Oney Stensland (1864-1930)

STENSLAND, BERT, EGEMO, FORD

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:12

From Nevada Evening Journal October 7, 1930 (page 1)

FARMER KILLED BY ENRAGED BULL

ONEY STENSLAND OF NEAR JEWELL MET A TRAGIC DEATH

Special to the Journal.
Story City, Oct. 7--Funeral services for Oney Stensland, 66, farmer of northwest of here in Hamilton county, who was killed by an enraged bull on his farm, late Saturday afternoon will be held Thursday afternoon at the Bethesda Lutheran church, Jewell, after which interment will be in Evergreen cemetery there.

Stensland had been working about the barn and pasture during the afternoon but failed to put in an appearance at supper time.

It was at first thought that he had gone over to one of the neighbors or had accompanied some of them on a short trip.

Later is was feared that he might have suffered a heart attack or had wandered away. Posses of men from Jewell and Randall and nearby vicinities gathered and started the search. It was estimated about 500 people were in the searching party. Grounds, buildings and the entire countryside were searched until 2 o'clock Sunday morning to no avail. Most of the party then abandoned the search but three sons of Mr. Stensland continued the search and others started to look for the man again at daylight.

Elmer Stensland was the one first find the body of his father shortly after daylight. He, with a group of seven or eight men were searching a small pasture, when the body was found about one-fourth mile from the farm home. It was evident that he had been attacked by a bull which had been pastured there. During the entire hunt the searchers had been warned of the ferocious bull in the pasture and had consequently kept shy of the place. Mr. Stensland however had never had any fear of the animal as had the other members of the family.

The body was found near the old cellar of a house which had been torn down. Parts of his clothing were fond several feet away and it was evident that a struggle had occurred. Mr. Stensland was, no doubt, handicapped during the struggle, on account of having but one arm. He lost the other in a threshing machine accident some years ago.

Mrs. Stensland died a few years ago. He leaves eight children to mourn his untimely death, all of whom live in the Jewell community with the exception of one, who live in Story City. Two daughters attend the local high school. The children are A. B. Bert, Elmer, Mrs. Mabel Egemo of Story City, Mrs. Judith Ford, Agnes and Selma who attend high school, and Joella.