Obituary: Rock County, Wisconsin: Ole CHRISTOFFERSON

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Submitted by Ruth Ann Montgomery, <rmontgomery@cishome.com> April 2008

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Ole Christofferson, aged 37 years, was killed at the railroad coal shed in
this city Sunday morning about 10 o'clock, while assisting in running empty
cars from the shed to the track below. He was upon the rear car of five, a
low coal car, while two other men were on top of box cars ahead of him; two
brakes were all there were of any use and the heavy strain upon them broke
one of them, leaving the five cars with only one brake to check their mad
flight down the very steep incline, and the unfortunate man was able to see
or know when the cars struck those below with such force as to throw him
against the car in front breaking his neck, jaws, shoulders, mangling his
head in a terrible manner and his body falling under the wheels which cut
off both his arms. The men upon the top of the box cars, being able to see
when the collison was to occur, one of whom was Hart Cary, lay down flat
and clung fast to the running board which saved them from falling.

The deceased arrived in this city from his native land, Norway, three weeks
ago, last Saturday and was unable to speak or understand the language of
those who tried to warn him of his danger. He leaves a wife, two small
children and three brother-in-laws in this city, Halvor and Gus Hanson and
Hans Skarning, the latter a well known painter here, all of whom reside
upon what is known as the Mitchell farm first place north of the cemetery.
The funeral was held at this home, Monday, and at the church in Cooksville
where the remains were interred in the Norwegian cemetery, Rev. Johannson,
of Stoughton, officiating.

October 21, 1902, page 3, col. 4, Tribune, Evansville, Wisconsin



Ole Christofferson, aged about 35 years, was killed at the railroad coal
shed in this city about noon last Sunday. He was assisting in running empty
cars out of the shed, and was riding on a low car, but the brakes on two of
the cars were of no use and the men on top of the cars were unable to check
the speed down the incline, hence the cars struck other cars on the track
below with such force that he was thrown under the wheels, breaking his
neck, nearly severing both arms, and terribly mangling his head. Being on a
low car he could not see the danger ahead, and only recently coming from
Norway he did not understand the signal given him by the other men.

He leaves a wife and two small children. He was a brother-in-law of Hans
Skarning, a well known painter here. Funeral services were held on the
Mitchell farm adjoining the cemetry, where he resided, on Monday, also at
the Norwegian church at Cooksville; the remains being interred in the
cemetery at Cooksville.

October 25, 1902, The Badger, p. 1, col. 4, Evansville, Wisconsin