Olson, Asgrim 1842-1924

OLSON, OLESON, OLSEN, SYVERSON, NARVESON, HALVORSON

Posted By: S. Ferrall, IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 9/2/2016 at 13:25:29

Asgrim Olson, was born August 8, 1842, at Aal, Halingdal, Norway, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Ole Syverson.

In 1857, at the age of 15, in company with his widowed mother, embarked in an old time sail ship, from Drammen, Norway, for America, and after a long and tiresome journey of eleven weeks, arrived in Marion Township, Clayton county, Iowa, where he has since lived.

On the 25th of November 1861 then 19 years old, he answered the call of the county of his adoption, and enlisted as a Private in Company F, 16th Regiment United States Infantry, and was mustered into the Army; he was in the engagement of the dreadful battle of Shiloh, where he went through with only a slight bullet mark on one of his legs. He was taken sick with Typhoid fever, and on the 13th of September, 1862, he was honorably discharged from the Army, returning home to Marion township, Clayton county.

In December, 1862, he was united in marriage to Gunild Narveson, to this union were born five children, two of whom having preceded him in death.

The following year he bought a farm in Marion township, where he lived with his family until 1900, when he sold the farm to his son-in-law Mr. Knut Halvorson, and bought a nice little residence at Gunder, to where he then moved with his wife and an unmarried daughter, and made his home up to the time of his death.

On November 29th, 1907, his faithful wife and helpmate died. Since the death of his wife, his daughter Miss Bessie, has been his faithful and untiring house keeper.

On the 15th of October, 1920 he was taken suddenly ill from Sciatic Rheumatism, from which he never recovered, from that time he has been continually confined to the house, and most of the time in bed. During his four long years of painful suffering he was always content, he never complained, always looked patiently forward for the day when the Lord would relieve him from his sufferings. He was continually attended by his daughter Bessie, who faithfully and patiently nursed and cared for his every want.

On Sunday October 19th, there was a sudden alarming change in his condition, the Doctor was immediately called and he pronounced the sudden change a matter of a few house of time, and on Friday morning October 24th, at 2:00 o'clock, his earthly pilgrimage was at an end, having covered a period of 82 years, 3 months and 16 days.

He is survived by three children, Ole of Larimore, N.D., Miss Bessie at home, and Mrs. Knut Halvorson, of Marion township, 12 grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Monday October 27th at 1:30 p.m. at the late home and 2:00 o'clock at the Marion Lutheran Church of which he was a member. Rev. [several illegible words] ... by the side of his wife, in the Marion church cemetery, under military honors, by the Legion who attended in a body.

Those who attended from a distance were, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Olson, of Larimore, N.D., two grandchildren and two great grandchildren of Inwood, Ia.

~Elkader Register, Thursday, November 20, 1924

Note: spelling of his surname varies from record to record, including Olson, Oleson, Olsen