Samuel J. Michaelson (1863-1943)

MICHAELSON, BOYD, ROREM, OLSON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 11/18/2012 at 18:20:50

From The Roland Record, Thursday, May 20, 1943

Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon from the A. M. Michaelson home and from Salem Lutheran church for Sam J. Michaelson, pioneer merchant and business man of Roland for over fifty years, whose death occurred Thursday night following an illness of some time. He had not been well for several years and was taken seriously ill about ten days before his death last Thursday. Rev. Olaf Holon, his spastor, officiated, and special music consisted of solos by Mrs. Grant Eggland and Mr. O. S. Boyd.

The pall bearers were B. H. Knudtson, Joseph Hoversten, Sam J. Nelson, O. M. Thompson, J. E. Quam, Elliot Thompson. Interment was made in the Roland cemetery.

Samuel J. Michaelson was born on April 10, 1863, at the old log cabin homestead one mile south and a half mile east of Roland, and passed away at his home in Roland on Thursday evening, May 13, 1943, at 10:40 o'clock, at the age of 80 years, one month and three days.

On April 19, 1890, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah M. Boyd, daughter of the late K. P. and Betsey Boyd, and to this union eight children were born, Mrs. Allen T. Rorem (Sylvia), and Mrs. Elmer E. Olson (Ione), both of Minneapolis, Minn., Jeffrey of Des Moines; John E. and Boyd, of Story City, and A. Milton and Arline of Roland, and one son, Herbert M., who passsed away in August, 1909, as a result of accidental burns. The seven children and his wife survive him. He is also survived by eleven grandchildren and one great grandchild.

He was a Lutheran by faith, being baptized by Rev. Amlund in the old St. Petri church, then located a mile east of Story City, and confirmed in the Salem church at Roland by Rev. Ellertson, of which church he was a member at the time of his death. He always took an active interest in church affairs as long as his physical condition permitted.

He grew to manhood in this community, his parents, the late John and Betsey Michaelson having moved with their family from the log cabin to the farm one mile west and three fourths mile south of Roland, later known as the Bell farm. He received his education in the rural schools of Howard township and in the Nevada high school. Later he attended the Keokuk Business college, and after graduating from this college he returned to his home community, where he taught school for five terms in what was known as the old Center school, one mile west of Roland.

After teaching a few years he engaged in buying land and selling live stock and later entered the employ of Johnson & Michaelson general store, of which his father was a partner. After his marriage he and his brother, Michael, purchased their father's interest in the partnership and formed the firm of Johnson & Michaelson Bros., the senior member being the late Iver Johnson. This partnership was dissolved in 1904, following a fire which destroyed the building which was located on the corner where the Story County state Bank is now located.

Following the fire, Mr. Michaelson erected a two story brick building on the site of the old building, where he operated a general store for a number of years. In 1919 he traded this building for the old Farmers Savings Bank building in the middle of the block and moved his stock into the north part of the double front building. He operated the store until 1929 when he closed out the stock and retired from active business.

During his business career he took an active part in all the affairs of the town and community. He has served as mayor, councilman, town clerk, member of the Roland fire departments, and also served as president and member of the Roland school board. Besides his mercantile business he was also a stockholder and member of the board of directors of the Farmers Savings Bank.

Among those from a distance in attendance at the funeral were, Mr. and Mrs. Allen T. Rorem, Mrs. Elmer E. Olson, Mrs. Donald Smith, Floyd Bell, and Maurice Michaelson, of Minneapolis, Minn.; Mrs. Aaron Johnson, Mrs. Kenneth Johnson, Pete Boyd, Severin Benson, Austin Rorem, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Amundson, Mr. and Mrs. Amos Alberts, Mr. and Mrs. Nels Wierson, of Radcliffe; Mrs. Lena Michaelson, and Marvin Twedt of Slater; Mr. and Mrs. Jerny Michaelson, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Rorem, Mrs. Lars Stangeland, of Jewell; Arthur Boyd of Stanhope; Luther Couser of Chicago, Ill.; Mrs. W. T. Wierson, Rev. and Mrs. J. B. Rognilien, Mrs. T. C. Larson and son, Mrs. Carrie Harden, Henry Boyd, Alftred Boyd, of Ames; Jeffrey Michaelson and Emery Eggland of Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Swasand of Vincent; Severt Hammersland and Knudt Hammersland of Eagle Grove; Mr. and Mrs. Herman Holland of Boone; Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Michaelson, Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Michaelson, Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Carpenter, Gaylord Carpenter, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Johnson, Miss Louise Olson, J. O. Anderson, Torbjorn Holdm Mrs. Dena Christian, Albert Larson, Mrs. Luther Henderson, Mrs. Stanton James, Mrs. Bertha Durby, of Story City.