Adolf T. Idse (1864-1932)

IDSE, OAKLAND, OKLAND

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 7/7/2024 at 15:19:09

From Story City Herald January 21, 1932 (page 2)

JEWELER IN STORY CITY FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY

Adolf Idse Came Here from Norway as Young Man in 1883

In the passing of Adolf Idse, whose death occurred Tuesday, Jan. 12, Story county lost its oldest jeweler. He has been in business here, with the exception of four years, almost half a century.

Mr. Idse was born in Stavanger, Norway, March 2, 1864. At an early age he was left alone with his mother, and she passed away when he was only fourteen years old. Having learned the watchmaking trade he immigrated to America and came to Story City in 1883, when he was nineteen years old.

In 1893 he was married to Bertha Oakland, who died August 18, 1903. To this union one son was born, Magne, who survives him and had been associated with his father in business for a number of years past.

Aside from four years spent in Stanhope, where he engaged in the jewelry and photograph business, Mr. Idse lived continuously in Story City. At the time of his death he was one of three businessmen on main street who had been in business here over 45 years.

Mr. Idse had always enjoyed good health. From his youth he had taken an active interest in athletics. In skating and foot racing he excelled, and for many years loved to play baseball. In the day when bicycling was the rage he made long trips on the wheel. After his marriage he and his wife were often seen wheeling out in country on "a bicycle built for two."

His artistic skill was great. One of his paintings won first prize at the state fair 'way back in the 80's, and he had painted several dozen altar paintings for churches in Iowa and surrounding state, all of which bore evidence of a love for the beautiful and an ability to reproduce it on canvas.

He had well cultivated tastes in literature. As a young man he took part in literary societies of the town, and he was proficient as a versifier. Herald readers will recall a recent poem, "De Vaades Klagesang," written by him and printed in this paper and in the Chicago Skandinaven. This bit of verse, containing so much pithy sarcasm on thee hopes of the "wets" was written last fall while he was confined to his room with his last illness.

Mr. Idse also possessed a rare vein of humor. Older readers will recall the picture he drew of the "forty foot snake" which was seen near Randall twenty years ago. The Herald printed this sketch and it is treasured in many a scrap book even yet. The writer well remembers how Mr. Idse worked away at the drawing until near midnight in order to get it off on the "flyer" to be engraved in Des Moines.

Another manifestation of the artistic spirit or temperament was his love for music. For many years he loved to play the violin, and special singing and music in church, school and opera house found in him an appreciative listener.

In later years Mr. Idse's artistic skill was probably most manifest in his engravings. Many homes treasure watches or silverware beautifully engraved by him, and many people have gold headed canes on which the inscription is carved in Spencerian script or shaded Old English letters done in his neat precise manner. There was no machine work about Mr. Idse's engraving: it was all free hand, but with every mark of perfection.

Those who came to know Mr. Idse soon became aware of a characteristic which he possessed in marked degree--a sympathy for man and beast. He could not tolerate anything that gave pain to anyone or anything. No doubt it was part of his nature which led him to embrace the doctrine of socialism with a fervor which never was tempered by any consideration of practicability. He thoroughly believed that by changing the system of government human nature would also be changed. He took price in being known as a socialist.

A large circle of friends enjoyed his fellowship in the years that have gone and will long bear him in affectionate memory.

Funeral Held Friday

The funeral services were held Friday afternoon, Rev. Scarvie conducting the same at the Magne Idse home and in the St. Petri church, the latter being filled with the large number of people who had come to pay their respects to a departed friend and neighbor.

Those from a distance who came to the funeral included the following: Mr. and Mrs. John Holland of Odin, Minn.; P. J. Okland of Rake; Matthias and Marvin Teigland of Elmore, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Hanson of Creston.

The pallbearers were: Arthur Gandrup, Paul A. Olson, L. J. Tjernagel, O. J. Hanson, Adolph Hemness and Ed Charlson. Interment was made in the Fairview cemetery.

Singing was by a quartet composed of Mrs. Lester Henderson, Mrs. John Malmangeeer, Even Amlund and Albert Larson, with Mrs. C. F. Johnson at the organ. Rev. Scarvie took for his text the well known words: "What must I do to be saved?" He ended the sermon by reading the following tract, which the deceased had found great consolation in perusing during the last days of illness.

[A lengthy tome entitled "It Is Finished" follows.]