Oliver G. Knudson (1843-1910)

KNUDSON, SAWYER, KNUTSON, PETERSON, CLEAVELAND, LARSON, ANDERSON, ERSLAND, ERICKSON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 2/23/2025 at 22:32:55

From Jewell Record February 24, 1910 (page 1)

OBITUARY

Oliver G. Knudson was born in Norway Jan. 1, 1843, and was the son of Gunder and Bertha Knudson. In 1858 the parents and all but the two oldest children emigrated to the United States and located at Salem, in Henry county, Iowa, settling on a farm near New Sharon. Here the father died in 1884. A few years later the mother died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ira Knudson, who at that time was living on a farm 7 miles southwest of Jewell.

During the Civil war the deceased in 1862 enlisted as a soldier of the Union in Co. C, 7th Iowa Vol. Inf. and served until the close. He participated in the battles of Lay's Ferry, Ga., Kenesaw Mt., the siege of Atlanta and numerous other battles and skirmishes. He was severely wounded in the arm, disabling him for two months.

After thee war he returned to Mahaska county where he lived until the spring of 1891 with the exception of one year spent in La Salle county, Ill.

In 1869 he was married to Miss Bertha Sawyer, a native of Wisconsin, and to them seven children have been born. In the spring of 1891 he moved with his family to Hamilton county and located on a farm southeast of Ellsworth. In the spring of 1902 he moved to Jewell where he lived until his death Feb. 15, 1910.

Mr. Knudson had always been a strong, healthy man and was never aware of any special ailment until Monday afternoon, Dec. 26, 1909, when he was suddenly seized with a severe pain in the chest that made is difficult for him to breathe. A doctor was summoned who pronounced his trouble heart disease, and for the next few weeks he realized that he was failing and that his days on earth were numbered. From his first attack until the time of his death he was not confined to his bed but spent most of the time sitting in his easy chair. Sunday, February 12th he ate a hearty dinner and spent the afternoon in his chair apparently as well as ever. Monday morning at about one o'clock he received another attack and got up and sat in his chair. Monday morning the children living near were called home, the doctor thinking he would die any minute. Monday afternoon the two absent members of the family, Bert in St. Paul, Minn., and Ernest in Red Wing, Minn., were notified to come at once if they wanted to see their father alive. Ernest reached home in time to see him alive but Bert was unable to reach home until he was gone, death coming at one o'clock Tuesday afternoon, February 15, 1910. He was conscious until the last. He acknowledged his sin and guilt and died trusting that God for Jesus sake would permit him to enter the home above.

He is survived by his wife and seven children, George, Mrs. O. J. Peterson, Mrs. T. J. Knutson, Matt, Bert, Rebecca and Ernest all of whom were present at the funeral. Also two brothers and a sister.

The funeral services were conducted Friday, Feb. 18, at two o'clock, from the Norwegian Lutheran church by Rev. Eastvold and Rev. Loehre. Songs were sung by a sextette and by Mrs. Loehre. The body was laid at rest in Evergreen cemetery.

Mr. Knudson was a loyal, patriotic lover of this, his adopted land. A group of the comrades ho had fought with him in his country's wars, members of the G. A. R. post at Webster City, attended the funeral ceremony in a body, and as their token of respect, pinned a silk flag upon his breast.

The last services were attended by a crowd of friends and relatives that taxed the church beyond its capacity. Among the relatives from out of town present were George Larson, a nephew, of New Sharon; Enoch Larson, a nephew, of Eldora; a niece, Mrs. Enoch Anderson, and her husband, of Slayton, Minn.; a niece, Mrs. Jacob Ersland, and her husband, of Slater; Mrs. Knute Cleaveland, a brother's wife, of Slater; and Mrs. Ed Erickson, a niece, of Sheldahl.