Anderson, Erick - Died 1916

ANDERSON, KLEIN, RIGGS, MOEN, OPDAHL, HANSON, HALVORSON

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 1/4/2022 at 11:24:39

Cresco Plain Dealer Nov. 24, 1916 P-1 C-4

Eric Anderson passed away Monday night, Nov. 20, 1916, at about 9:30 in the apartment above the C. A. Ramsay store, where he and Mrs. Anderson lived. Death was due to blood poisoning and followed an illness of some five weeks.
Eric Anderson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Anderson. He was born March 9, 1864, in Trondhjem, Norway. He came to Winneshiek county when three years of age. On April 5, 1903, he united in marriage with Miss Bessie Klein, who survives him. He is survived also by his mother, who lives at Cresco, by two sisters, Mrs. John Riggs of Ridgeway and Mrs. Frink Moen of Cresco, and by two brothers, Albert of New York and Andrew of Decorah.
Mr. Anderson was a natural born horseman and bought and sold horses almost all his life. In this business he was successful and he also made a wide acquaintance over northeastern Iowa and southern Minnesota. By all who knew him he was held in high esteem. He was honest and honorable, generous and accommodating, and was of a pleasant disposition.—Decorah Journal.

Transcriber’s Note: His gravestone in Phelps Cemetery shows he was born in Nov. 1866. It also shows his name spelled Erick.

Source: Decorah Republican June 28, 1906, P3 C4

PIONEERS AT REST.
Death Claims two Well Known Residents of Decorah who were Early Settlers.
ERICK ANDERSON.
Last Saturday morning, at seven o’clock after an illness of several months, due to old age, Erick Anderson, one of the first band of pioneer Norwegians to settle in Springfield township, died at his home in Decorah. The life of Mr. Anderson is briefly outlined in Alexander’s History of Winneshiek Co. and is as follows:--
Erick Anderson was born in Norway, Jan. 20, 1827, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1839. He first landed at Boston, Mass., and came via rail and water to N. Y.; thence up the Hudson river to Albany, and by the Erie canal to Buffalo, where he embarked on board a steamer and came to Chicago, Ill., which was then a small town. Here he located, remaining until 1845, when he moved to McHenry county, Ill. The subject of this sketch was engaged as errand boy for the first four years; also served as cabin boy one season on board a steamer plying between Chicago and St. Joseph, Mich., and afterward engaged in a newspaper office for two years, the same being the office of an abolition paper. He also spent one year at a seminary in Beloit, Wis. In 1847 he went to Muskego, Wis., where he was engaged as compositor in the office of the Nordlyset (Northern Light) it being the first Norwegian paper published in the northwest, Mr. Anderson setting the type for the first number. In 1848 he went to Madison, Dane Co., and engaged at clerking in a general store. In 1850 he came to this county and entered some land in the south part of Springfield twp. continuing two years, after which he moved to Ossian and engaged in general merchandise for about four years; then came on to his land remaining until in the winter of 1860, and in 1861 he moved to Decorah, having been elected sheriff of the county the fall before. He was re-elected to the office in 1862, and at the expiration of this term he moved to his farm. Mr. Anderson was married to Miss Anna Halvorson, Nov. 6, 1851; she died April 15, 1852. He was again married to Miss Louisa Hanson, July 15, 1856. She died May 16, 1876, and he was again married Oct. 8, 1877, to Mrs. Mary Thompson nee Opdahl. He had one daughter by the first marriage, Elizabeth A.; by the second marriage, Edgar, Albert, Henry, Lorenzo, William, Oscar and Louisa; and one son, Charles, by the last marriage.
In his religious faith Mr. Anderson was an enthusiastic Methodist, and he seemed never more happy than when attending Divine service or discussing religious themes with his friends. He was a frugal man, and while his worldly possessions were not large, measured by the standard of wealth of the present day, yet he was in very comfortable circumstances and was able to enjoy his declining years in peace and contentment.
The funeral was held yesterday afternoon, at one-clock service at the home, after which the remains were taken to the M. E. church on Washington Prairie and interment took place in the Washing Prairie cemetery.

Phelps Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen