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Louis Larson Obituary
Louis LARSON Funeral Sunday Washburn Leader circa April 8, 1948
Louis I. LARSON, age 70, a member of one of Washburn's pioneer families, died at the country home of his daughter, Adeline, Mrs. Arthur Kost, Thursday afternoon, April 1, the date of his 45th wedding anniversary.
He had been ill since last November at which time he entered a Bismarck hospital for an operation.  A few weeks later he returned to the home of his daughter, Adeline, where she cared for him until his death. Death was due to cancer.
Born in Sweden, January 8. 1878, a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Larson, he came to this country with his parents at the age of 5.  The family homesteaded six miles east of Washburn, back in June, 1882, on what is now the Oscar Oberg home place.  After growing to manhood he settled on a farm west of Washburn near Elm Point, where he remained the rest of his life until his last illness.  He was married April 1, 1903, to Hattie Ecklund, also a pioneer resident of the community.  Mrs. Larson passed away July 12, 1929.
Mr. Larson remembers the trip from the land of his birth, even though he was only a little more than 5 years old.  When the families that made the trip left their Swedish homes, little did they realize they would be settling on bare prairies, that could not even boast of having Washburn as their nearest town.
Making the trip were the family men Nels Nelson, Jacob Wicklander, Eric Anderson , Isaac Larson, and August Oberg.  With them were Dan Tjenstrom, Eric Olander, A. P. Peterson and a young girl, Mari (Mary) Larson.  Mr. Larson has told how the women and children were piled into a Swedish two-wheeled cart and the men walked to the sea coast.  There they found their passenger boat had sailed, and they all had to take passage on a cattle boat, half sail and half steam.  It took 27 days to cross the Atlantic.
They had the Red River Valley as their destination, but when they got that far they found the valley flooded; so they came on to Bismarck.  At Bismarck, they were contacted by John Satterlund, who told them of the homestead advantages in what was to become McLean County.
At Bismarck, Wicklander, Oberg, and Peterson bought a team of oxen and all the men set out for their new homes.  After staking claims and erecting tents and shacks, the women and children came up from Bismarck on a steam boat.  The boat landed down by the Joe Barlow place where Turtle Creek used to empty into the river.  There they were greeted by a number of Indians, who had their camp there.  On the boat was also a load of lumber which was used to build homes.  Oscar Oberg, one of the young lads in the party, states that the present home of Chas. Scholl in east Washburn has in it some of the original lumber which came up on the river boat that June day back in 1882.  (According to Ray Wicklander's recollections and two photos, of 1912, shown in McLean Country Heritage, 1978, it might be inferred that the steam boat was the U.S. Engineer's Mandan.)
Incidently, the children of Mr. Larson point out that the young girl, Mari (Mary) Larson, who made the trip, became their grandmother, for she married John Ecklund, Sr., and their daughter, Hattie Ecklund, was their mother.
Besides his daughter, Adeline, Mrs. Arthur Kost, his is survived by another daughter, Irene, Mrs. Godtfred Reimers of Washburn; and three sons, David and Walter Larson of Washburn; and Chester of Great Falls, Montana.  He is also survived by two brothers, Ranard Larson of Washburn, and Isaac Larson of Bismarck, and two half brothers, Arthur and Emanuel Tjenstrom of Washburn, and a half sister, Mrs. Enio Lindstrom, of Ancon, Canal Zone.  There are 11 grandchildren.
Preceding him in death were four children, Rose, Clarence, Alice, and Lulah, Mrs. Clayton Carvell; a brother, Eric, and his parents and his step father, the late Dan Tjenstrom.
Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at the Birka Lutheran church west of Falkirk with Rev. David Berg and Lloyd Hubert officiating.  Music was furnished by Rev. and Mrs. Berg, Mrs. E. W. Gradin, and a boys quartet composed of Wallace Gradin, Merville Thrailkill and Raymond and Leo Leidholm.  The quartet sang, "Hold The Fort For I Am Coming," "Shall We Gather At The River," and " In The Sweet Bye and Bye."  Rev. and Mrs. Berg sang, "Saved By Grace," and "Good Night Here and Good Morning Up There."
Pallbearers were Oliver Tweeten, Rudolph Kost, James Tjenstrom, Donald Peterson, Ralph C. Nelson, and Edward Yunker.  Burial was in the Birka cemetery.
Honorary pallbearers were Louis Peterson, Oscar Oberg, Carl Leidholm, Henry Kost, Adolph Reimers, Charley Swanson, Albert Lundberg, Frielo Peterson, and John Barlow.
All the near relatives were here to attend the funeral except his half-sister Mrs. Lindstrom, of the Canal Zone.
Irene Reimers  added the following information:
Louis and Hattie LARSON by Irene Reimers
Louis and Hattie's family is the second generation to live in the Ecklund Log Cabin. Hattie was the first child to be born on the homestead in the original dugout. Louis was born in Viksjo, Angermanland, Vasternorrland, Sweden. He came to the states with his parents and two brothers. His family settled at Elm Point and were farmers. Hattie and Louis married and farmed the land until their deaths.
 Hattie ECKLUND4 (John ECKLUND5) was born September 26, 1886 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota and died July 12, 1929 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota. She is buried at Birka Cemetery, Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota. She married Louis I. LARSON4 (Isaac LARSON5) April 01, 1903 in Washburn, North Dakota, McLean County. Louis was born January 08, 1878 in Viksjo, Angermanland, Vasternorrland, Sweden and died April 01, 1948 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota. He is buried at Birka Cemetery, Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota.

Children of Louis LARSON and Hattie ECKLUND:
i. Rose LARSON born May 11, 1903 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota and died October 05, 1903 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota. She is buried in God's Acre, 1st Country Cemetery in Section 31 of Township 145 N, Range 83 of McLean County.
ii. Clarence LARSON born May 19, 1904 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota and died June 15, 1904 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota. He is buried in God's Acre, 1st Country Cemetery in Section 31 of Township 145 N, Range 83 of McLean County.
iii. Lulah Bertina LARSON born September 15, 1905 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota and died February 21, 1934 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota. She is buried at Birka Cemetery, Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota.
iv. David Edward LARSON born December 06, 1907 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota and died December 25, 1977 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota. He is buried at Birka Cemetery, Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota.
v. Alice Berdella LARSON born October 08, 1910 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota and died November 11, 1932 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota. She is buried at Birka Cemetery, Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota.
vi. Irene Victoria LARSON3 (Louis4, Isaac 5 ) born May 13, 1912 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota and died July 26, 1996 in Bismarck, Burleigh County, North Dakota. She is buried at Birka Cemetery, Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota. She married Godtfred REIMERS3 (Adolph4, Johann Christian Gottfried5, Johan Behrend6 ) in April 21, 1935 Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota. He was born July 04, 1899 in Ogden, Boone County, Iowa and died December 29, 1979 Bismarck, Burleigh County, North Dakota. He is buried at Birka Cemetery, Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota.
vii. Adeline Louise LARSON born June 6, 1914 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota and died June 10, 1993 in Bismark, Burleigh County, North Dakota. She married Arthur KOST December 23, 1933 in Washburn, North Dakota, McLean County. She is buried at the Washburn Cemetery, Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota.
viii. Walter Wallace LARSON is still living with his wife.
ix. Chester Ellwood LARSON born July 04, 1921 in Washburn, McLean County, North Dakota and died January 08, 1984 in Houston, Texas.
Sources:
1. McLean county, ND 1978--Histories of towns in McLean county and biogaphies of early settlers and their families.
2. Irene Larson Reimers, 1954.