Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-05-11
FORMER SENATOR
CRONkA IS DEAD.
Cancer Causes Death Of Man
Who Was National Authority
sssss. sfi ~ Y. q ~ Ssl5 90 i 1
on Agriculture.

Lakota, N. D., May Following
closely his return from Rochester,
Mimi, where he had consulted with
the Mayo doctors, AISLE J. Gronna,
"a, former United States seaator
from North Dakota, died at his home
here at last night, from the effects
of cancer. II &
He is survived BY. HIS wife, three
daughters, Mrs. K. +. Corwing,
Washington, D. c., Mrs. G. w. Lew
lis, Lakota, N. D., and Mrs. Joseph
Herbert, Jr., Washington, D. G., and
two sons, Arthur j. Gronna, q student
at Harvard university and James b.
Gronna Of Lakota. :s5
Funeral services will be held at 2
p. M. Tuesday from the First Luth-
eran church at Lakota and Rev. L.
A. Haatvedt will officiate. The body
will lie in state at the Gronna resi-
dence from to 6 p. nj. Sunday; 1
to 6 p. m. Monday and 10 a. m. un-
til l p. M, the day Of the funeral.
Pallbearers have not yet been named.
Mr.. Gronna was born at Elkader,
Clayton county, Iowa, on Dec. 10,
1858. His parents were immigrants
from Macs, Hallingsdal, Norway.
When he was two years old, the fam
lily moved to Houston county, Mime
sofa, and Mr.. Gronna was educated
in the public schools of that county
and in the Caledonia, Mimi, acade-
my. After leaving school he taught
for several years, two years in Will.
mingtcn, Mimi, and moved to Dako-
ta territory in 1879. The young far
mer and schoolteacher settled in Bux-
ton, Traill county, in 1881, and be-
came q clerk in general store and
postofice. Later he engaged in the
implement business there with O. B.
Olson but sold out to Nj. Olson and
went to Lakota. He married Bertha
N. ostby of Spring Grove, Mimi,
while st Buxton.
fi1ll1 49, Bought Out Pss
a. kota he bought ont his for
mer Buxton employer, Arne Moen,,
who had established . general store
there. The years that followed, 1888
1889 and 1890. were hard ones for.
this section of North Dakota. Flour
was sent "a, that the pioneer settlers.
might have bread, and Gronna was
chosen to distribute it III 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. .} ss,af..5 + ~. Si... M
"You could get . quarter of him,
on trust like buying q jackknife from
la friendl y hardware man." to quote.
one old settler.
Return to prosperity, however,
made the general store keeper veal
tthy. He engaged in the lumber busi-
ness in addition to his other .ven-..
lures, and was president Of the Far-s
mers Merchants State bank at Lako-
fta at the time Of his death. q
Served in 1899 4 B; 81
Mr.. Gronna was elected q member,
Iofs the house Of the legislative assem-
tbly Of the territory Of North Dako-.
IT. and ia served as j member Of the!
l:1sthS territorial assembly in 1885,
that being the last territorial assem-
Ibly. Much Of the time of that 6ses-s
sion was given over To- business in.
cident to the establishnlSesnt 81 North
Dakota as i state. 59is
During the period from 1889 to.
1900. Mr. Gronna, while active po-
liticaily. held mo ofice except local
posltions that included president. 81
NE Lalota board of education. 81
while lfr. ma was III the
Unitsd States ssssaate IL was favor-.
ably inshtionsd as slab 81 TO
Sweden. i
In 1902 81 - elssir i slaan of5 the
Repnbl - y ~ isl Ii, 81 rcmmittss
Of Nelson CONNIE .eAdds a. sWas re-elect-