Elling Ellingson

Son of Elling and Johnanna Ellingson was born in Endersegon, Norway, Feb. 4, 1846, and died at his home in this city Feb. 21, 1901, at 10:10 a.m. at the age of 55 years and 17 days.

The funeral services were held at 11 a. m. last Saturday at the M. E. church. The remains were in charge of the I. O. O. F. and G. A. R. three of each order acting as pall bearers. At 11 o’clock the remains were taken to the church followed by the relatives and orders. Rev. Bixby preached an appropriate and fitting sermon in harmony with the life of a generous, honest, upright and public spirited man such a life as the deceased lived whose good deeds in life will live on, though he be dead. Following the sermon were the church services of the I. O. O. F. after which the last look at the departed one the remains were taken to Twin Groves cemetery followed by the relatives and a host of friends in carriages and the Odd Fellows and most of the G. A. R. on foot. The burial services of the two orders were held at the grave after which the people departed to their homes, realizing that they had lost a good friend and our city one of its best and most enterprising citizens, and whose memory will not soon be forgotten.

The deceased came to America in 1851 and in 1861 at the age of 16 years of age enlisted under the stars and stripes, which he loved so well, in that famous “Eagle Regiment,” the 8th Wisconsin. He served three years of the war and was wounded and honorably discharged. He came to Kansas soon after and on Oct. 17, 1867, at Burlingame, was united in marriage to Miss Mary Allison. To this union three children were born, one of them, John Ellingson living southwest of Severy, his wife and aged mother are left to mourn the loss of a loving father, husband and son.

Soon after his marriage he removed to this county, locating on a farm 12 north of Eureka. About ’70 he moved to Eureka and went into the grocery business; a few years later he moved to Old Charleston near what is now the city of Fall River, and in the late ‘70s removed to Severy and opened up the first store in the place and since then this has been his home, a city that he has had a great deal in making it the place that it is today, a place that he was always proud of, a place that is proud that he was one of its citizens.

When the city was incorporated in the spring of 1880, he was elected the first Mayor and has held the office at different times since.

The deceased was a hard worker and had acquired considerable property in the shape of farm lands and town property, and at the time of his death had part of the material on hand and was soon going to commence the erection of a fine ten room brick residence on his land just east of Severy.

When a man, who has had such an influence as Mr. Ellingson, passes away we cannot help but chronicle that event with great sorrow.

True his presence will be missed most within his own home, yet he has been brought into such close connection with all in the community, through his long career as a business man, that all regard him as in some way belonging to them and cherish the memory of him.

He was a man of indomitable energy and push, throwing his whole soul into whatever he undertook. He was possessed of that rare quality of tending strictly to his affairs and not troubling other people. He believed that by filling to the full his position as a business man and the community at large. His life was honorable because it was useful and helpful and the example he has always given is worthy of imitation by all.