Bolette Margareta Harbor (Berg) Ringheim (1831-1906)

BERG, RINGHEIM, LIVINGSTON, HANSELL, SIMMONS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 1/16/2012 at 22:58:14

From Story County Watchman January 26, 1906

Front page: Three Nevada Pioneers Called to Rest (Headline)

MRS. B. RINGHEIM

Mrs. Margaretta Boletta Ringheim (whose usual style of address and signaure was "Mrs. B. Ringheim") died at five o'clock Saturday morning, January 20, 1906, at the home for the time being of herself and her daughters, Emily and Hannah, in Perry, aged 74 years, 3 months and 1 day. Mrs. Ringheim had for a number of years been in a state of health which required considerable care in winter time; but upon the whole she had been this winter as well as usual until the Monday before her death. She was then attacked by a trouble which developed into pneumonia; but even this disease did not reach a critical stage until after midnight on Friday night. From that time, however, she failed so rapidly that she died before morning. Her residence in Perry being essentially temporary and her real home for many years having been in Nevada, her body was brought back here on Monday morning, and her funeral was conducted from the Lutheran church Monday afternoon by her pastor, Rev. J. O. Simon. The burial was in the Nevada cemetery.

Margaretta Boletta Berg was born in Bergen, Norway, October 19, 1831. She was reared in comfort of her father being the holder of a government office, and her only brother a citizen so prominent that a monument was reared to his memory. She was, however, left motherless when a little child, and her father died when she was in her teens. She married at the age of eighteen, Knute Ringheim, a farmer, and a brother of I. A. Ringheim who afterward became so prominent a merchant and citizen of Nevada, and with her husband she sailed at once from the land of ther birth, to which neither of them ever returned. Coming to America, they made their first home at Racine, Wisconsin; but after a few years they removed to Decorah in this state, where the husband died, when Ida, the eldest daughter, was twelve, and when Andrew, the only boy and the sixth and last of the family, was two. The mother and her large family of little ones were left with their home but with little besides, and matters were close with them until the oldest children got old enough to contribute to the family support. In due time the oldest daughter married and moved to Brookings, South Dakota, where she died and her daughter Letta Simmons came to the grandmother to make good the number in the family. In the meantime, however, the daughters next in age, first Bessie and then Emily had come to Nevada and found employment in their uncle's store; and as a consequence the family moved here in 1881. Mrs. Ringheim then established the home, which she continued to keep for her children and her grand daughter, Letta, save as they married and left for homes of their own. As her children established themselves and succeeded in business, the work of home keeping naturally grew lighter, but she never ceased to be solicitous for the comfort of all who came within her home, and almost her last words in life were directed toward the lightening of the household cares of others. In recent years Mrs. Ringheim had been in delicate health, and she and her daughter Hannah have spent most of their winters in some milder climate. For a couple of years, however, she had been stronger and the removal to Perry during the past year was with the purpose of resuming the regular duties of life for a couple of years. For the most part, morever, this program worked; but she caught cold in some way and was not able to withstand its effects.

Mrs. Ringheim was a very rare person, and she was very warmly appreciated by all who came within the radius of her activities. She "mothered" not only her children and grand children, but, also her friends and neighbors, associates in the church and particularly the pastor of the Lutheran church, who ever for the time being he might happen to be. Her delight was to contribute in the comfort of others and she had her recompense in a wealth of affection from her children, grand children and friends. As suggested already, she was staunch in the Lutheran church, and the share which her efforts and inspiration have had in the upbuilding of the Lutheran society in this city it would be quite impossible to estimate. Her work was chiefly in her home and in her church, and it was within these precincts that she was known and appreciated; but to those who did know her she was a model of American motherhood and the honor and love due her as such is hers.

Mrs. Ringheim is survived by her daughters, Mrs. Bessie (F. M.) Livingston of Perry, Misses Emily and Hannah Ringheim of Nevada and Perry, Mrs. Margaret (William) Hansell of Ottumwa, her son Andrew M. of Nevada, her grand daughter, Miss Letta Simmons of Nevada and Perry and several other grandchildren.