Ericson, Lars 1880-1938

ERICSON, JOHNSON

Posted By: Paul Van Dyke--Volunteer
Date: 10/6/2016 at 17:36:51

Source: Hawarden Independent (4-21-1938)

Born: May 18, 1880
Died: April 16, 1938

Lars D. Ericson, prominent farmer of Big Springs Township six miles southwest of Hawarden, took his own life about eight o’clock Saturday morning by shooting himself in the head with a 410 gauge shotgun apparently as the result of a sudden impulse.

Mr. Ericson arose as usual Saturday morning and had breakfast with his wife and youngest son, Ivan. After breakfast Mrs. Ericson departed in company with Miss Alice Cooper for Sioux City to spend the day while Mr. Ericson went to the barn to assist his son with chores. He milked a cow or two and then went to the house. His son saw him walking towards the house but kept on until he had finished the milking, a matter of not over five or ten minutes, and then took the milk to the house to separate it in the basement. As he started for the basement he noticed that one of the guns was missing from the gun rack and upon reaching the basement was horrified to find his father lying on the floor in a pool of blood with the muzzle of the gun lying across his body. Apparently Mr. Ericson had laid down on the basement floor, placing the muzzle of the gun against his temple and pulled the trigger with his thumb. A large portion of the upper part of his head was literally crushed by the gun charge and death must have been nearly instantaneous.

Ivan at once telephoned his brothers, Amos and Milo, who reside on a farm about two miles away and they rushed over on horseback. The heavy rain the night before had made auto traffic impossible without chains and they didn’t want to take time to put them on the car. They also succeeded in stopping Mrs. Ericson and Miss Cooper at Akron, Dr. F.F. Null was summoned from Hawarden but there was nothing that he could do except summon the Union County Coroner from Elk Point. The coroner and sheriff came immediately to the Ericson farm but after investigation concluded that an inquest was unnecessary and the body was removed to the Ross Funeral Home in Hawarden and prepared for burial.

Funeral services were held at the Ericson home in Big Springs Township at 2 o’clock Tuesday afternoon with Reverend R.A. Dahiquist, pastor of the Big Springs Baptist Church in charge. Interment was made in Grace Hill Cemetery in Hawarden.

Lars Ericson had resided in the Big Springs community all of his life. He was born at Nas, Sweden, and would have been 58 years old on May 18th of this year. He came to America with members of his family when only 6 years of age and they located in the Big Springs community where he grew to young manhood and with his brother operated the old home farm. On June 20, 1906, he was united in marriage with Miss Hannah Johnson, also of the Big Springs community. For two years following their marriage they lived in Sioux City. He kept himself unusually well informed regarding matters of a public and business nature. For many years he served as a member of the Big Springs school board and was president of the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company of Union County. He served as township supervisor for several years and had recently taken the place of H.E. Johnson on the soil conservation committee in Big Springs Township, while the latter was incapacitated through illness. For years he was affiliated with the Masonic Lodge and Icoes Club in Hawarden.

Possessed of a happy and jovial disposition, he had the capacity for making and holding friends and he enjoyed a wide acquaintance throughout Union County and this entire territory. The manner of his death is a severe blow to the members of his family and they have the utmost sympathy of countless friends.