Turi Paulson Flatland Berg, 1845-1937

BERG, PAULSON FLATLAND

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 7/28/2006 at 10:41:45

Mrs. T. O. Berg, Pioneer Passed Away Last Monday

Mrs. T. O. Berg, 92, one of the pioneer residents of Emmet county, passed away last Monday [18 Oct 1937] at her home on South Tenth street. Mrs. Berg was taken ill Sunday with a severe stroke and with her age was unable to over come it, passing away about noon Monday.

Mrs. Berg came here before the Indians had stopped their roaming of this country. In the early days many times they [she and her family] resided in Old Fort Defiance for safety. They were among the first settlers and lived on the farm now known as the county farm.

Thirty-seven years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Berg moved to this city to make their home. Mr. Berg passed away 20 years ago and since that time Mrs. Berg has had the loving care of her daughter, Serene.

The following is the obituary:

Turi Paulson was born in Aal, Hallingdal, Norway, Oct. 4, 1845 to Lars and Guri Paulson. Baptized as a child, she left Norway with her parents shortly after her confirmation.

The family first came to Wisconsin where Turi was married to Ole Flatland in 1860. That year the Flatlands and the Paulsons came in a group with other families and settled near the Des Moines river in Emmet County. Lars Paulson settled on what is now the county farm and Ole Flatland near by.

Mr. Flatland was called to the colors in the Civil War and died in a hospital in the south, leaving his young wife and two daughters, Serene and Oline. These daughters grew to maturity but died in 1887 ad 1888 respectively. Another child from this marriage died in infancy.

In 1867 Mrs. Flatland was married to Tosten O. Berg. Ten children were born to them. One of these children died as an infant, the third son died in 1894 just before he was to have been confirmed. The others all grew to maturity but with the exception of Serene of Estherville and Oscar of Hampden, N. D., they have preceded their mother in death. Martin, for many years a merchant in Grafton, N. D., died in 1928; Lewis died in Estherville in 1933; Emma in 1896; Clara, 1901; Stephen, twin brother of Oscar, in 1923; Samantha in 1928 in Estherville.

The Bergs continued to live on their farm south of Estherville until 1900 when they purchased Rev. H. Engh's house on South 10th street and moved to Estherville. Mr. Berg died in 1917. Since then the daughter, Serene, has been with her mother and made a home for her and cared for her. Mrs. Berg was at the time of her death, the only remaining charter member of the Estherville Norwegian Lutheran church, organized in 1861. As such, she deservedly was given a place of honor at the diamond celebration of the congregation last fall.

Besides the daughter, Serene, the son Oscar of Hampden, N. D., survives her; also 12 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. H. K. Groth, of St. Paul, Minn.

Funeral services will be held on Friday at the residence at 1:30 ad the Estherville Lutheran church at two o'clock, Rev. L. A. Mathre officiating. Internment will be made in the family lot in Riverside cemetery at Wallingford.

Contributed by: Ruth Hackett. Source: Estherville weekly newspaper, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa, October 20, 1937.