V

Vernhardson

John Vernhardson was born and raised in Iceland. He immigrated to Canada in 1893. John met his wife, Jonina Sigurdson, in Alberta around 1901. Jonina had two children from a previous marriage, Sadie (“Susie”) and Sam. Soon, John and Jonina added a daughter, Lillian, to the family. In 1903, John, Jonina, Sadie and Lillian moved to Castle Rock, Washington. John worked on the railroad. When a terrible case of pneumonia threatened John’s life, the family was joined by John’s close friend, Jon Haflidason (John Hall), who helped them through the tough time and became part of the household. The family moved to Hoquiam, where John worked in a local sawmills. The family grew with the addition of daughter Sarah (Fritzi), and the arrival of Jonina’s son Sam and her father, Sigurd Sigurdson. The household moved to Gig Harbor in 1910. John and Jon each purchashed 20 acres. Trees were felled, stumps dug out and a barn was built. Unfortunately, the loganberries, marionberries, raspberries, alfalfa and cherries John planted did not always flourish. He continually experimented, trying new crops and techniques. He was a charter member of the local Masonic lodge and the Peninsula Light Company. He was president of the Peninsula Berry Growers Association and the Gig Harbor Guernsey Cattle Club. Sadie grew up to teach school near Gig Harbor. She married William Fletcher, a Gig Harbor farmer. They had two sons, William Jr. and Jerry. In 1936, Sadie had her own radio show on KMO in Tacoma, The Children’s Talent Radio Program. That year, she selflessly gave a blood transfusion to a little girl and died from resulting complications. Like her sister, Sarah became a schoolteacher. She married Richard Johnson and they had two children, Richard Jr. and Susan. Jonina’s son Sam was a Marine during WWII, he later worked in the Pierce County Roads Department and was a Mason and a Shriner. (source: Richard Johnson; see also kitsapsun.com) GHPHS