born: 10 Oct 1874, Holmes City twp, Douglas Co, MN
died: 29 Jul 1893, Holmes City twp
buried: Trysil-Bethesda cemetery, Holmes City, Douglas Co, MN
Parents: Ole Mattisen Skjærberget Sogaarden
Oline Pedersdtr Grambo
from Olea Jensdatter Østby & Peder Paulsen Grambo History, p 374-75:
Olaf grew up surrounded by both elder and younger siblings. He took part in the work that his father set him to, and together with his brothers they ran the farm and built it up to be one of the best farms in the district.
Olaf was steadfast in his belief in God and wished to one day become a Lutheran minister. He planned to begin at the Augsburg Seminary (later College) in the Fall of 1893. But his work on the farm was to put a stop to all of his plans.
One day he was going to use the horses to drive hay from out in the fields. In the course of a few seconds the horses that pulled the huge hayload were running uncontrolled and Olaf tried to stop them. The horses kicked him and knocked him down on the ground, and he then got under the wheels of the haywagon. Olaf lay unconscious for two days, but there was nothing the doctors in 1893 could do to save his life.
The sorrow in the family was great, and friends and neighbors grieved with them. The accident happened on the sourthern part of the Sogaarden farm, and the lake that lies close by was later called “Lake Olaf”.
So Olaf died in 1893 and was buried at the Trysil Lutheran Cemetery where the rest of the family were also laid to rest.
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Douglas County Sentinel, Alexandria, Minnesota
Thursday, August 3, 1893, page 1, col. 4.
Olaf Sogaarden received such fatal injuries in a runaway
accident last Friday, that he died from the effects Saturday evening. This was a sad blow to Mr. and Mrs. Sogaarden and the entire community, as Olaf was in his prime of life and a steady trustworthy young man. The funeral services were held from the Norwegian Lutheran church Tuesday forenoon, Rev. H. Hagen officiating.
Transcribed from microfilm copy of newspaper at Minnesota
History Center, St. Paul, MN.