Ole T. Johnson (1859-1897)

JOHNSON, GANZLAND

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 7/9/2006 at 08:57:57

The Roland Record, Roland, Story County, Iowa, March 12, 1897.

SUCCUMBED TO CONSUMPTION

Ole T. Johnson Passes Away Last Sunday Morning

Once more death has claimed as its victim a pioneer citizen of Story county; another chair is now left vacant in the family circle and another family has been left without a husband and father.

For some time it has been the general opinion that Ole T. Johnson could not last long as that dreaded disease, consumption, was slowly but surely wasting away his once strong and robust body. And when the tolling of the bells announced a death last Sabbath morning, none were surprised to learn whose death the bells were announcing.

Ole T. Johnson was born at Ottawa, Illinois, on the 18th day of December, 1859 and died at his home in this city on Sunday, March 7th, 1897, aged 37 years, 2 months and 19 days. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas R. Johnson, left Illinois in 1865 with their family, moved to Story county and settled on the old Johnson homestead, where they have since lived happily and prospered, providing for themselves an elegant home in which to spend their declining years, surrounded by their large family of children. Ole T. was the eldest of a family of ten children, seven of whom survive him; Joseph R., Barton T., Oscar, Sarah, Tobia, Mary and Sena. One sister, Anna, and one brother, Michael, have preceeded him to that unknown shore.

He was married about 14 years ago to Miss Mary Ganzland, and to this union two pretty and interesting little daughters, Ida and Ana May, have been born.

Mr. Johnson has been identified with the business interests of Roland for the past thirteen years or more, having at one time conducted a grocery store in the building in which he was conducting a billiard hall at the time of his death.

Ole Johnson was a pleasant, accomodating neighbor and friend, a kind and generous husband and a loving father; but like may others, he was a better man to others than he was to himself. He and his family had many friends, a fact which was attested to by the large number of neighbors and friends who congregated at the church Tuesday to pay their tribute of respect to their departed fellow citizen.

The funeral services were conducted at the Salem church by Rev. J. N. Sandven, who delivered a very able and appropriate sermon in the Norske language, followed by a short talk in the English language, for the benefit of the English speaking friends. The remains were then laid to rest in the Roland cemetery and the bereaved relatives returned to their homes, there to learn to bear their sorrow.