Kari/Carrie (Ness) Fatland (1829-1912)

NESS, HANSON, HANSEN, OLESTVEDT, FATLAND

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 4/27/2023 at 15:22:39

From The Slater News October 31, 1912 (page 1)

MRS. CARRIE FATLAND LAID TO REST

Was one of the first Norwegian women to brace Pioneer Life in Story County.

There was a large audience in attendance at the last sad rites over the remains of Mrs. Carrie Fatland at the Lincoln church Saturday afternoon. Her pastor, Rev. Wee, conducted the services and spoke the words which consigned the remains to their last resting place in the Palestine cemetery where they were buried by the side of those of her husband who had preceded her into the other world by nineteen years.

Mrs. Fatland was born on the 14th day of April, 1829, at Skanevig, Norway. At the age of eighteen she with other relatives and friends bade her native land adieu and came to America. They landed at Lisbon, Illinois. The following year, 1848, she was married to John Hansen Olestvedt. Their journey together was of a short duration as he fell a victim to the dreaded disease, cholera, which broke out in all its awfulness in their community the following year. She gave birth to a child and with it was left to fight the battle of life alone.

The cholera raged in all its awfulness. However, she was a brave woman and lost not an opportunity to help care for the sick and dying of her immediate vicinity during a single day but this did not deter her from the duties as she saw them and she continued to render what assistance she could. The conditions were heart rending but she survived them. She later married Oley Fatland who had lost his wife during the plague.

In the year of 1855 they came to Iowa and took up their residence in Story county and for many years resided on a farm east of Huxley. Here they went through the many hardships of pioneer life, she being one of the first Norwegian women to try what real pioneer life had to offer in this part of the state. To this union was born ten children and with the two former children mad it a family of twelve. Of these seven are dead as is also her second husband, who passed away in 1893. Those surviving her are John, Brit, Henry, Carl and Mrs. Anfinson.

Deceased was a thorough Christian, having been a follower of the lowly Nazarene for many years. She had a host of friends and acquaintances who had learned to know her as a staunch friend and a worker for things that were high and noble.