Severt O. Fladager

FLADAGER, ARNESON, OLSON, BERGE, MOEN, BAHNSON

Posted By: Roseanna Zehner
Date: 3/3/2004 at 01:04:07

FLADAGER, SEVERT OLSON (Deceased)
S.O. Fladager, who died January 16, 1903, was long numbered among the leading citizens of Lyon township, Lyon county, and held a place in the social and business circles of the community that can not be easily filled. He was the proprietor of a four-hundred acre farm in section 1, Lyon township, and had gradually worked himself up to a high position in the judgment of those who knew him best. Personally he was a pleasant man to meet, and his character was strongly marked with the kind and humane qualities. He was a devoted husband and father, and a pious and consecrated Christian.

Mr. Fladager was born in Halingdal, Norway, January 7, 1844, and was the ninth member of a family of fifteen children born to his parents. In 1868 he came to the United States, and for two years resided in Clayton county, Iowa. In 1870 he removed to Lyon county, and settled on the homestead where he maintained his home as long as he lived. Gradually his possessions increased until he became one of the wealthier farmers of the county, owning not only a fine tract of four hundred acres of choice farming land, but having it highly improved. In the community in which his useful career was passed he was very highly regarded, and for twenty-four years had served as school director.

Mr. Fladager was married to Miss Eline Arneson, July 30, 1871. She was born in Allamakee county, Iowa July 30, 1852, a daughter of Lars and Raguhild (Olson) Arneson, both of whom were born in Norway. They settled in Allamakee county, Iowa, in 1850, and eighteen years later removed to Canton, South Dakota, where the father died in 1883. He lived to be sixty-nine years of age, while his widow who attained the age of seventy-four passed to her rest in 1898.

Mr. and Mrs. Fladager were the parents of ten children, nine of whom are still living. They are as follows: Mrs. O.A. Berge, Mrs. Ben H. Moen, Mrs. Datliff Bahnson, Oliver, Lizzie, Clara, Maria, Josephine, Samuel and Honora. Mrs. Fladager is still living, and is tenderly watched over by this numerous and interesting family.

Some years ago Mr. Fladager crossed the ocean and made an extensive visit to the home of his boyhood in Norway, and also spent some time in Denmark, where he had some acquaintance. He was a member of the Lutheran church, and his funeral services, which were conducted from the Lutheran church in Centennial township, were said to have been the most largely attended gathering of the kind ever held in that church.

- source: Compendium of History Reminiscence and Biography of Lyon County, Iowa. Published under the Auspices of the Pioneer Association of Lyon County. Geo. Monlun, Pres.;
Hon. E. C. Roach Sec’y; and Col. F. M. Thompson, Historian. Geo. A. Ogle & CO., Published, Engravers and Book Manufacturers. Chicago, 1904-1905

- transcribed by Roseanna Zehner