Hans Bonnicksen, 1865-1956

BONNICKSEN

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 4/24/2009 at 08:04:29

Pioneer of Ringsted Area Dies at 91

Hans Bonnicksen, a pioneer of the Ringsted community, died about 3:30 p.m. yesterday at Holy hospital. Cause of his death was listed as a stroke. He was 91 years old and had been ill for 12 days, suffering, one stroke previous to the fatal one.

Bonnicksen was born Feb. 27, 1865 at Holding, Denmark. He accompanied his parents to the United States in 1872 and settled with them at Clinton, Iowa. In 1888 the family moved to the Ringsted area where Bonnicksen broke some of the virgin prairie on his father's farm.

On April 5, 1892, he was married to Olena Schultz at Ringsted. He then bought a quarter section of prairie land and started farming. Bonnicksen farmed for 27 years in the Ringsted community.

He served on the Emmet County board of supervisors from 1926 until 1935.

Surviving his death are two sons and two and two daughters. The sons are Carl, farming near Ringsted, and Arnold E. of Seattle, Wash. The daughters are Mrs. J. H. Nielsen of Waterloo and Christina Bonnicksen who lived with her father at Ringsted. There are also eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren surviving his death.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at his home followed, by services at St. John's Lutheran church at 2 p.m. The Rev. Carlo Petersen will officiate.

Burial will be in the St. John's Lutheran cemetery. Four grandchildren and two neighbors will serve as pall bearers. They are Leonard Nielsen, Ringsted; Merlyn Nielsen, Ringsted; Lowell Welch, Cedar Falls; Glenn Bonnicksen, Ringsted; Al Fink, Ringsted; and Alfred Petersen of Ringsted.

The Thomas funeral home at Ringsted is in charge of arrangements.

Source: Estherville Daily News, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa; September 13, 1956.