Clara (Butenhoff) IVERSON

BUTENHOFF, IVERSON, TIEWS, POSSELL, DALE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/18/2011 at 16:18:48

Clay County Family Album
A History of Rural Clay County, Monnesota, 1976

OSCAR N. AND CLARA (BUTENHOFF) IVERSON

The Iversons operated a General Merchandise Store at Baker for forty-seven years (1912-1959). Oscar was the Baker Postmaster for forty-two of these years.

Clara (1892-1957) daughter of August and Wilhemena Tiews Butenhoff, was born on the family farm near Dows, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Latimer, Iowa. She attended its parochial school and also the rural school near her home. In 1909, Clara came to Baker to assist at the H. C. Possehl home because her sister, Mrs. Possehl, was in ill health. She hoped to become a teacher and attended the Moorhead Normal for some months. She married Oscar on November 1, 1911 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Sabin. Their attendants were Theodore Iverson and Bertha Butenhoff. Clara was assistant postmaster and substitute rural mail carrier. She was active in church and civic affairs. She held offices as president, secretary, and treasurer of the Ladies' Aid of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Barnesville. She served as a member of the School Board, was a Barnesville Record Review correspondent, was active in the Red Cross and Community Club. Before Mr. and Mrs. Theodore (Berta Butenhoff) Iverson moved from Baker to Moorhead, they were also members of Our Savior's. When the last of the four, Oscar, passed away, Pastor Romness mentioned the church loyalty of the two couples. Mrs. Iverson had two deaf brothers, Otto and Henry Butenhoff. Through the years, the Iversons would entertain large numbers of deaf friends. In turn, these folks had two surprise birthday parties for Clara. One was at the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Ingvald, Sr. on Fish Lake. The other was held at the farm home of Louise Westerberg, Hawley. Clara and Oscar often remarked about the fine hospitality of the deaf people.

O. N. (Oscar) Iverson, (1887-1971) was born on his parents' farm near Rollag. No wonder he always enjoyed the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers' Reunions. He attended rural school near his home. Oscar was a member of Rev.S. G. Hauge's first confirmation class (1901) in Gran Church. In 1970, Ingeborge Hoganson (Perley) and Oscar were the only members remaining of that class. They both attended Gran's 90th Anniversary. Iverson worked at the Rollag store 1907-1908. After that he homesteaded in Adams County, North Dakota. He also worked in a store at Lemmon, South Dakota.

The Iverson's had two children: Francelia - Baker Postmaster, and Edward - Driver Education Instructor at Redlands, California. Edward also a high school band director for about twenty-one years. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Iverson (Evelyn Dale) have a son and daughter also: Jack - San Clemente, California, and Katherine - Pacific Lutheran College, Washington.