Ole Johnson 1869-1933

JOHNSON, JACOBSON, OLSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 5/29/2013 at 23:49:48

Aged Farmer Is Killed By Gentle Bull
Ole Johnson Is Crushed By Brown Swiss
Lifeless Body Found By Daughter Out in the Barn Yard
Ole Johnson, 63, living one-half mile south and three and one-half miles west of Wallingford was killed between the hours of ten-thirty and twelve-thirty today, by a three-year-old Brown Swiss bull. Awaiting dinner for him until about twelve-thirty, his daughter Jennie, aged 23, went out to look for him and found his body crushed and mangled in the barn yard. She called her brothers and neighbors and the body was taken to the house. Mr. Johnson had lived on this farm for over twenty years and in Emmet county for over thirty years. His wife died in 1920. Evidence shows that Mr. Johnson was attacked about twenty feet north of the watering tank and no doubt was trying to make his escape but was trampled on the ground at the tank. The tank is surrounded by a number of rocks from eight inches to a foot high and here shows the first bloodstains. The bull shoved his body over this pile of rocks and a little over a hundred feet south of the tank, through the barnyard to where the body was found.

The bull was purchased as a calf at Ft. Dodge by John Brinkman and sold last year to Mr. Johnson. He was not considered cross, and Mr. Johnson often fed him in the barn lot where he roamed at will.

Mr. Johnson’s body was brought to the Mahlum and Anderson funeral parlors.

Seven children are left to mourn his loss: Johnnie, 27, now working for M.J. Greves, Mrs. Clarence Olson, 24, living five miles east of Wallingford, Jennie, 23, Norman, 21, Conrad, 19, Clarence 19, and Mable, 14, all living at home. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, January 10, 1933)

Ole Johnson of Wallingford Killed By An Enraged Bull
Ole Johnson met with a terrible death on Tuesday sometime during the morning when he was attacked by a bull and killed. The bull, a Brown Swiss and dehorned, has been considered gentle until late. Not long ago he attacked Mr. Johnson and was driven off. A few weeks later he again attacked him and seemed to be afraid when he was again driven off.

Mr. Johnson left the house in the morning and was not seen again until found dead in the cattle lot about one o’clock. His daughter, Jennie, went to the barn to call him to dinner. After calling she began to look for him. In the lot she could see his shoes sticking over some rocks and she rushed over and found his mutilated body.

It was apparent the bull had attacked him when he was unaware. The bull evidently knocked him down and rolled him. The body had evidently been rolled over some rock in the yard and had been rolled and pushed about seven rod.

Mr. Johnson is 63 years of age and has resided on the home place twenty-five years. His wife passed away in 1920 and he had four daughters and three sons.

The remains were brought to the Mahlum & Anderson undertaking parlors late on Tueday afternoon and the funeral services will be held from the Wallingford church on Friday afternoon.

Mr. Johnson was a highly respected citizen in the Wallingford community. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, January 11, 1933)

Funeral Services of Ole Johnson to Be Held Fri.
Funeral services for Ole Johnson, who was killed Tuesday by a bull at his farm near Wallingford, will be held tomorrow (Friday) afternoon from the East Riverside Lutheran church. Rev. Peder Lordsletten will be in charge and interment will be made at the cemetery there. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, January 12, 1933)

Obituary of Ole Johnson
Ole Johnson was born October 22, 1869, in Arne, near Bergen in Norway. There he lived his boyhood days and grew to early manhood. Believing that America had more opportunities in store for him than by remaining in the Old Country, he bade Norway “Good-bye” in 1891 and then he was about 22 years old, and immigrated to America. His first place of residence in this country was at Bode, Iowa. He remained there for four years. He then moved eastward to Michigan where he lived about a year. From Michigan Mr. Johnson moved to Illinois to a place known as Steward. After having resided at that place for awhile, he moved westward again to Iowa into Palo Alto County where he farmed for one year near Emmetsburg.

On March 4, 1904, he was married in Emmetsburg to Miss Ida Jacobson. Shortly after their marriage, they moved on the farm in Twelve Lake Township where Mrs. Iver Ness and her family now reside. On this farm, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Johnson lived for seven years. From there they moved a little farther west to the farm known as the Frank farm. There they made their home for two years. It was while they were living on the Frank farm that Mr. Johnson in 1912 purchased the 160 acre farm four miles west of Wallingford and to which he and his family moved in the following year, nearly 1913.

On April 10, 1920, Mr. Johnson suffered the heavy loss of his beloved wife. This was a hard blow to him as he was left with seven children who were deprived of a mother’s care, the youngest being only 18 months old.

On last Tuesday forenoon, January 10, as he was working about the farm yard, doing the ordinary chores, he was suddenly attacked by a furious bull and thus gored to death within a very brief time. As he did not come in at the ordinary time for dinner, search was made for him as to his whereabouts and thus in the late noon-hour, his mangled body was found. When Ole Johnson so suddenly left this world, he was 63 years, 2 months and 19 days old.

Beloved by his seven children, he is therefore deeply mourned by them. Their names are as follows: Alfred, or more commonly known as “Johnnie”; Clara, now Mrs. Clarence Olson; Jennie, Norman, Clarence, Conrad and Mable. He is also survived by two grandchildren and by a brother in Norway.

The funeral was held on Friday, January 13, 1933, with a brief devotion at the house at 1:15 p.m. and with the service proper at 2 p.m. at the Riverside Church near Wallingford with its pastor, Peder Nordsletten, in charge. Mr. Chas. Anderson, of Estherville, directed the funeral. In spite of the chilly weather, both the home and the church were filled to capacity with neighbors and friends, many coming a long distance. Many floral offerings were given in memory of the departed and likewise gifts in the form of money to various missions. The Wallingford Choir sang two numbers during the church service and likewise when the burial was made, which was in the Wallingford church cemetery.

The following served as the pallbearers: Wm. Schacherer, Ed Smith, John Pluth, P.S. Anderson, Ole Egeland and John C. Larson. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, January 18, 1933)