Mt. Pleasant's first telephone operator and veteran of many years service, Miss Annie Margaret Johansen, 82, died at her home here of causes incident to age. A Mt. Pleasant native, and a daughter of original settlers Niels and Christiana Christensen Johansen, she was born March 6, 1866. Her entire life was spent as a Mt. Pleasant resident.
She attended Mt. Pleasant elementary schools and Sanpete stake academny in Ephraim. She worked as a telegraph operator for the Deseret Telegraph Co. until it was purchased by Western Union, and in January 1901, became the first telephone operator here as the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Co. extended its lines into Sanpete county. There were only eleven subscribers listed the first day she was at the switchboard. Miss Johnasen was chief operator for 21 years. Among her valued possessions was a certificate and bronze medal awarded by the company for heroic service during a fire early in the century. She was the first person in this city to receive news by telegraph of the sinking of the battleship Maine in 1898. She had been honored by "Pioneers" organization of veteran telephone operators, on a number of occasions. She had been an active worker in the LDS church. She was a member and past president of the first Woman's club in Mt. Pleasant, and of the Twentieth Century Club and Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Historical Assn.
Surviving are four half-brothers, Andrew, James, J. Otto, Niels, and a number of nieces an nephews.
Salt Lake Tribune (UT) September 27, 1948
She attended Mt. Pleasant elementary schools and Sanpete stake academny in Ephraim. She worked as a telegraph operator for the Deseret Telegraph Co. until it was purchased by Western Union, and in January 1901, became the first telephone operator here as the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Co. extended its lines into Sanpete county. There were only eleven subscribers listed the first day she was at the switchboard. Miss Johnasen was chief operator for 21 years. Among her valued possessions was a certificate and bronze medal awarded by the company for heroic service during a fire early in the century. She was the first person in this city to receive news by telegraph of the sinking of the battleship Maine in 1898. She had been honored by "Pioneers" organization of veteran telephone operators, on a number of occasions. She had been an active worker in the LDS church. She was a member and past president of the first Woman's club in Mt. Pleasant, and of the Twentieth Century Club and Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Historical Assn.
Surviving are four half-brothers, Andrew, James, J. Otto, Niels, and a number of nieces an nephews.
Salt Lake Tribune (UT) September 27, 1948
Mt. Pleasant's first telephone operator and veteran of many years service, Miss Annie Margaret Johansen, 82, died at her home here of causes incident to age. A Mt. Pleasant native, and a daughter of original settlers Niels and Christiana Christensen Johansen, she was born March 6, 1866. Her entire life was spent as a Mt. Pleasant resident.
She attended Mt. Pleasant elementary schools and Sanpete stake academny in Ephraim. She worked as a telegraph operator for the Deseret Telegraph Co. until it was purchased by Western Union, and in January 1901, became the first telephone operator here as the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Co. extended its lines into Sanpete county. There were only eleven subscribers listed the first day she was at the switchboard. Miss Johnasen was chief operator for 21 years. Among her valued possessions was a certificate and bronze medal awarded by the company for heroic service during a fire early in the century. She was the first person in this city to receive news by telegraph of the sinking of the battleship Maine in 1898. She had been honored by "Pioneers" organization of veteran telephone operators, on a number of occasions. She had been an active worker in the LDS church. She was a member and past president of the first Woman's club in Mt. Pleasant, and of the Twentieth Century Club and Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Historical Assn.
Surviving are four half-brothers, Andrew, James, J. Otto, Niels, and a number of nieces an nephews.
Salt Lake Tribune (UT) September 27, 1948
She attended Mt. Pleasant elementary schools and Sanpete stake academny in Ephraim. She worked as a telegraph operator for the Deseret Telegraph Co. until it was purchased by Western Union, and in January 1901, became the first telephone operator here as the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Co. extended its lines into Sanpete county. There were only eleven subscribers listed the first day she was at the switchboard. Miss Johnasen was chief operator for 21 years. Among her valued possessions was a certificate and bronze medal awarded by the company for heroic service during a fire early in the century. She was the first person in this city to receive news by telegraph of the sinking of the battleship Maine in 1898. She had been honored by "Pioneers" organization of veteran telephone operators, on a number of occasions. She had been an active worker in the LDS church. She was a member and past president of the first Woman's club in Mt. Pleasant, and of the Twentieth Century Club and Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Historical Assn.
Surviving are four half-brothers, Andrew, James, J. Otto, Niels, and a number of nieces an nephews.
Salt Lake Tribune (UT) September 27, 1948
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