Svendsen, Johannes --- 1877-1972

JOHNSON, SVENDSEN, MICKELSON, MIKKELSEN, BREITSPRECHER, ZWEIBOHMER, THOMPSON, BACHELDER

Posted By: IA GenWeb Volunteer
Date: 4/9/2013 at 08:13:17

Mr. J. Svendsen Interred Saturday

Services were held Saturday, January 11 at Zion Lutheran Church in Castalia at 11 a.m. for Johannes Svendsen who died Wednesday, January 19, in the Winneshiek County Memorial hospital in Decorah after a short illness. The Rev. Arthur Tolo officiated.

Johannes was born December 24, 1877 in Sands, Stavanger, Norway, the son of Eleas and Martha Johnson Svendsen. He emigrated to Chicago in 1892 and went westward from there pursuing various occupations, fishing in Alaska and as foreman of a logging crew in the state of Washington, until he homesteaded in North Dakota. In 1912 he returned to Norway, remaining there two years, returning to the United States again in 1914.

February 27, 1915 he was united in marriage near Ossian to Anna Mickelson, who had come from Mr. Svendsen's home community in Norway. Their first home was on the Land farm near Ossian after which they secured a farm of their own and later moved to Castalia.

Surviving children include Mrs. Lyle (Mildred) Breitsprecher, Mrs. Theodore (Lillie) Zweibohmer, Mrs. Harley (Ellen) Thompson and Norman, all of Ossian; Reuben of Lawler; Mrs. Harry (Arlette) Bachelder, Arthur J. and John E. Svendsen of Castalia; two half-brothers in Norway; 29 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife on September 28, 1939; one son, John E. Svendsen, a daughter Esther, two grandchildren and a brother.

Burial was in the Stavanger Lutheran Cemetery, Ossian.

Postville, Iowa newspaper of the time clipping, hand dated 1962, from Dorothy Schave's obituary collection.

Submitter notes: In looking at the other Svendsen obits on this site I see that in the obits for sons Arthur, Reuben and Norman and in daughter's Mildred and Arlette the mother's named is spelled Mikkelsen. In this obituary and in the daughter Ellen, the mother's name is spelled Mickelson. I add all this just so you know that in this obituary of Johannes Svendsen, his wife Anna Mickelson's name is typed as the newspaper clipping has it.

Coordinator's Note: Johannes tombstone has his year of death to be 1972, in 1972 Jan. 19 fell on Wednesday, Jan. 11 was a Tuesday and Jan. 22 was the Saturday following Jan. 19.