Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-01-29
Large Death Roll of the Month is In.
creased During Past Week.
PIONEER FATHERS AND
MOTHERS PASS AWAY
Brief Skeches of Lives of Winneshicl
County Residents Who Have
Joined Great Majority.
Mrs. o. T. Wick.

Mrs. D. L. Wick, one of the we'll
known pioneer mothers of Winne-
shiek county, passed TO her reward
on Sunday morning at eleven O'Clock,
after a weeks illness from lung fet-
err
Jorand Fristad was born in Val
ders, Norway, December 3, 1886, the
daughter of E. H. and Ragnild Fris-
tad, and came to America with her
parents in 1851, locating in Winnie
shiek county on a farm four miles
south of Decorah. In 1854 she was
married to o. T. Wick, who died on
Aug. 20, 1899. She is survived by
four sons and one daughter, viz. Toll
lef Wick, on the old homestead; Rev.
E. o. Wick, La Crosse, Wis.,; X. o.
Wick, Minneapolis; Miss Thora and
Olaf of Decorah. One daughter died
several years ago. She also leaves a
brother, II. E. Fristad, of Calmar
township, and sister, Mrs. Gilbert
Wick, of Madison township. In 1900
the deceased moved to Decorah and
has since lived here with her son and
daughter. She was an active mem
ber of the Norw Lutheran church
and Ladies Aid Society, and a good
Christian woman, kind friend and
neighbor, whose long residence in
this county gained many warm
friendships for her, who will mourn
her death and unite in sympathy to
the bereaved.
The funeral services are being held
from the residence this Wednesday
afternoon at two o'clock, Dr. Laur
Larsen speaking in Norwegian and
Rev. l. B. Torrison in English. In
terment will be in the Haugen ceme-
terry south of the city.
Mrs. John Rnffridge.
Mrs. John Ruffridge, nee Anna
Brunner was born near Stafford, On
tario, Canada, on Feb. %, 1888. In
the early part of her life she was bap-
tized and confirmed at this same
place. Here she lived with her par
ents on a farm until Dec. Z, 1858,
when she was united in marriage to
Mr.. John Ruffridge. After their mar
riage they made theira home on a
farm near Stafford, until March 20,
1868, when the family moved on to
their present farm at Locust, Winnie
shiek county, Iowa. Here Mr.. Ruff
fridge lived and successfully engaged
in farming until the time of his death
which occurred on March 10, 1879
To this union were born nine chill
dren, seven boys and two girls, name
ly: Michael of Grafton, Ia; Thea
bold of Greene, Iowa; Mrs. Mary
Barth, Greene, Iowa; Will of Locust,
Iowa; Peter of Guckeen, Mimi; Mrs.
Eva Kern of Imogene, MINI; and
Henry of Locust, Iowa. All have been
at her bedside and were present at
her funeral Monday, with the excep-
tion of John, who preceded his moth
er in death on Jan. "a, 1911. Be
sides raising her now large family,
she reared four step-daughters: Mrs.
Katharine Brunner, deceased, Greene,
Iowa; Mrs. Anna Sellman, Decorah,
Iowa; mrs. Margaret Fisher, Ken
sett, Iowa; and Mrs. Eva Fisher of
Greene, Iowa.
Mrs. Ruffridge had always been
woman of excellent health, regard
less of the Industrious, ambitious
disposition, which she possessed un-
til about three years ago, when her
health gradually began to fail This
last year she had rapidly grown wea-
ker and weaker with a complication
of serious diseases, until the time of
her death on Thursday, Jan. 23, '1S,
at the age of IA years, 10 months and
25 days. During all her hard strug-
giles of pain and suffering she always
tried to be cheerful and bore up
bravely to the last.
The funeral services were held on
Sunday, at Locust, and were attend
ed by large number of relatives and
old friends.
Those from out of town attending
the funeral were Mrs. John A. Kern,
Imogene, Mimi; Mr.. and Mrs. Nj.
Ruffridge. Grafton, Iowa; Mr.. and
Mrs. Dick Ruffridge, Greene. Iowa;
Peter Ruffridge, Guckeen, Mimi; Mr..
and Mrs. Fred Fisher, Greene, Iowa.
Christian SaakeIl.
Mr.. Christian Saakell died very
cu ddanl.. rCl "a i..dax. as.asaisa cLcs.t 4 "