Deuel County pioneers Mr. and Mrs. Sylver Johnson, were born in Norway. They came to America in 1881 and settled in Illinois. They later spent three years in Hamilton County, Nebraska. In the spring of 1884 Johnson homesteaded northwest of Big Springs. The first home was adobe built into the hillside. Part of this house still stands as a reminder of early days. With better years they built a new house which is one of the few improved homesteads left.                                                                     

Johnson was a mason by trade and worked at anything in that line to provide food and clothing for his family. When his job took him away from home for long periods of time, Mrs. Johnson kept the home and cared for the crops, when there were any. Small grain was cut by scythe and raked by hand. Mrs. Johnson would haul spring water a mile and a half for the household use and stock. During drought years the spring would dry up and then it was ten miles to get water.  As drought seemed to haunt them year after year, Johnson became despondent and wanted to leave, but his wife would encourage him with a smile and plans for a brighter future The Johnsons never turned anyone away who was hungry or needed a night’s lodging. Hospitality was an outstanding characteristic of the early settlers. 

When crops failed and food was scarce, Mrs. Johnson hunted rabbits with a muzzle-loaded shotgun. It was often necessary to walk miles through the sand hills to find game, but if a bunny so much as moved he as was a dead rabbit.  Rattlesnakes  were a real menace. Older boys hunted them with spearheads attached to long handles. Two dozen rattlers weren’t unusual for a day’s hunt. None of the Johnson family ever suffered snake bite, but their oldest daughter was bitten by a tarantula. Quick action by Johnson saved her life. The eleven Johnson children were named Lena, Johann, Charles, Fred, Selma, John, Joseph, Edward, Norris, Morton and George. Nora taught school at Big Springs and served as postmistress many years. George gave his life on the World War I battle field in France. The George S. Johnson American Legion Post was named in his honor. The Johnson’s were grandparents of James (Jim), Irene Lintz, Walter of Oregon, and Rose Pursel of Idaho. Mark and Irene Lintz gave Big Springs its swimming pool in remembrance of their son Riley Gene Lintz. Riley was killed in an explosion and fire while serving with the navy on the carrier Leyte ported at Boston, Mass.