John S. Johnson
John S. Johnson (May 11, 1873–January 17, 1934) was an early American cyclist and speed skater. [1]
He was the first to bicycle 1-mile in less than two minutes, or 1:56.6. This happened in 1892 at a racing track in Independence, Iowa [2]. Johnson was also a world record holder in speed skating, and won world championship titles in both sports. Later in his career, Johnson rode for racing teams sponsored by the bicycle manufacturers E.C. Stearns Bicycle Agency of Syracuse, N.Y., and Schwinn Bicycle Co. of Chicago. He was living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was of Swedish ancestry. He retired from competitive cycling in 1900. He died January 17, 1934, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[3] He is buried in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Section 11, Lot 828, Grave 1. His wife, Jennie V. Johnson, is buried next to him in Grave 2. His headstone has the silhouette of a bicycle, and an ice skate, carved into it.[4]
See also
For more early American bicycle racing history, see the League of American Wheelmen and Major Taylor.
References
- ↑ "John S. Johnson of Minneapolis". U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- ↑ Jim Peipert (April 4, 2011). "John Johnson's wonderful mile". Jim's Bike Blog · Riding a bicycle across America. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- ↑ Minnesota Death Certificate 1934-MN-018375
- ↑ Find A Grave Memorials 123449489 and 123449290
External links
- In 2003, Johnson was introduced into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame
- In 1960, Johnson was introduced into the Speed Skaters Hall of Fame
- Picture from a 1902 magazine, showing Johnson on bicycle behind a motorized tandem pacemaker, photo by Carl Horner, Boston.