The Bismarck tribune., 1922-05-05
FUNERAL SERVICE FOR A. ]. GR0NNA.
WHO DIED LAST NIGHT AT HOME
IN LAK0TA, WILL BE HELD TUESDAY
Hour For Funeral of Former
Senator Is Fixed After Word
From Relatives
SUFFERED FROM CANCER
Former Senator Remained Con-
scious Until End But Suffered
Severe Pain

LakOta, N. d., May 5.-Funeral SER
vices for former Senator A. ]. Gronna
who died at his home here last night
will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2
o'clock. Rev. L. A. Hastvedt will Of
ficiate. The body will lie in state at
the Gr0nna home Sunday and Monday
afternoon and Tuesday morning.
Arthur GrOnna, q son, will return
from Harvard for the services.
Mr.. Gronna started to sink Monday
but gained strength Tuesday. His
mind was clear to the end but he
suffered severely. Mr.. Gronna had
cancer OF the stomach. Recently he
went to the Mayo sanitarium for an
OperatiCa. Relatives have divulged
& that he was sent home without an op.
SeratiOn having been performed, sur
8eOng telling him it would useless.
Gronna died at O'Clock last
history Of His Life.
AISLE ]. Gronna was regarded as an
authority on farm problems during the
years he served in the United States
senate. He was author Of several i'm
p0rtant bills including the federal farm
loan act and the guaranty Of bank de-
posits. He was one of the first west.
ern senators to hold the Craftsmanship
: OF the senate agricultural committee.
The son Of Norwegian parents ne
was born December 10, 1858, in Elka-
der, Clayton county, Iowa section
of Iowa. which was developed largely,
by Scandinavian immigrants. His
parents brought him to Houston coun.
ty, Minn., where he attended the pub
lie schools and the Caledonia academy.
He taught school for two years in
Wilmington, Mimi, ana moved to Da-
kota territory in 1879. The young far
mer and school teacher settled in Bux-
ton, Traill county in 1881 and became
clerk ina general store and postoffice.
Later he engaged in the implement
business there with r. B. Olson, but
sold out to Mr.. Olson and went to La
kota. He married Jenny Ospby while
at BUXTON.
At Lakota he bought out llis former
employer, Arne MOen, who had estab-
lished general store there. The
years that followed 1S8S, '89 and go
were hard ones for this section Of
North Dakota Flour was sent in that
the pioneer settlers might have bread
and Gronna was chosen to distribute
1t in his section.
+. During this time the value of the
\land decreased to almost nothing and
young Gronna found himself with a
number Of quarter sections on his
hands.
"You could get quarter section off
him on trust like buying jack-knife
from a friendly hardware man." to
quote an old settler.
Return Of Prosperity.
Return of prosperity, however, made
the general store keeper wealthy. he
engaged in the lumber business in
addition to his other ventures.
Meanwhile, in 1889, he was mem
ber Of the territorial legislature. Al
ter holding various local Offices In the
years that followed he was chosen q
member of the board Of regents OF
North Dakota university by Governor
Frank White in 1902.
In 1904 he was nominated for con-
gressman and was elected on the Re-
publican ticket.
Enters Senate.
Mr.. Gronna continued as congress
man until February, 1911, when he re
signed to enter the senate. He had
\ been elected to fill the vacancy caused
tby the death of Martin N. johnson
In triangular race for the Republi.
can nomination in 1914 he defeated
Andrew Miller, present United States
district Judge for North Dakota and
John H. Worst, then president OF the
State Agricultural College.
Another president Of the college, =
F. Ladd, defeated Mr.. Gronna for the
Republican nomination in 1920.
In the spring of 1922, Mr.. Gronns
announced himself as candidate
again for the senatorial nomination
His illness prevented more than tht
announcement of his candidacy ant
\the establishment of headquarters. HI
was taken to the Mayo sanitarium
Rochester for an operation three
weeks ago and returned home Weel
ago.
Surviving the late Mr.. Gronna arr
his widow, two sons, James D. ant
Arthur, the latter student in Har
ward university, and three marrlet
daughters, Mrs. Kemper CoWllng am
Mrs. J. A. Herbert, Jr., Washington
D. c.. and Mrs. C. w. Lewis, Lakota