Louis O. Larson, ca1841-1931

LARSON, HANSON, INGEBRETSON, REMA, ROLSON, TISDALE, OLSON, PLADSON, ASLESON, SCHULTZ, MCCORMICK

Posted By: Ann Krumme (email)
Date: 6/17/2009 at 21:25:21

L. O. Larson, one of the pioneer residents of Taylor township, died at this home Thursday evening. Mr. L. was in his ninetieth year and was known throughout the county as the “Mighty Hunter” and doubtless saw plenty of the hardships of pioneer days.

The E. Asleson family, Mrs. Wm Schultz and T. J. McCormick were among those from here to attend the funeral of L. O. Larson at Dalby on Monday.

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LOUIS O. LARSON, TAYLOR TWP. PIONEER PASSES.
L. O. Larson, a resident of Taylor township since the spring of 1850, when at the age of nine years he came to Iowa with his parents, the late Ole and Anne Larson, from Rock county, Wisconsin, where they spent the winter after arriving from Rotnem, Gol, Hallingdal, Norway, in 1849, answered the final summons about 10 o’clock Friday night, after a brief illness. Mr. Larson had been in failing health for about two years and spent several months at the Lutheran hospital in LaCrosse last year recuperating from a fall, which dislocated a hip and from which he never fully recovered, although being able to be brought home, where he died as above stated, his son Wilmer and widowed daughter, Mrs. Helen Hanson, rendering him every care and attention in his last hours.

Deceased was born in Rotnem, Gol Hollingal [transcriber note: spelled differently from above], Norway, and would have been ninety years of age had he lived until March 25th next. He attended district school and the Lansing City Schools, and for ten terms afterwards taught in the Climax-Excelsior, Storla, Dahl, Waterville, Little Paint and Climax rural schools. He inherited a desire for education from his father but not the politics of the old gentleman, who was a staunch democrat, while L. O. was a life-long republican.

On June 29, 1862, Mr. Larson was married to Mary Ingebretson, of Center, and they became the parents of thirteen children, to most of whom he gave a college education. His wife preceded him in death many years. Of their thirteen children only four survive them, Victor, of South Dakota, Lester, of Canada, and Wilmer and Mrs. Helen Hanson, at the old home.

Hancock’s History of Allamakee says of him: “While teaching in the winter seasons and farming in the summer he also hunted the virgin deer in the open seasons and trapped the predatory animals for fur and bounty, deriving also much sport there from in the ascents and descents of the precipitous hills in the townships bordering the Mississippi river. In fact there are few phases of pioneer life with which Mr. Larson was unacquainted. Thirty odd years ago Tom Dunlevy, associate publisher of the Allamakee Journal, dubbed him “the mighty hunter with sword and pen” and the sobriquet has clung to him. Mr. Larson has also been designated “the peacemaker,” because of his settling lawsuits which had been taken to the District Court, and furthermore has been termed “the savant of Little Paint,” because of his contributions to the newspapers.”

Again the same authority says of him: “Mr. Larson has been a lifelong member of the Lutheran church, loyal to its teaching and exemplifying in his life his Christian faith and belief…is an extensive reader, a student and deep thinker, and his well developed qualities and talents have made him one of the forceful, representative and honored men of his community.”

The funeral was held Monday, at 10 A. M. , from the home to the East Paint Creek Lutheran Church, Rev. Lea, the pastor, officiating and the church choir furnishing the music. Twenty-six carloads of sorrowing relatives and friends escorted the remains to the church, where as many more joined in respect to their dead friend, who in life regarded it a sacred duty to assist in burying the dead, and whose facile pen was wont to pay a tribute of respect to many of the pioneers of the community in which he lived. The remains were consigned to the bosom of Mother Earth in the cemetery near by, beside his wife, who died fifteen years ago. The pall bearers were: Ole L. Rema, Anton Rolson, Wm. Tisdale, Anfin Larson, George Olson and Theo. Pladson.

Peace to the ashes of our old time friend and reader of the Journal for over fifty years.

~Allamakee Journal & Lansing Mirror; Lansing, Iowa, Jan 14, 1931