Augusta Peterson Matre Wicks, 1837-1925

WICKS, PETERSON, MATRE

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 4/20/2009 at 18:17:49

Elderly Lady Passed Away Last Saturday

Mrs. John B. Wicks Died at Home of Daughter in Iowa Falls

Eighty-Nine Years of Age

Funeral Service Was Held Here Sunday and Interment in Norwegian Cemetery

The remains of Mrs. John B. Wicks, who passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. A. S. Anderson, in Iowa Falls, last week, were brought here Saturday evening and funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at 3:00 o'clock at the Estherville Lutheran church, with Rev. L. A. Mathre in charge. A brief service was held at the S. O. Amdahl home on north Fourth Street at 2:00 o'clock. Interment was made in the Norwegian cemetery. The six sons of the deceased acted as pall-bearers.

Augusta Peterson Matre was born January 23, 1837, in Skaanevik, Norway. The greater part of her life was spent in her native country. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and remained true to her creed throughout her entire life. When a young lady, she was united in marriage with Johannas B. Wicks. To this union ten children were born, eight of whom survive the passing of their mother. They are Mrs. S. O. Amdahl, of Estherville; Mrs. A. S. Anderson, formerly of this city but now of Iowa Falls; Peter, Ben and Oscar Wicks, of this city; John and Mike Wicks, of Montrose, So. Dak.; and Johnnie Wicks, of Sioux Falls, S.D.

In 1890, Mrs. Wicks came here from her old home in Norway, made her home with her son, Peter Wicks. Shortly before that time her husband was killed while at work. Six months ago she went to Iowa Falls to live with her daughter. She has been enjoying very good health until a week preceding her death when she contracted the flu. Her old age had caused her condition to become so weakened that she was unable to battle against her ailment and pneumonia developed. One week after becoming ill she passed away. Mrs. Wicks was a true Christian woman. Her pious ways and sweet, likeable disposition made her a favorite of all. Her family were all raised in accordance with her Christian principles and she was always a guide for them, piloting them through all their hardships and troubles. She lived a life of usefulness and good cheer and was instrumental in scattering sunshine wherever she went. Her faith in her Maker and Comforter has been her great comfort through all her joys and sorrows and her Christian spirit was manifested in her daily living. Besides her six children, she is survived by twenty-one grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Out of town relatives attending the funeral besides the sons and daughters and families, were Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Hovell, of Superior, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Wicks, of Austin, Minn., and Mr. and Mrs. Ole Wicks, of Graettinger. The sympathy of the entire community is extended the bereaved relatives in their hours of sorrow and grief. They may derive great comfort in knowing that their loved one has lived a life that has been pleasing to her Master and that she has passed from this world of sorrow and trouble to a place where she will have joy and peace unbounded.

Contributed by: Doug Wicks. Source: probably from the Estherville Daily News, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa, 1925?

Contributor Notes: handwritten notes of Bev King, Elizabeth Wicks (Anderson)'s grand-daughter, "This is my great-grandmother. Her daughter, Mrs. A. S. Anderson, is my grandmother. This is my dad's grandmother."

Handwritten notes of Alice Allen, Elizabeth Wicks (Anderson)'s daughter, "That is quite a long obituary for Grandma Wicks. The church was packed the day of her funeral and Lloyd and I counted forty four cars that went to the cemetery. I realize now that a lot of the crowd was made up of friends of her children. A lot of them had been "new-comers" from Norway like themselves, and on Sundays Grandma's home was a gathering place for many of them. So they came to pay their respects to an old lady who died when she was 89. I think I was a senior in high school that year.

Augusta was the last person to be buried in the original Norwegian Lutheran cemetery north of Estherville. There is an addition across the road where some of our uncles are buried. In the old cemetery is buried a brother of Henrik Ibsen the Norwegian writer who wrote "Dolls House" and others. He was the black sheep in the family and went off to America without telling anyone. His brother advertised in one of the Norwegian language papers and that's how people found out who he was. Wish I had more information for you. Love, Alice.

Other Notes: Agota Persdatter Indre Matre, born 1837, was married to Johannes Bjornesson Vik (1834-1888), farmer and Norland skipper in Norway. Johannes was from Ovstebo; he bought Nedre Vik in 1887. After her husband lost his life in 1888 in Norway while he was moving a load of lumber and lost his footing and fell down a hill, Agota, in 1890 emigrated to America with four of her children-- Agota who was born in 1868, Mons who was born in 1874, Lisabet who was born in 1876, and Johannes who was born in 1881. Other children who had emigrated earlier were Kari born in 1859 and Bjorne born in 1861 who came to America in 1888, Per born in 1863 and Johannes born in 1865 who came in 1886, Askjel born in 1870 who came in 1887. Another child named Mons born in 1873 died in Norway at the age of 12 weeks.

Contributed by: Ruth Hackett from information provided by the Vesterheim Library in Milwaukee.