Charles F Abrahamson (1872-1936)

ABRAHAMSON

Posted By: Tina Keiser (email)
Date: 2/22/2012 at 13:21:09

Charles Fredrick Abrahamson was born in Linshiping Sweden on Dec 21, 1872, the son of S Bjorkman and his wife Gustavia (Abrahamson) Bjorkman. At the age of seven years, he came to this country, arriving in 1880. Upon immigration, he took his mother's maiden name as his own. Shortly thereafter, he came to Grant Township and stayed with his uncle, C A Abrahamson (1838-1923), who had come to Grant Township in the 1870's and farmed in Section 19 and later in Section 17. Mr Abrahamson's parents stayed in Sweden so he was raised here in this county by his uncle and wife. Who had no children.
On March 20, 1901, Mr Abrahamson was married to Miss Anna Matilda Carlson. She was born in Rapids City, Illinois on Nov 18, 1881, the oldest of eight children born to David Carlson (1856- 1917) and his wife Matilda (Larrson) Carlson (1860-1938). The parents were natives of Sweden, he immigrating in 1879, she in 1880. They came to Oskaloosa, Iowa in 1882 and to Pilot Mound Township in 1893, where they spent the remainder of their livers. Both are buried in the Pilot Mound Cemetery. To Mr and Mrs Abrahamson were born four children: Merrill (1902-1975), Mrs Wilbur (Dorothy) Haack (b. 1913), Richard (b. 1917), and Mrs Ivan (Jeanette) Neiderheiser (b. 1923). Mr and Mrs Abrahamson were at first members of the Boxholm Methodist church, but transferred to the Boxholm Calvary E.U.B. Church in 1927.
Mr Abrahamson started out farming in Grant Township, purchasing his uncle's farm in Section 17 (E1/2 of SW1/4) on Jan 3, 1898. After his marriage, he moved to Pilot Mound for a few years where he was employed in the Tornell Hardware as plumber and electrician. He subsequently lived in Ogden and then in Corwith, Iowa, for a few years before moving back to Ogden and hence, to his farm in Grant Township in 1917. During the 1890's and early 1900's, Mr Abrahamson developed quite a reputation for himself as a wrestler, performing in quite a few matches around central Iowa. In his early days he at one time trained with Frank A Gotch, who was later to become champion of the world from 19051913 and remembered as one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the sport. (Frank Gotch died at his home in Humboldt on Dec 16, 1917, aged 41 yrs.)
Besides his farming operation in Grant Township, Mr Abrahamson acted as electrician and lineman for the Farmers Electric Light Corporation of Boxholm and also worked for Ivan Reedholm Hardware as plumber and electrician. He later opened up hos won shop on main street were he did plumbing, wiring, furnace work, tin work, etc. throughout most of the 1920's and early 1930's. He also served on the Boxholm school board for a short time.
His death occurred on Aug 6, 1936 at that age of 63 years. Mrs Abrahamson died on Oct 15, 1958 at the age of 76 years. Both are buried in the Prairie Lawn Cemetery east of Boxholm. The home place is currently owned and occupied by their son Richard who is the only descendant still residing within Grant Township. Their other son, Merrill, distinguished himself by serving as treasurer of the State of Iowa from 1951 through 1965. Prior to that time, he was elected deputy county treasurer of Boone County in 1923, and elected treasurer in 1927, serving until 1933. He then served as director of accounts and finances of the State Tax Commission for 12 yrs prior to being state treasurer.

History of Boxholm and Grant Township in Boone County, Iowa 1986 by David C Peterson