in 1995). Evelyn had several jobs in Decorah. She enjoyed helping Telford haul lime and also drove semi hauling produce. Telford died of cancer 23 Mar 1990 and is buried in the Locust Cemetery, Pleasant Twp.

Seegmiller, Will and Louise (Spiide)

(Evelyn (Thornton) Seegmiller)

Will Seegmiller was born 3 Apr 1875 in Canoe Twp, Winneshiek Co. He was the son of Jacob and Mary (Schwalm) Seegmiller. Jacob and Mary are buried in the Locust Lane-Salem Cemetery, Canoe Twp.

Will had 13 siblings: Ezra (1860-1864); John (1862-1942) - m. Anna Mihalek: Emma (1863-1947) - m. George Fricker; Lvdia (1865-1929) - m. Fred Koenig; Ezra (1866-1880); Jacob (1868-1896); Gideon (1870-1947) - m. Julia Falck; Samuel (1871-1883); Marv Ann (1872-1883); Reuben (1876-1930) - m. Margaret Schlarbaum; Aaron (1879-1957) - m. Josie Olson; Edwin (1880-1883); and Hulda (1883-1883). Four of the Seegmiller children died during a diphtheria epidemic in 1883. It was thought the parents brought it home from a funeral they attended. The children died within 3 weeks of each other with Samuel and Hulda dying on the same day. After the death of the first child that day, Jacob went to Decorah to buy lumber for a casket. When he returned, Mary met him at the door and told him he had to go back to town for more lumber because a second child had died. Jacob and Mary had to dig the graves and bury their children themselves. They could not have a public funeral for fear of spreading the diphtheria further. The first Ezra is buried at Locust Cemetery; the next Ezra, Jacob, Samuel, Mary Ann, Edwin and Hulda are buried at Locust Lane-Salem Cemetery. John, Gideon, Reuben and Aaron are buried in the Phelps Cemetery. Emma is buried in Brainerd, MN and Lydia in Charles City, IA.

Will married Louise Spiide in 1904 at the Big Canoe Lutheran Church parsonage. Louise was born 29 Oct 1884 in Pleasant Twp., Winneshiek Co. She was the daughter of John and Julia (Spiide) Spiide.

Will and Louise had 5 children: Evelyn (4 Mar 1909-Sep 1992) - m. Willet Sampson; Jesse (27 Sep 1910-Mar 1985) - m. Florence Harkness; Flovd (b. 26 Jun 1914) -m. Gertrude (Mali) Fretheim; Telford (24 Apr 1917-23 Mar 1990) - m. Evelyn Thornton; and Horace - m. Dorothy Seegmiller. Evelyn is buried at the Lutheran Cemetery, Decorah; Jesse is buried in Mabel, MN; and Telford in the Locust Cemetery.

Will and Louise lived on the Seegmiller home farm. This is now a “Century Farm” having been in the Seegmiller family for over 130 years. It is located on the Locust Road in Canoe Twp. The Seegmillers were farmers as well as being in the horse business.

Will died 26 Aug 1949. Louise died 5 Aug 1957. They both are buried in the Phelps Cemetery, Decorah.

Seim, James and Helen (Iverson)

(Helen J. Seim)

James William Seim was the son of Lawrence Helge and Florence (Nelson) Seim. He married Helen Jean Iverson on 3 Nov 1949. She was the daughter of Theodore and Rose Iverson. From 1957-1985 James was Assistant Superintendent in the Ames Public Schools in charge of Elementary, Special Education and Special Services.

James and Helen have two daughters, Becky Jo and Janet Leslie. Becky married Jerry Lee Timmons in Omaha, NE on 16 Dec 1972. She is a housewife, mother, wife and teacher of Special Education in the Millard School System in Omaha. Jerry is salesman trainer for Ameritas Insurance and Investment Corporation also in Omaha. They have three daughters: Cassie Jean is a student at the University of Nebraska; Jodi Christine is a student at Millard West High School; and Jacquelyn Joan is a student at Millard West Junior High School. Janet  married David Mark Bunker in Ames, IA on 10 Jun 1978. She is a housewife, mother, wife and Elementary Media Specialist in the Ames Public Schools. David is a grounds supervisor at Iowa State University. They have two sons: Matthew Mark and Erik David . Both are students at Fellows Elementary.

James and Helen retired in 1985 and live in Clear Lake, IA.

Seim, Lars A. and Sylvia (Bidne)

(Helen Hendrickson)

Lars A. Seim was born 17 Dec 1887 at Rekve in Voss, Norway. His parents were Arnfinn N. Seim and Ingjerd O. Schjeldahl. His father, Arnfinn Seim, was a farmer and school teacher in Voss. There were 13 children in the family. They were as follows: Nels, Rannveig, Olav, Guri, Lars, Anfin, Hans, Anna, Margaret, Inger, Torstein, Olaf and Einar. (Nels, Lars, Anfin and Margaret came to America.)

While a young boy in Norway, Lars worked one year on the Djukastein farm. They were relatives of his father. His real work was to have been the cabinet making business which he worked at for one year in Vossevangen at Knut Qualley’s factory in Voss. Lars was about 16 years old at the time.