In those early days Ballard was undreamt. The smoke which now curls above its bustle did not enter the calm of the pioneers' hearts. They were contented with the peregrination of daily necessity. Few Scandinavians then stalked the dense forest which clad the turf where five thousand people now dwell midst noise and progress, but today over one thousand Vikings mingle in the various walks of life in the town. [Illustration: JOHN JOHNSON.] John Johnson, the leading merchant and an intelligent and honored citizen, is a native of Norway, being born March 26, 1862, midway between Trondhjem and Levanger, where he received his early education. At the age of ten he emigrated to America, locating at Muskegon, Michigan, attended the public schools three years, worked in a saw mill four years, and clerked in a grocery store seven years. In 1886 he launched into business for himself which he is pursuing with marked success. During the same year he was married at Muskegon to a cultured young lady, Miss Magna Nelson, whose parents hail from Tromso, Norway. In 1893 Mr. Johnson moved to Ballard and immediately embarked in grocery business. His large establishment and business method plainly reflect his ability, and a multitudinous circle of friends bespeaks his generosity and integrity of character. [Illustration: FRANK ENGQUIST.] Frank Engquist, the well-known merchant tailor of Ballard, was born in Sweden, 1861, received a fine education in his native country, and in 1882 crossed the Atlantic for the United States, settling at Moline, Illinois, where he remained one and a half years. His next journey was to Minneapolis, where he found employment in one of the largest tailoring establishments in the city. In 1888 he migrated to Seattle, Washington, and shortly after resumed his chosen occupation. He was attracted by the fascinating aspect of the Sound, and abandoned his business to try his hand at agriculture in Rolling Bay. The gigantic trees and stubborn stumps plucked the laurels of his fancy, and in 1896 started business in Ballard, where he is permanently located. Mr. Engquist is an expert workman, honest and intelligent, and what is still loftier, a perfect gentleman. P. E. Paulson, a genial business man, was born in Norway, 1865. His father was a prominent educator, having been engaged in school work about forty years. Mr. Paulson enjoyed the benefit of an excellent education, and in 1882 sailed for America, locating in Rock county, Minnesota. After two years of various occupation he arrived in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he stayed two years. The Pacific exercised a peculiar charm, and thither he emigrated, making Skagit valley his first stopping place, and afterward located in Ballard, where he now resides. Mr. Paulson is a leading member of the Foresters of America and other organizations. He is a man of a kind disposition, and universally respected.