Nels Simonson/Simmons (1828-1908)

SIMMONS, SIMONSON, SALISBURY, NEWTON, LUND, CASEY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 3/3/2017 at 22:26:40

From Nevada Representative April 6, 1908

OBITUARY

NELS SIMONSON

Nels Simonson, who was perhaps more commonly known as "Simmons", died at his home in the city early Friday morning, April 3, 1908, in the 82d year of his age. He had been almost helplessly ill for seven years and bed-fast for five years, and death came to him at last, therefore, as a release from very long suffering. His wife and step-daughter, Mrs. Salisbury of Chicago, and his sons, Newton W. Simmons of Minneapolis and Samuel Simmons of this city, were with him at the last, and will pay to him the last tribute of his funeral, which will be held at Roland today.

Mr. Simonson was born near Bergen, Norway, in September 1826, was reared as a fisherman and also as a school-teacher, with some disposition toward the ministry. He and Mrs. Simonson, who was then Mrs. Newton, came to this country in the same ship in the early '50s; and her husband dying a month after their arrival in this country, they were married some time later and more than fifty years ago. This was at Queen Anne Prairie, Illinois where they had first located upon their immigration. They removed soon after the war to Iowa and resided for two years at Roland. Then they removed to Nevada, and for about forty years they have lived in the little house northeast from the school house which house is still the family home. Here he has lived modestly and well. In his active years he was stonemason, and for a time he was janitor of the school house. He preached some in the Norwegian language, and occasionally he was called upon to conduct funerals. He was a man of warm religious feeling and a staunch member of the Lutheran church. Always he was a man much esteemed by those who knew him best.

He is survived by his wife, step-daughter and sons before mentioned, also by his step-daughter, Mrs. Lund of Chicago, his step-son John Newton of Roland, and a granddaughter, daughter of his deceased daughter, Mrs. Minnie Casey of Woodstock, Illinois.