Eric L. Ericson (1860-1934)

ERICSON, SEVEREID, TUNGEVIG, JACOBSON, WIERSON, HANSEN, LARSON, MITCHELL, HENRYSON, HARRISON, HENDERSON, WILLIAMS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 7/24/2024 at 17:01:40

From Story City Herald May 3, 1934 (page 2)

ERIC L. ERICSON LED A BUSY LIFE

School Man, Educator, Business Man, Public Official--He Graced Every Position He Held

Eric L. Ericson died at his home in Story City on Easter Day, April 1, 1934, thus removing from our midst a man who had come into intimate contact with more of our people than any other person.

Superintendent of the Story City schools for ten years, in the lumber and grain business for 26 years, farming for several years and postmaster over a dozen years--and during this long period he was president of the school board for many terms, mayor of the city, active in the commercial club, and for a quarter of a century superintendent of the Sunday school of his church, in which he also held other positions of trust and honor--no wonder that the people who had come more or less directly under the influence of his life are legion.

Born in Illinois

Eric L. Ericson was born in the Lisbon neighborhood in Kendall county, Illinois, from which do any of the early settlers of this community came.

His father, Thor Ericson (Severeid), was born in the parish of Skaanevik, Norway, Nov. 22, 1832, and came to Lisbon in 1854. His mother was Sara Tungesvig, daughter of Jacob and Guro Jacobson Tungesvig. She was born on the Tungesvig farm in Skaanevik parish, Norway, Sept. 13, 1841, and came to this country with her parents in 1847, the family settling in Lisbon. She was the youngest of four children.

In 1849 a cholera epidemic broke out in the community and Sara's father and mother and oldest brother, besides six other persons in the home, were victims of the dread disease. Two other children were not at home at the time, and thus escaped. Of those in the home Sara was the only one that survived, tho he was very sick with the disease. She was only 8 years old, and after a period of convalescence in the Sjur Mathre home she got employment with various American families for her board and keep.

Thor Ericson and Sara Tungesvig were married at Lisbon March 5, 1859. For a time they lived on a piece of land that the latter had inherited and then, in the spring of 1864, they moved to Story county, settling on a farm near Story City. Two children had been born to them at that time, Eric and Julia. The latter married T. T. Henryson, and passed away in 1889.

Mr. Ericson had two other sisters, Mrs. S. S. (Emily) Wierson who died Sept. 30, 1933, at the age of 66, and Mrs. Helen Hansen, now living in Jewell.

Thor Ericson died in Story City Jan. 5, 1910, at the age of 77 years. Exactly twenty years later, on Jan. 5, 1930, his wife Sara answered the last summons, being nearly 89 years old.

Farmer, Then Teacher

The subject of our sketch spent the early years of his life on the home farm. He had been baptized in Illinois by Rev. P. A. Rasmussen, and was confirmed in the St. Petri church in Story City by Rev. N. Amlund. His first schooling was in what is known as the "Copenhagen" school house, a mile south of town. O. B. Peterson recalls that Ericson attended there when he (Peterson) was teacher.

Mr. Ericson attended the Iowa State college and fitted himself for the teaching profession, and became principal of the Story City school in 1881, which position he held for ten years, or until 1891. Before starting his career as a teacher he made a trip to Europe, partly to recover his impaired health and partly to visit the scenes he had often heard described by those who had come from the old country.

On May 19, 1888, Mr. Ericson entered into wedlock with Miss Gurine Larson, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Larson. To this union five children were born, three of whom died in infancy. The mother died in 1896. The surviving children are: Sherman Ericson of Roland and Sara Mitchell of Balboa Panama.

On June 28, 1899 he was married to Miss Ada Harrison, who had taught in the local schools for several years. To this marriage two children were born, namely, Vivian A. Ericson of Huron, S. D. and Wesley Ericson of Indianola. Mrs. Ada Ericson died Jan. 4, 1921.

On Jan. 24, 1923, he married Mrs. Anna Henderson-Williams, who survives him.

His Last Illness

Mr. Ericson seems to have fully recovered from the threatened breakdown in his early twenties and during most of his life he enjoyed excellent health. It was not until three or four years ago that the first signs of aenemia showed themselves, and from that time on he gradually grew weaker, tho he had been able to keep general track of the work at the postoffice until the week before his death. He passed beyond the earthly veil on Easter Day, death coming quickly and almost painlessly to release him from the bonds that held him to this world in order to set him free in the land eternal.

Led an Active Life

Mr. Ericson led an active life. He was of a quiet disposition, slow to speak, but generally quick to make up his mind, and once having made up his mind he usually stuck to it--because he was usually right.

The writer went to school to him. No other teacher exercised such fine control of his pupils in the class room, and yet no other entered so thoroughly into the games and sports of the recess and noon periods. In play, Mr. Ericson was all fun, but in the school room kept the boys and girls to their lessons. Those were the days when supple willows were used to keep order in the school room, but we do not recall that Mr. Ericson had to use them on the pupils under his immediate jurisdiction. The look of his eye, and the general affection in which he was held, made the willow unnecessary.

He forsook teaching to enter business. For a quarter of a century he was in the grain and lumber business, during which time he earned a reputation for reliability and fair dealing. Before disposing of his business he lived with his family on his farm a mile west of town, and later he was appointed postmaster by President Harding on Dec. 14, 1921. He held the postmastership for a period of more than 12 years, longer than any other man except the pioneer postmaster, L. R. Larson, who held the position for 24 years.

As stated in the beginning, Mr. Ericson had held various positions of trust, among them being mayor, president of the school board, member of the board of directors of the Greater Community Congress for over twenty years, superintendent of the St. Petri Sunday school for twenty five years and other positions in his church and community. In every position of trust he acquitted himself with honor.

Funeral Largely Attended

Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 3, with a large attendance of relatives and friends. Rev. Scarvie, his pastor, officiated and the choir led the singing. The pallbearers were: B. B. Brattebo, A. G. Larson, Ben Holm, O. K. Helvig, E. E. Sevareid and Paul A. Olson. The body was laid to rest on the family lot in Fairview cemetery.

All the children were present at the funeral, except Mrs. Mitchell, whose residence in far-off Panama made it impossible for her to attend. Postmasters Tilden of Ames, Severson of Jewell, Hadley of Nevada and Hall of Colo were present, as were also Judge and Mrs. O. J. Henderson of Webster City, O. O. Ostrem of Jewell and Mr. and Mrs. Nels Lein and Mrs. Belle Coates of Des Moines.

In the passing of Mr. Ericson the community has suffered a real loss. His wife and surviving children will miss a kind and devoted husband and father, and his host of friends a man of sterling character; yet all will have the fond memories that cluster about the life of one who was kind and unselfish and loyal.

May he rest in peace!
--P.A.O.