Born: 9 Oct 1820, Skyer, Gjerpen, Norway
Married: 28 Oct 1856, Manitowoc, WI
Died: 8 Dec 1885, Holmes City twp, Douglas Co, MN
Buried: Trysil-Bethesda cemetery, Holmes City twp, MN
Spouse: Anna Barbara Larsdtr
Lars Isackson came to Douglas county with his wife and family in 1866, making the trip from Wisconsin, by ox-team, a journey through wilderness that lasted from early spring until late in the fall. The parents walked most of the way and carried the younger children on their backs. At St. Cloud they had to wait three weeks to get across the ferry. Mr. Isackson had come to America in 1843, locating at Manitowoc, Wisc. He enlisted in the army when the Civil War broke out and after the war he was with a surveying party in the Great Lakes region and in northern Minnesota, and took up a homestead in the Town of Moe.
In 1866 he moved his family from Wisconsin to the new country farther west, and they made the long trip to Douglas county only to find on their arrival here after such great hardships that his claim had been jumped. Not too much discouraged, they bought a homestead right in Holmes City township and the family settled there, to live the hard life of pioneers in a new and wild country, at a time when all of their supplies had to be brought by a long and dangerous trip to St. Cloud.
E.E. Lobeck writes about Lars Isackson in Douglas and Grant Counties, Minnesota, p 177.
In speaking of the settling of Holmes City township in 1868, 1869, 1870…
“As the population increased, strife and quarrels came. It was a mighty hard thing to get the school houses and churches in the right places. Well do I remember a day when hard words were flying, fists were used and axes flourished at the foot of the hill between where Ole Mauseth and Ole Johnson now reside. A school house had been erected at that place and the people farther to the south came and demanded that the institution of education and learning be moved. At the foot of the hill the battle was fought. A gentleman of some reputation led the forces for the faction that wanted the school house moved — and a genuine Viking, chunky, strong and fearless, by the name of Lars Isakson, was the leader for the other side. This Lars Isakson was looked upon by us youngsters as a mighty man. He once caught a deer. The brush was thick and Lars dropped himself down beside the deer track and all of a sudden a buck came. Lars stuck out his hand and grabbed the hind foot of the deer and you may imagine what happened. The brush was uprooted — at times they were rolling on the ground, at times they were up in the air — but Lars brought some venison home to his family, all right. In that school house fight he stood like a wall, even if an ax was flourished over his head. I have a vivid picture of that typical Viking in my mind yet.”
__________
Norwegians in the Civil War by Jerry Rosholt
ISACKSON, Lars
WI 47th Inf Co D. Residence: Amherst, Portage County, Wisconsin. Enlistment credited to Harmony, Rock County. Born 9 Oct 1820 in Skien, Norway. Came to America in 1843. Civil War: Farmer. Age 44. Married. Blue eyes, light hair, light complexion, 5’7″. Enlisted for one year on 1 Feb 1865 at Waupaca, Wisconsin. Mustered 10 Feb 1865 at Madison, Wisconsin. Bounty $100, $33.33 paid. Private. Discharged from the service 4 Sep 1865. Post war: Moved in 1868 to Holmes City township, Douglas County, Minnesota. The 1890 Veterans and Widows Census shows him living at Holmes City. Died 8 Dec 1885. Sources: (SHSW Series 1200 box 188-5; red book vol 52) (DCHS 1890 Veterans Census card file) (Douglas County Death Index, p 230) (Letter, Marcy Isackson, Lowry MN) “Isackson, Lars” “Isacson, Lars”