Ira Clifford Oddson 1908-1930

ODDSON, IVERSON, WILMAR, ISACKSON, PETERSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 7/28/2013 at 01:22:08

Ira Oddson, 22, Dies Instantly in Run-a-way
Ira Oddson, 22, son of Mrs. E. A. Oddson of east of Wallingford, met a sad death Wednesday evening as he was unhitching his team in the farm yard at home. The exact details of the accident are not known as no one witnessed the tragedy.

The young man had partly unhitched the team from the wagon and the horses apparently became frightened and started to run.

The wagon either ran over him or he was crushed between a wagon and a tree. He lived but a few moments after the accident. Dr. McManus of Graettinger was summoned but life was extinct before he could reach the Oddson place. The side of the young man’s chest was badly crushed and there were a number of bruises and cuts on his head.

Last January E.A. Oddson passed away and a year ago one of their children died. Only three members of the family remain.

Conducted by the Rev. L.A. Mathre, funeral services were held Friday at Riverside church east of Wallingford. (Estherville News, Estherville, IA, August 7, 1930)

Wallingford Youth Killed By Team
Ira Oddson, 22, son of Mrs. E.A. Oddson was almost instantly killed when he was crushed between a wagon and a tree by a team which he was unhitching from the wagon. The accident occurred Wednesday evening on the farm east of Wallingford. The young man’s side and chest were crushed.

Funeral services were held Saturday.

Mrs. Oddson was left a widow less than a year ago and a daughter died about two years ago. There are but three left in the family. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, August 6, 1930)

Wallingford Man Killed in a Runaway Accident Wednesday Evening
Team Became Frightened And Bolted Causing Instant Death
Death saddened the Oddson home three miles east of Wallingford the second time this year, when Ira, the twenty-two-year old son of Mrs. E.A. Oddson was instantly killed in a runaway accident Wednesday evening. The lad had returned home with a team hitched to the hay rack after a day of threshing, that afternoon the threshing had been done for Sylvester Berge, and was preceding to put the horses away for the night. No one actually saw the accident, but it is known that the lines were put on the hames and the bridles were taken off. In his haste he evidently forgot to unhitch one of the horses and it is supposed that as he started to lead the horses, the one that was still hitched became frightened from pulling the wagon and started to run. They made a circle in the yard and broke loose after hitting a tree with the rack. The racket aroused the curiosity of the family who were in the barn milking, and they found him gasping his last near the tree. It would seem that he tried to hold the team by the halter ropes, and being on the side of the wagon that struck the tree and from the injuries received it would indicate that he was between the tree and the rack as his chest was crushed [rest of line unreadable]. He died instantly. Last January the young man’s father passed away from an illness.

Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at the Riverside Church east of Wallingford. Rev. Mathre, of this city, officiated. Burial was in the cemetery on the church grounds. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, August 6, 1930)

Obituary
Ira Clifford Oddson was born in Cottonwood county, Minnesota, March 21, 1908. He was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Oddson. In 1915 the family moved from Cottonwood county onto their farm near Brooten, Minnesota, and in the fall of 1917 to Emmet county, Iowa. The deceased always made his home with his parents until his sad death the evening of July 30th. Particulars of the accident in which he was killed appeared in a recent issue of the Times. He had just returned from threshing and was unhitching his team. He had the harness unhooked with the exception of the tugs. Apparently the horses became frightened and started to run and the unfortunate young man was crushed between the wagon and a tree. No one saw the accident as the members of the family were in the barn attending to the evening chores.

Ira leaves to mourn his mother, three sisters, Lillian, Bernice and Lorraine, and a brother, LeRoy. His sad death is also mourned by his grandmother, Mrs. Ingeborg Oddson, of Windom, Minnesota. He has a number of uncles and aunts. His father passed away January 19th this years, and as he was the oldest son he remained on the farm to assist his mother with the work. A brother, Wallace, died September 14, 1925. Two brothers, Raymond and Clarence and a sister, Gladys, died t Brooten, Minnesota, the winter of 1917.

The last sad rites over the remains of Ira Oddson were largely attended by neighbors and friends. His sad death occasioned universal sorrow in the community. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. L.A. Mathre of Estherville. L.T. Lewison of Graettinger had charge of the funeral arrangements. Interment was made in the High Lake cemetery beside the body of his father. The pall bearers were his cousins, Lawrence, Earl and Arthur Iverson and his second cousins Wilmar and Bernard Isackson and Mynard Peterson.

Mrs. Oddson and family certainly have the sincere sympathy of the community in the sad loss they have been called upon to bear.

Ira was a good boy and was steady and industrious. Since his father’s death he managed the farm work and was meeting with marked success. He was liked by his friends and acquaintances and was popular with all who knew him. He was a devoted son and a kind, thoughtful, loving brother. The Times extends heartfelt sympathy to Mrs. Oddson and children and we hope they will be spared further sorrow for many years to come. (Graettinger Times, Graettinger, IA, August 21, 1930)