Obit for BOTTEN, Kari (b.1853 d.1930), Stearns Co., MN ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Submitted: Oct 2001 ========================================================================= The Brooten Review - Thursday, April 3, 1930 Double Funeral Conducted For Two Oldest Residents of Community Ninety-four Year Old Pioneers, Life-Long Friends, Go To Final Summons Within a Few Hours Two of the oldest residents of this community received their final summons this week, and in their death is revealed a story of lifelong friendship and one of unusual coincidence. Beret Benken and Kari Botten were within three months of being the same age, and lacked less than six years of life to have reached the century mark when death took them out of this life. These two were childhood friends in their native land, Norway. There they attended the same school, were confirmation mates in the church of their faith. Shortly, however, there was a break in the personal contact. The former came to America, the latter united in marriage. But in a few years the companionship was resumed, this time in the United States. Both had settled in Stearns county, where their friendship continued as neighbors in North Fork township, an attachment which remained steadfast until the end. For twenty-five years they were associated as close neighbors, nor was their mutual interest dimmed when Mrs. Botten removed to this village to make her home. When the infirmities of old age lengthened the periods between their visits they greeted each other thru the courtesy of friends who came to see them, and up to within a very short time of their death, tho strength and faculties were failing fast, they were still solicitous of each others welfare, and eagerly awaited word or information of the others well-being. And as if the association which held them so closely in life should be the same in death, the final summons for each came within a period of fourteen hours. Those who had known them best like to believe that the intimacy which existed for so many years on this earthly sphere will be even more closely knit in the unknown land on the other shore. In view of the unusual circumstances surrounding the life and death of this worthy pair it was deemed fitting that joint obsequies be arranged. Double funeral services were therefore held at Big Grove church in North Fork, of which both had been members since its organization. The last rites for these early pioneer women took place this Thursday afternoon, the services being conducted by Rev. Edward Struxness, pastor of the church, and Rev. A.H. Hoyme of Trinity church, Brooten. Interment was made in Brig Grove cemetery. Kati Botten was born in Hallingdahl, Norway, Sept. 14, 1853, and was therefore 94 years, 5 months, and 17 days old at the time of her death, which occurred April 1st, at 4:00 a.m. She was married in Norway to Knut Botten, to which union ten children were born. Her husband and five children died while she was still in her native land. In 1873, as a widow, and with the five remaining children, she immigrated to America settling in North Fork township. Here she made her home for twenty-five years. When her son, K.K. Botten, moved to this village, then only a hamlet, she came with him and for the past 30 years or more had resided with him here. Mrs. Botten had been endowed with a sturdy constitution, and it was only within the last few months that she had not been able to be up and around. All but three of the children have preceded her in death. Those surviving are K.K. Botten of Brooten; Halvor, residing in Alberta, Canada, and Mrs. Margit Moen of Madison, Wis. Beret Benken died Monday, March 31, at 2:00 p.m. Had she lived until June 26, 1930, she would have reached her 95th birthday. Deceased was born in Aal, Hallingdahl, Norway, and in the early sixties bid goodbye to her native land and after a long voyage over the Atlantic in a sailing vessel, eventually arrived at Quebec, Can. She continued thence up the St. Lawrence and across Lake Michigan to Chicago, and from there to Lansing, Iowa. In 1863 she was married to Ole Benken at Spring Grove, Houston County, Minn. A North Fork resident familiar with the early history of that coummunity, gives the following sketch of Mrs. Benken's life: "In 1866k, im company with her older sister, and her husband, Nils N. Slenta, and four other families, Mrs. Benken made the journey from Houston country to Stearns county by oxteam and covered wagon, and arrived in Big Grove in July of the same year. This group of settlers brought with them some cattle, which at times caused delays enroute. When flies and mosquitoes molested the animals and they ran away into the brush, Ole Benken was by tacit consent the one to whom the travelers intrusted the strenuous job of seeing that their cattle kept up with the caravan. "Mrs. Benken had been an invalid since she set foot on the soil of North Fork. Her husband was of robust health. Many now living remember his tall, agile form. Many a trip has he made afoot to Sauk Centre with a ploughshare and pack on his back. Who among his acquaintances could have foretold that his sickly wife would outlive him 21 years? "Beret Benken had no children. She fostered her nephew, Martin Nelson, however, and raised him from early childhood. She saw him grow to manhood; saw him married and raise a family. He too has passed on, his death occurring from an accident Nov. 8, 1916. "She has made her home with Mrs. Martin N. Nelson, who has tenderly cared for her in her declining years. She is the last of the 'grown-ups' of the pioneers who arrived in 1866." And thus "finis" is written in the lives of two more of the early frontier settlers.