John Evenson (1834-1919)

EVENSON, OLSON, JOHNSON, LURA, LOCKHART, CORY

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/27/2016 at 11:44:36

From the Roland Record, Thursday, April 17, 1919.

PIONEER CITIZEN LAID TO REST

John Evenson was born July 26, 1834, at Lura, Stavanger, Norway, and died April 11, 1919, at Roland, Iowa, after an illness of five weeks, altho his health had been failing for a couple of months.

In 1855 he came to Chicago where he followed the carpenter trade for several years, after which he came to Iowa, where he settled on a farm near Roland. In 1875 he sold the farm and with Abel Olson and Jonas Duea started the first general store in Roland. Abel Olson soon disposed of his interest and Evenson conducted the business alone until 1886 when it was sold to Iver Johnson and John Michaelson.

In 1878 his wife, formerly Malena Olson, died leaving six children, five of whom are now living. The children are, Edward, who died August 1914, Joseph of Ihlen Minn., Martin of Forest City, Ia., John of Comrey, Alta, Can., Albert of Rio, Wis., and Mrs. Carl Johnson of Marshalltown, Iowa.

In 1880 he married Bertha Marie Lura and to this union nine children were born. They are Mrs. Bertha Olson who died in March 1903, Josephine [unreadable], Mrs. Roy C. Lockhart, Elmira and Theresa of Roland, Mrs. A. M. Cory of Woodward, Benford who is with the A.E.F. located at Obermendig, Germany and Orville of Marshalltown, Iowa.

In March 1887 the family moved out on the farm lcoated on mile west and 1/2 mile north of town, where they lived until 9104 when they moved to town.

He leaves 18 grandchildren, one brother of Eagle Hill, Alta, Can., and three sisters in Norway.

Mr. Evenson was the man who baptized our town and named it Roland. When the question of post office came up for discussion among the early pioneers, vis., Erickson, Sheldahl, Thompson and Duea. The reason he suggested that name was because it is easy to write, easy to spell and pronounce both in the American and Norwegian languages, and easy to remember, thus showing his keen insight and ability of far sightedness in this as well as every other kind of business that he was called upon to perform. His aptness along that line was fully recognized by the early settlers inasmuch as he was called upon from time to time to hold township offices until he had held all the offices of the township with the exception of constable. While a member of the board of supervisors he was elected by that body to superintend the construction of the court house. He was one of those who did not make much noise about his Christianity, but he was honest and wholehearted in his confession, so when he spoke he spoke with his whole heart, soul and body, not simply with his mouth. Since the time he was taken suddenly ill at Marshalltown a few years ago, he appears to have slipped away from the things of this world, as it were, in order to more completely prepare himself to meet the living God when the call should come.

Funeral services were held in Salems church last Tuesday and interment took place in the Roland cemetery.

The out of town people who attended were: Mr. and Mrs. Sam Swanson and daughter of Marshalltown, Even Lura of Montrose, S. Dak., Mrs. Gerhard Wilson of Ihlen, Minn., Ross Olson of Williams, Iowa, and Ross Skilbred of Blairsburg.