Johan Olson Kasa, 1859-1948

KASA

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 2/10/2009 at 11:46:45

Johan Olson Kasa was born in Kongs Vinger Sogn, east from Oslo, Norway, of parents Ole Johannesen Kasa and Karen Kasa, the 8th day of June 1859, and with his parents migrated to American about the year 1868, landing from the Mississippi river at Red Wing, Minn. and stayed with Rev. O. A. Bergh about a year.

Then by the way of a yoke of oxen and covered wagon, Rev. O. J. Kasa and wife Karen Kasa, with their children, Johan Olson Kasa, and sisters, Christiana and Hilda, moved to Ottertail country, Minnesota, where Rev. Kasa organized the first Hauges Lutheran congregation in Ottertail county.

Rev. O. J. Kasa homesteaded in Ottertail county about 1870 and Johan Olson Kasa grew to manhood on this homestead and lived with his parents and farmed in partnership with his father until he was 28 years of age when he graduated from Red Wing Seminary July 17, 1887, and as ordained minister took charge of "Nathanael" congregation at Wallingford, Iowa, and other congregations which he served for seven years besides working his 80-acre farm northwest of Wallingford.

He resigned from the ministry and took on farming exclusively. He was elected as representative to the legislature for Emmet, Dickinson and Palo Alto counties for a term of two years and served in the 24th General Assembly in 1892 while yet a minister. About that time or 1894 he, together with H. A. Gaarde then of Armstrong, Iowa, organized the Emmet County Mutual Insurance Co.

Besides having active part in advancing this organization, J. O. Kasa had personal charge of his farm until he engaged in partnership with Henry Wahler in the Foundry and Machineshop at Wallingford, which enterprise continued until Henry Wahler, due to old age, decided to retired and agreement was made to divide the property, J. O. Kasa taking the stock and machinery and Wahler, the buildings.

J. O. Kasa then engaged in the hardware and implement business and also had the postoffice in Wallingford, which he conducted for 18 years.

After disposing of his hardware and implement business at Wallingford he purchased a residence in Graettinger where he lived for one year. He traded one section of land near Fargo, N. D., for a store in Estherville, later known as Klocow and Charles Kilgore hardware. J. O. Kasa lived one year at Estherville, while he owned the store.

After having disposed of the Estherville store, taking in trade a farm in Cottonwood county, Minn., J. O. Kasa with family moved back to Wallingford, and took on the trade of carpentry and painting together with furnace installation.

J. O. Kasa was baptized in Norway in the Lutheran faith while an infant and was confirmed at a young age by his father, Rev. O. J. Kasa in Dave Prairie, Ottertail county, Minn., church one of Rev. O. J. Kasa's congregation.

J. O. Kasa was the oldest of Rev. O. J. Kasa's children. A brother, Hill Kasa, was the youngest. Four of the six girls died in two weeks time from diptheria at the age from 7 to 18 years. Three were buried in the same grave. Of the two remaining daughters, Christiana Kasa became the wife of Rev. L. L. Nervig of the Hauges Synod, a theological fellow student of J. O. Kasa, and the other daughter became the wife of Rev. Rovig.

J. O. Kasa and wife Anna Kasa, were married July 2, 1887, at the home of Rev. O. J. Kasa, Dave Prairie, Ottertail county, Minn. Rev. B. B. Haugan, a fellow student of J. O. Kasa, performed the ceremony.

J. O. Kasa and wife had 10 children, five boys and five girls, of whom eight are living: Norris Kasa, drafted for the first World War died at Fort Snelling, Minn., Oct. 7, 1918, at the age of 25 years, nine months and eight days. Hilda Serine Kasa at the time of her death Mrs. Charles Heidecker died Feb...and Mr. Kasa remarried in 1946.

J. O. Kasa died March 20, 1948, in Holy Family hospital. He is survived by his wife; eight children, Jamie, Helmer, Florence, Mevina, Odell, Leonard, Ruby and Cutie; 16 grandchildren, four great grandchildren; a brother, of Sack Center, Minn., and a sister, Hilda Rovig of Chicago.

Source: Daily News, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa; March 29, 1948.

CC Note: The obituary was written by J. O. Kasa, with the exception of the last two paragraphs, before his death.