Bringel Knutsen Rokne, 1833-1931

ROKNE

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 3/13/2009 at 15:55:27

COUNTY'S OLDEST CITIZEN PASSES

B. K. Rokne Died at Wallingford Last Week

Emmet County's oldest citizen, Bringel Knutsen Rokne, passed away at his home near Wallingford Wednesday [March 11, 1931] at the age of 98 years. He had been ill but a short time and his death was caused from heart trouble.

Mr. Rokne has lived on a farm near Wallingford for fifty-five years and until the last few months of his life has lived a life of usefulness.

He was born in Voss, Norway, April 15, 1833, a son of Knut Erickson and Bertha Helgeson, who were farming people of that community. He attended school until fifteen years of age and afterwards worked out as a farm hand until the age of twenty. He then determined to try his fortune in the new world and came to the United States. He made his way to Chicago and spent the succeeding seven years in various kinds of work.

In 1860 he took up his abode in Columbia county, Wisconsin and there married Inga Johnson. For six years after his marriage Mr. Rokne lived on his father-in-laws farm. On the 7th of July, 1868 he came to Emmet county and bought a farm from the railway company investing in one hundred acres which he cultivated for ten years. He then traded that property to George Osher for the farm he was living on when he died.

Mr. Rokne had held various township offices and was county supervisor for three years and county recorder for four years.

His wife passed away in 1916. They were the parents of nine children, five of whom are still living, Louis of Estherville, Mrs. K. A. Traefold of Mora, Minn., Mrs. Louis Isaacson of Wallingford and Erick and Andrew at home.

The funeral services were held at the Ryan Lake church Monday afternoon. He was buried in High Lake Cemetery.

Contributed by: Ruth Hackett. Source: Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa, March 18, 1931.