OBITUARY: Ole Johnson, Mitchell County, Iowa Ole Johnson [1832-1902] #1 of 2 MEROA A week ago last Tuesday occurred the funeral of Mr. Ole Johnson. Mr. Johnson was born in Norway, 1832, and died at his home in Osage, Sept. 18, 1902. He came to Mitchell County in 1853, and settled at Rock Creek where he has been living until a few years ago when he moved to Osage. In 1859 he was married to Miss Bertha Jenson. They were blessed with ten children, seven of whom are living. Three daughters and one son are now living in Osage and one daughter and two sons in Cedar Township. Mr. Johnson has been in poor health for quite a while but has been a patient sufferer. Mr. Johnson was a wealthy man and also generous. He was one of the incorporators of the Lutheran church of Rock Creek from which he was buried, the services being conducted by Rev. Urnes. The bereaved ones have the sympathy of the community in their sorrow. #2 OLE H. JOHNSON Another of Mitchell County's old settlers and wealthy farmers has passed away. Mr. Ole H. Johnson was born at Ringerige, Norway. September 3, 1932, and died at his home in Osage, Iowa, Sept. 13, 1902, aged 70 years and 10 days. He with his family imigrated to America in the spring of 1858. They sailed from Norway from Dramen the middle of May and landed at Quebec about the first of July and came by streamer to Milwaukee and from there by wagon to southern Wisconsin. Here they resided one year and here his mother died. In 1853, they came to Mitchell county and settled at Rock Creek. In the year 1859, he was married to Miss Bertha Jensen. This union was blessed with ten children, seven of whom are living. Three daughters, Helena, Maria and Olia, are at home. Mrs Carl Oleson, who lives at Meroa. Two sons are living on the old homestead at Rock. The other son, our townsman of the firm of Johnson & Odden. Two brothers survive him, John the banker of this city, and Lars of Rock Creek, also a sister who lives at Oseo, Wisconsin, and six grandchildren. He had been in poor health all summer but had great patience and there has been no complaint. Mr. Johnson was an industrious and wealthy man also generous, and many a one who came here in the early years when the country was new were helped by him. He never turned a poor man away without help. He was interested in schools and churches and was one that incorporated the Rock Creek Lutheran church from which he was buried. His pastor visited him often. For some time he felt that the end was near and met it with calm composure. Rev. Urnes conducted the funeral service in English here at the home Tuesday afternoon and spoke comforting words from Heb. 4:0. The body was then taken to the Lutheran church at Rock for the closing service. The words of the text was from Zach. 14:7 and part of verse 11. After the sermon, the body was taken out and amid a large company of old friends and neighbors was laid to rest. Those from away who were here to attend the funeral were Mr. Jens Jensen and L. A. Jensen, father and brother of Mrs Johnson, a cousin, Mr Lars Fengelson, all of Forest City, Mrs Regan and daughter of Nora Springs, T. M. Tullefson and a large company of the old settlers met them at the church at Rock Creek. Copyright (c) 2001 by Marilyn Oconnor (Note: I am not necessarily related to the subject of the obituary.) This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. **************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material,must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ****************************************************************************