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Submitted: 6/19/09 • Approved: 6/20/09 • Last Updated: 8/14/15 • R13004-G13003-S3
Ingeborg
Birth: Jul. 13, 1851, Norway
Death: Jan. 13, 1931
Dell Rapids
Minnehaha County
South Dakota, USA
Death Of Oldest Pioneer Woman
Had Been In Poor Health For A Long Time; Suffered Paralytic Stroke Last Friday; Aged 79 Years.
Death claimed Dell Rapids oldest pioneer woman, Mrs. Ole Thompson, on Tuesday morning at her home here.
Ingeborg Thompson was born July 13, 1851, in Meraker, Norway. She came with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Anderson Oien, to McFarland, Wisconsin, in the year 1866 and three years later to Dakota Territory.
In 1871 she was united in marriage to Ole Thompson and in 1872 they moved to their homestead two miles south of Dell Rapids, where they resided until 1904 when they moved to town, which has since been her home. She passed away on Tuesday morning, January 13th, 1931, at the age of 79 years and six months. She had been in poor health for several years but the direct cause of her death was a paralytic stroke which she suffered on Friday morning. For a time she seemed to rally but death came suddenly early Tuesday morning.
Mrs. Thompson was one of the earliest pioneers of the county and very likely the oldest woman pioneer. She went through all the hardships of the pioneer wife and mother.
She was a member of the second Lutheran church organized in the county and a charter member of the first ladies aid in the township. She remained an ardent member and worker of this organization as long as her strength permitted.
She was a devoted and loving wife and mother. Coming to this part of the country in the earliest pioneer days and being a mother of a large family called for much devotion and sacrifice. Mrs. Thompson gave unselfishly of all that she had. She was not only interested in the physical welfare of her children but also in their spiritual training. She instructed them in their early childhood in the fundamental truths of the Christian faith as found in the catechism. A mother's throne is her own home. This is a truth that Mrs. Thompson did not forget and so the words of Proverbs 31:28 have again been fulfilled – "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also and he praiseth her."
Those left to mourn her departure include the following together with her many friends: Her husband, Ole Thompson and eight children, Mrs. Mary Eistensson of North Hollywood, Calif., Alfred of Sioux Falls, Oscar of Peoria, Ill., Mrs. Julia Haagenson, Mrs. Bertha Anderson, Mrs. Gina Kringen, Mrs. Alma Duea and Arthur of Dell Rapids. Other included in the near relatives are forty grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren, two of whom are old enough to be in high school. She also leaves two sisters, Mrs. Mali Amundson of Silverton, Oregon, and Mrs. Ingeborg Johnson of New Folden, Minn. One sister and seven children have preceded her in death.
During the last hours of her life her thoughts were upon her family and her Savior. She rejoiced in hearing the word of God unto the very last and among her last spoken words was a prayer to her Heavenly Father. Blessed be her memory.
Ole
Parents:
Guttorm Gunderson Ekloe (1809 - 1886)
Gaulaug Andersdatter Kleven Ekloe (1809 - 1896)
Birth: Aug. 19, 1849, Norway
Death: Nov. 3, 1933
Baltic
Minnehaha County
South Dakota, USA
Injuries Are Fatal
Ole Thompson, 84, Dies Of Injuries
Crash at Intersection on Highway 77 Thursday Is Fatal to Pioneer
Dell Rapids, Nov. 4 – Injuries received in an automobile accident near the Baltic corner on highway 77 Thursday caused the death in the hospital here last night of Ole Thompson, 84 year old pioneer of Minnehaha Co.
The condition of Abe Evans, Sherman, who was also injured when his light delivery truck collided with the car in which Thompson was a passenger, was reported to be critical.
Interested in Churches
Funeral services for Mr. Thompson have not been arranged, pending word from a daughter in California who is expected here.
Member of a family, which came to Minnehaha County in 1868, Mr. Thompson was widely known. He helped build the first school house in the county, was a charter member of the First Lutheran Congregation to be organized in the county and was vitally interested in all church affairs. In this connection, he was a director of 16 years of the Bethesda orphanage at Beresford. He was also a director of one of the pioneer farmers' mutual insurance companies of this section.
Came to county in ‘68
Born in Trondhjem, Norway, he came to this country with his parents in 1865 on a sailing vessel, the Bergen. They landed in Quebec and came to Goodhue County, Minnesota. Mr. Thompson was married in 1871 to Ingeborg Oien, also the daughter of pioneers here.
Mr. Thompson and his father had come to this section in 1868 in advance of the rest of the family to file on a homestead, and the other members came the following year. Up to the time of his death it was asserted for him that he was the oldest resident of the county.
Mrs. Thompson Dead
The oldest daughter, Mrs. N.A. Estenson, now of California, is believed to have been one of the first white children born in Minnehaha County, if not the first white child.
Mrs. Thompson died about three years ago and two brothers of Mr. Thompson who also were widely known have died only recently. Mr. Thompson was in excellent health up to the time of the accident, but the effect of a punctured lung, scalp wound, and rib and arm fractures could not be overcome and death was inevitable.
Had 15 Children
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson had 15 children, of who eight are still living. They are, besides Mrs. Estenson, as follows: Mrs. Julia Haugenson, Mrs. Jonas Duea, and Mrs. Andrew Anderson, who reside on farms near here; Mr. Gus Kringen, Dell Rapids; Alfred Thompson, Sioux Falls; Oscar Thompson, Peoria, Ill.; and Arthur Thompson who resides on the home farm near here. There are also 40 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.
The car in which Mr. Thompson was riding when it crashed at an intersection was driven by Irene Anderson, a granddaughter. In the truck were John B. Evans of Sherman, was killed instantly and his brother Abe Evans, who is a patient of the hospital here.
Contributed on 6/19/09 by dellsfig68
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Record #: 13004