you weren't handy, a neighbor could give the info, and often did, I think. You were accounted for, even if it was wrong.
It's just something to keep in mind when we look at plat maps, ya know?
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