WILLIAMS, Laura Gurina (Olesen) 1867-1950

WILLIAMS, OLESEN, GUNDERSDATTER

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 5/15/2016 at 08:07:31

Laura Gurina (Julia) Williams was born April 23, 1867 near Meroa, Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa to Vigliek Reisaeter Olesen and Sigri Gundersdatter, the first of their five children. She had 1 half-brother and 4 younger brothers. The family first used the surname Olesen but later, as adults, changed their surname to Williams, a shortened version of Williamsen.

Laura was baptized in May 1867 into the Lutheran faith at probably First Lutheran, ST Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa as the Rock Creek Lutheran Church did not yet exist. She was confirmed on May 20, 1883 at Rock Creek Lutheran, Meroa, Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa.

Found in the 1870 - 1900 censuses living at Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa:
1870: William 50, Sarah 30 and Alex (Helleck) 9, George 1 , Laura 2 and a Henry Andersen age 30 working as a hired man.

1880: William Olieson 63, Sarah Olieson 41, George 11, Millard 8, Laura 13, Peter 5, Carl 2, Halleck Peterson 19.

1885: William Olson 60, Sarah Olson 47, Laura 18, George 15, Gust 13, Peter 10, Carl 6.

1900: Peter Williams 25, Sarah Williams 62, Laura G 33, Carl 22.

Laura never married, nor had children. After her father died, her mother and brothers, Pete and Carl sold their shares of the farm to her brother Gustav M Williams and moved north to live near Crookston, Minnesota.

Found in the 1905 census at Clearwater, Sinclair, Minnesota: Laura J Williams age 38, Carl Williams age 27, farmer.

Found in the 1910 - 1940 censuses at Fisher, Polk, Minnesota:
1910: Peter Williams 35, Carl 32, Laura G 42, Sigrid 72 .

1920: Carl 41, Laura 52, Selmer Kolden 31.

1930: Laura G Williams age 63, retired farm owner

1940: Peter Williams 64, Sella G Williams 43, Selmer L 23, Inez L 21, Palmer E 20, Hilda G 18, Clarice M 17, Milton E 15, Lora J 73, Gilbert A Dahl 33.

Laura Williams died December 24, 1950 at Fisher, Polk, Minnesota and was buried at Fisher Lutheran Cemetery, Fisher, Polk, Minnesota.
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Mitchell County Iowa Newspaper Obituary:

Miss Laura Williams, 83 year old resident of Fisher, Minnesota, passed away Sunday morning at 10:30, following an illness as the result of a recent fall.

Miss Williams was born April 23, 1867, at Meroa, Iowa, and had been a resident of Fisher for the past 43 years, where she lived with her brother, Peter, on his farm there. In addition to her brother, she is survived by a niece, Clarice, at the farm, besides several other relatives, not residents of the immediate community.

Funeral services will be held Thursday at the Lutheran church in Fisher, the Rev. C.J. Field officiating. The body will lie in state at the Stenshoel Funeral home tomorrow afternoon and evening. The body will be placed in the mausoleum here with burial to follow in the spring at the Fisher cemetery. Pall bearers are: Abel Erickson, George Knudson, Henning Malmberg, Ben Filipi, Clifford Brevik, and Alfred Malmberg.

There is a memorial for her at Find a Grave #58513171 with photos of her and the burial site.
Findagrave said she died in 1950.