Goodbye to Olaus Ostrom (1850-1924)

Ed's Day Wednesday

Dear FOLKS,

We are back this week to learn more about cousin Ed Ostrom's ancestors. Recently we have been learning about Olaus Ostrom (1850-1924), who was one of Ed's paternal great-grandparents. Olaus was my 2x great-grandfather.

Here are relationship lists so you can read the differences; cousin Ed's in BLUE and mine in RED:

1. Edwin Junior Ostrom, son of    
2. Edwin "Tom" Ostrom, son of      
3. Oscar Ostrom, son of            
4. Olaus Ostrom            
                           
1. Darlene Marie (Johnson) Steffens, daughter of
2. William Richard Johnson, son of
3. Olena Marie (Haner) Johnson/Culbertson, daughter of
4. Anna Malena (Ostrom) Haner, daughter of
5. Olaus Ostrom

As we have learned, Olaus was born in Norway in 1850 and he arrived in the U.S. in 1872. He was married in 1873 and homesteaded in Minnesota. It is in his older years, where we find ourselves now wondering what became of him. Unfortunately there are only two known photographs of Olaus, or Ole as many called him. I have shown you both. There is a photo that was taken circa 1924 that shows Olaus' wife Toline, surrounded by many of their children. It appears to have been taken while in North Dakota as they are standing in front of their son, Oscar Ostrom's home. Oscar homesteaded in Ward County, North Dakota. The purpose of their gathering is not known, unless it is to come together for a visit shortly after Olaus has passed away.

IMAGE: Tolina Ostrom, surrounded by some of her children,
ca. 1924 shortly after husband's death. Taken in Ward Co.,
ND at the home of Oscar Ostrom.

The individuals in this photograph are:

Left to Right:

1.   Olina Ostrom Ehlers

        b.5-8-1882 d.11- 9-1962

2.  Theodore Ostrom

         b.8-29-1880 d.4-5- 1961

3.  Tolina G. Paulson Ostrom

        b.3-9-1846 d.6-26-1934

4.  Oscar Ostrom

         b.2-29-1884 d.5-22-1973

5.  Anna Malena Ostrom Haner

         b.7-16-1877 d.12-13-1959

6.  Paul Bertil Ostrom   

         b.2-16-1888 d.1-15-1962

It is reported that Olaus sustained a broken back in February 1920. He was in bed one winter and remained unable to work for two years while it healed. When he was well enough, one day he went to cut thistles, and while out in the pasture, he suffered a stroke. He had this stroke on 20 July 1922. He then lived two more years, dying on the 17 July 1924.

IMAGE: Olaus O. Ostrom's death certificate,
provided by the Minnesota Department of Health.
I purchased this copy in Feb. 2003.

Format of the transcription is that it is a "fill-in-the-blanks" form. The entries that are added to the form are shown in RED and my comments are surrounded in square-brackets [ ]. His death certificate states:

--------transcription begins --------

Ostrem

State  of  Minnesota

Division of Vital Statistics

  4861[stamped]

certificate of death

Registration no.

no. in Registration Book 2

(Above numbers to be filled in only by local registrar or his deputy.)

1.  place of death

     County Grant

     Township

     Village Elbow Lake

     City      No. ,   St.,   Ward.

     (If death occurred in a hospital or institution, give its NAME

      instead of street and number)

2. Full name Olaus O. Ostrom

(2) Residence No.  St., Ward

     (Usual place of abode)

     (If nonresident give city or town and State.) 

    Length of residence for city or town where death occurred

        -yrs. 9 mos. -ds.

     How long in U.S if of foreign birth?

         53 yrs. -mos. -ds.

Personal and statistical particulars

3.  Sex Male

4.  Color or race White

5.  Single, married widowed divorced (WRITE the word)

      Married

5a. If married, widowed or divorced

        HUSBAND of Mrs. Tolline Ostrom

        (or) WIFE of

6. Date of Birth (month, day, year) Sept 30-1850

7. Age  years 79  Months 9  Days 17

       If LESS than 1 day, ___hrs. or ___min.

8. Occupation of deceased

     (a) Trade, Profession or particular kind of work

             retired farmer

     (b) General nature of industry, business, or 

         establishment in which employed (or employer)

     (c) Name of employer

9. Birthplace (city or town)

    (State or country)

       Norway

10. name of father Ommund Ostrom

11. birthplace of father (city or town)

    (State or country) Norway

12. maiden name of mother Bertha Knutsdatter

13. Birthplace of mother (city or town)

    (State or country) Norway

14. Informant Mrs. John Ehlers

     (Address)

15. Filed 7-19-1924 Thomas Casey REGISTRAR

 Medical  Certificate  of  Death

16. Date of Death (month, day and year)

       July 17,1924

17. I hereby certify that I attended deceased from

       Jan 1 1924 to July 15, 1924 and that I last saw him on

       July 15, 1924 and that death occurred on the date stated

        above at 10:40 P.-

THE CAUSE OF DEATH was as follows:

     Cerebral Hemorrhage, duration 1 yr

Contributory (SECONDARY)

  Arterio Sclerosis

(duration) -yrs, -mos -ds

18. Where was disease contracted

    if not at place of death? --

                     

Did an operation precede death? no
Date of --

Was there an autopsy? no

What test confirmed diagnosis? --

    signed E.T. Reeve, M.D.

    7/17,1924

    address E.T. Reeve

*  State the DISEASE CAUSING DEATH, or in deaths from

   violent causeS, state (1) MEANS AND NATURE OF

   INJURY, and (2)whether ACCIDENTAL, SUICIDAL,

   or HOMICIDAL. (See reverse side for additional space.)

19.  PLACE OF DEATH, CREMATION, OR REMOVAL
     Elbow Lake, Minn

     DATE OF BURIAL July 20 1924 

20.  UNDERTAKER
     John Sether
     ADDRESS
     Elbow Lake

Received AUG 6, 1924 [stamped]

-------- transcription ends --------

Olaus' funeral was held on July 20, 1924. It is not known how many of his children were able to arrive in time for his funeral service as there was only three days from his death until his burial. We know that some were there. His daughter Oline (Ostrom) Ehlers signed the death certificate as its informant. Daughter Elsie (Ostrom) Nims, lived in town as that is where Olaus and Toline (his wife) were living at the time. This information was included in an earlier article that contained Olaus' transcribed obituary. You can read that by clicking here.

His remains were buried in the Ness Cemetery, close to Elbow Lake, Minnesota, and near the farm that he worked on for 42 years. I am including a snapshot of his grave marker and family stone. I have scheduled a future article that will be dedicated to the entire Ostrom family plot that at Ness Cemetery. Olaus' grave marker has a simple "Father 1850-1924"engraved on it.

IMAGE: Olaus Ostrom's grave marker at
Ness Cemetery, Elbow Lake, Minnesota

IMAGE; Ostrom family stone at Ness
Cemetery,Elbow Lake, Minnesota.

It is now time to end our story of Olaus and next week introduce you to the next member of the Ostrom family. As our Norwegian folk would say "Hvil i fred Bestefar," ... Rest in peace Grandpa.

--  --  --

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Please comment regarding this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then use the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Or contact me by email at dsteff4246[at]gmail[dot]com. Thank you. I am glad you stopped by today.

Copyright (c) 2016, Darlene M. Steffens