Palmer Sigred Wolden 1921-1930

WOLDEN

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 7/3/2013 at 01:09:48

Nine Year Old Boy Killed By Tractor
Palmer Wolden Drawn Under Machine Wheel
Is Only Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Wolden – Funeral Largest in County
Palmer Sigred Wolden, 9 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Wolden of High Lake township met a tragic death on Thursday noon, May 22 at the Johnnie Johnson farm near his home. His father had borrowed a tractor from Mr. Johnson to do some heavy plowing and accompanied by Palmer went to get it. An uncle, Albert Wolden started the engine to drive the tractor home for the father and Palmer as was his habit with his father’s own tractor jumped on the platform. The left fender had been torn off of this machine and the little boy was caught by the wheel and was drawn down between the frame and the wheel and under the wheel as the tractor moved ahead. He was dead when his father picked him up. It all happened within a few seconds. The sudden passing of the boy was a great shock to the entire community where he was loved for his own sake as well as for that of his grief stricken parents and grandparents. One sister Gertrude survives.

Palmer Sigred Wolden was born at his parental home in High Lake township, five miles east of Wallingford, May 29, 1921, and thus lacked but a week of being nine years at the time of his death. During the summer on July 17, he was baptized by Rev. T. Hansen. Palmer grew and developed very quickly and was considered especially bright and observant for one of his years. Around the home he proved to be very helpful and thus ran many small errands for his parents.

Funeral services for the boy were held Sunday, May 25, in charge of Rev. Peder Nordsletten. A brief service was conducted at the home at one thirty and the service proper at the Riverside Lutheran church at two o’clock. Rev. Nordsletten was assisted by Mr. S.O. Lundy, the Superintendent of the Wallingford Sunday school of which Palmer had been a very faithful member. Mr. J.O. Kasa, a close friend of the family read a beautiful poem which he had composed for the occasion. The Immanuel Lutheran Church choir sang two songs at the funeral and an octette, composed of members of the Wallingford church, sang three numbers. Rev. Nordsletten sang Palmer’s favorite song, “The Unclouded Day.” Miss Lena Gunderson accompanied the singers from the local congregation, while Mrs. Peter Paulson played for the Immanuel church choir. An unusually large floral offering decked the casket. Those acting as pallbearers were six little boys who were Palmer’s playmates and classmates in the Sunday School, namely Norman Iverson, Bobbie Peterson, Stanley Young, Olin Nordsletten, Harvey Lundy and Allen Gunderson. The funeral was the largest ever held in the Wallingford church and one of the largest that has been witnessed in Emmet county. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, May 28, 1930)

Palmer Wolden Killed By Tractor
Boys Head Was Crushed When He Fell Under Tractor Wheel
Palmer Wolden, son of J.M. Wolden living on the scenic drive between High Lake and Mud Lake and former member of the county board of supervisors, was killed instantly at 12:15 Thursday afternoon, by the rear wheel of a 15-30 McCormick-Deering tractor passing over his head on the Johnnie Johnson farm, a mile south of his home. The lad, who would have been nine years of age Thursday of this week, accompanied his father and uncle, Albert Wolden, to the Johnson place to borrow a tractor with which they intended to do some plowing for the lad’s father. The tractor was standing near a corn crib and machine shed, and after starting the motor, it was allowed to run idle to warm up. The machine has no fenders. As the motor was idling the boy decided to sit on the rear left wheel and it is supposed that he was watching his father from his place of observation, carry water in a pail for the radiator from a tank a few feet ahead of the tractor. While father and son were thus engaged, Albert decided to drive up to the tank to avoid unnecessary steps for his brother. Not noticing the lad in the precarious position, he put the machine in gear. The machine started forward quickly and in the same instant the lad fell in front of the wheel, his feet outward from the tractor and face sideways on the ground. This wheel on which he sat crushed his skull [line unreadable] terrible shock to his father and uncle. Charles Lough and son, Harley, who live across the road from the scene of the accident realized from the frantic exclamations of what had happened and yells for help that a serious accident had occurred, and ran over and gave what assistance they could. No blame can be attached to Albert Wolden. He is handicapped with the loss of sight in his left eye, with which, no doubt, he would have seen the lad perched on the wheel. The machine went ahead only six feet, which shows that even with his handicap he did quick work. Palmer was inclined toward tractors and was “at home” when near a throbbing motor. Even at his age he had driven his father’s car. His lifeless body was placed in his father’s car, and at his home was transferred to an ambulance from Estherville and taken to the mortuary.

The remains were taken to his home Saturday afternoon from the mortuary and funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at the Riverside church in charge of the pastor, Rev. Nordsletten, and burial was made in the nearby cemetery. Silas Lundy, president of the Sunday School gave a brief talk and J.O. Kasa read a poem of his own composition, which contained a touching farewell to Palmer’s parents, friend and playmates. His favorite hymn, “The Unclouded Day” was sung by Rev. Nordsletten. Besides his parents, he leaves a sister, Gertrude. Old timers in the neighborhood remark that it was the largest attended burial at this place. By actual count there were 175 cars. The building was filled to capacity and there were again as many who could not gain admission. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, May 28, 1930)