John Osmundson (Osmundsen) 1839-1909

OSMUNDSON, OSMUNDSEN, HENDRICKSON, HUNT

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 8/28/2010 at 20:43:33

Death Claimed Him
John Osmundson Passed Away Last Thursday, August 19
Had Been Ill Over a Year
Never Recovered From Paralytic Stroke – Funeral Held Sunday – Burial Made in Oak Hill Cemetery

John Osmundson died at his home in this city Thursday, August 19th, 1909, aged seventy years and eight months. The deceased was born near Stavanger, Norway, January 19th, 1839. At the age of three years he came to this country with his parents, an older brother and sister. They entered a homestead and settled upon it at Queenann Prairie, seven miles north of Woodstock, McHenery county, Illinois. When he was but sixteen years of age his parents were both carried off by the cholera scourge which visited Illinois in 1854. He continued to reside with his brother and sister on the old homestead and when nineteen years of age he purchased their interests in the property. After a short time he sold this and purchased a farm at Primrose, Dane county, Wisconsin, to which he moved in 1857. October 19th, 1860, he was married to Caroline M. Hendrickson and to this union was born nine children: Mary H., Orin H., Lena E., Josephine M., William C., Carrie J., Freddie C., Cora L. and John W. After twenty-six years, purchasing a farm near Lake Freemont, Minnesota, near the Iowa line and seven miles north of Estherville, he moved onto it and there he lived until 1899 when they came to Estherville. Here he has kept his residence until the date of his decease, safe four years which he spent with his son, Orin, at Haywood, Wisconsin.

The 19th of August 1908, he was stricken down with the malady which proved to be his last illness. For one long year he fought the battle for his life while the disease steadily encroached upon his strength, wasting his physical forces away until at the time of his death he was only a shadow of his former self. During the earlier part of this year there was much of nervous anxiety and suffering, but in the latter part there was much calmness and repose. It was the 19th of August that he went to sleep with the gathering shadows of the evening. Very shortly after he was first taken ill he called upon the Lord Jesus Christ and to him he gave his heart and unto the day of his release the consciousness of God’s forgiveness and the sense of the Divine presence was a constant support during the long weary days and nights of lingering suffering wasting away. He was received into the fellowship of the Methodist Episcopal church and departed this life a communicant who appreciated its ministries.

Surviving him to mourn his departure, of his immediate family, are, the widow, who with unfailing devotion has patiently and sweetly kept her place by his side this long year administering to his every need, his only brother and sister, who more than seventy years ago danced with delight in welcoming him to the family circle, now sit in the lengthening shadows awaiting the summons to join him where they die no more, and four children: Orin H. Osmundson of Mankato, Minnesota; William C. Osmundson, of Ledgerwood, North Dakota; Mrs. Curtis Hunt, of Lake Mills, Iowa and John W. Osmundson of this city.

Mr. Osmundson was one of that great company of industrious Skandinavians who have enriched our American heritage. He was a successful farmer and a positive factor in the community in which he dwealt, particularly among his friends.

The funeral was held in the M.E. church Sunday afternoon and burial mad in Oak Hill cemetery. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, August 25, 1909)