Albert M EKUM

1882 - 1952  (69 years)

• Name	Albert M EKUM
  Birth	26 Nov 1882	Liberty Pole, Franklin Twp, Vernon County, Wisconsin
  Gender	Male
  Vernon County Death Index	V24, P559 As Albert M. Ekum
  Death	4 Mar 1952	Viroqua, Vernon County, Wisconsin
  	Died at 2:30 PM according to Cora’s diary. Died suddenly at his home on South Washington Avenue according to La Crosse obit.
  Burial	8 Mar 1952	Viroqua Cemetery, Viroqua, Vernon County, Wisconsin
  	Rev. Borgen conducted the funeral according to one source, Rev. Peder Nordsletten according to another.
  Notes	Perhaps named for his little aunt Albertina who may have died at about the time he was born. Albertine had probably been named for her brother Albert Bowe who died while Albertine was in utero. It’s possible that his middle name was Mons. He placed the following advertisement in the Vernon County Censor, 9 Aug 1911 edition, and for two more weeks after that: For Sale: My stock and tobacco farm of 86 acres located 3 miles west of Readstown, known as the Hendrickson farm. Albert Munson Ekum, Readstown, Route No. 2. The Kickapoo Scout’s 4 May 1916 edition noted that Albert Ekum had sold his farm to Adolph Anderson. The Kickapoo Scout’s 22 Jun 1916 edition noted that Albert Ekum had traveled to Minneapolis for medical treatment. Registered for the draft on September 12, 1918, as Albert Ekum. He listed his home address as Route 4, Viroqua. He claimed to be 35 and born on November 26, 1882. His occupation is illegible. His nearest relative is listed as Bertha Ekum. Albert is described as of medium height and slender build with blue eyes and light hair. The Kickapoo Scout’s 14 Nov 1918 edition noted that Albert Ekum had started to build his large store buildings in Liberty Pole and would soon start to sell all sorts of things that the people in the area needed. Albert advertised in the 26 Mar 1919 edition of the Vernon County Censor that he has opened up his new store in Liberty Pole and had on hand a full line of groceries. The Vernon County Censor’s 9 Jul 1919 edition had a For Sale advertisment from Albert: My property at Liberty Pole consisting of 3½ acres of good tobacco land, garden and orchard, good house and barn, new store building, blacksmith shop. The 27 August 1919 edition of the Censor had a brief article entitled A New City on the Hill: Albert Ekum, who has conducted a grocery at Liberty Pole, will take a change of base. He has purchased two acres of land from Ole B. Fortney and founded a new hamlet, which is christened “Mason City”, named for the early owner of the Mason farm. The store and residence is in course of erection on the country site, opposite the farm residence of Solfest Solverson, in the Franklin area. The Censor’s 5 Nov 1919 edition said: Six miles south of Viroqua, on the Readstown state trunk highway, nearly opposite that farm home of Sylvester Solverson, looms up a fine combined business structure and dwelling. The place also has a full basement. It will open for business Saturday, November 8. At this favorable location, Albert Ekum has established a new trading place where he will dispense general merchandise to the people, carrying a complete stock. He invites all within his territory to call and inspect his goods, assuring them of new and good purchases at live and let live prices. A gasoline tank is established. Mr. Ekum is well known and has experience. The favorable location ought to insure success to the new merchant. The Censor’s 9 Feb 1921 edition noted that Albert Ekum had hired a tutor to instruct him in the method of driving his new flivver. Changed name to Ekum because, according to Dorothy's family stories, there were so many Munsons in the area (after they moved back in 1907) that delivering mail was confusing. Some relatives in northern Wisconsin convinced Albert and other members of the family to change their name to Ekum, similar to the original family name in Norway. Albert and Bertha ran a grocery store and cabins many years in Mason City, "a small place south of Viroqua." They moved to Viroqua in 1946. After moving to Viroqua, Albert sold corn and was a janitor of Immanuel Church until he died in 1952. In his obit, it was noted that Albert was the proprietor of a Mason City store for 27 years, an assessor for the Town of Franklin for 22 consecutive years, and treasurer of Immanuel Church for 12 years. Not shown as living with his mother at the time of the 1900 census (June 12th). He and his father and sister Caroline had gone to California by that time and were living in Butte Township, Siskiyou County. Albert had a job as a laborer in a box factory. The 1920 census-taker was Douglas Nelson who found the Ekum family on January 21st: Albert, 31, home-owner but with a mortgage, store-keeper of a general store working on own account. Bertha, 28, born in Norway and immigrated in 1908 or 1909, naturalized in 1911, can read and write (probably Norwegian) but cannot speak English. {Which may be why her age is incorrect.} Children: Earnest T, 6, who has attended school, Selma Margaret, age 4 years and some months, Theresa Caroline, age 2 years and some months, and Archie Bennet age 1 year and some months or less. Shown as Albert Elsum in the 1930 census index. According to the census, Albert and his family were living on the “Viroqua and Readstown Road” in Franklin Twp, Vernon County, in a $2500 house that Albert owned and that was not a farm. They did not have a radio. The household consisted of Albert, 47, Bertha, 38, Theresa, 12, Archie, 10, Walter, 8, Dorothy, 4+, Selma, 2+, and Thomas, 3 months. (Ernest is not listed.) Albert and Bertha were 29 and 20, respectively, when they were first married. Bertha emigrated in 1909. Albert’s occupation is shown as “Merchant, Country Store.” Albert was not a veteran. Albert’s store and filling station was robbed in September of 1939 by a “gang” of three Minneapolis men who had staged several other holdups in the area. The three were captured in Michigan. They had raided Albert’s cash register for about $15. In the 1940 census, Albert, Bertha, and their six youngest children, lived in Franklin Twp. Albert was the operator of a rural store. In the 1950 census, Albert and Bertha lived 419 S Washington in Viroqua. Albert is a janitor at a church as well as a seed salesman. Living with them at the same address is the Adrian Sherry family. An article in the December 19, 1951, edition of the La Crosse Tribune: Viroquans Mark 40th Anniversary “Friends and relatives of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Ekum, 419 S. Washington Ave., honored them on their 40th wedding anniversary December 16th. A reception was held at Immanuel Lutheran Church parlors. Mrs. Ekum, the former Bertha Oren, came to this country from Norway when she was 17. She was 20 when she was married to Albert Ekum at Readstown by the Rev. L. C. Jacobson, then Immanuel Lutheran pastor. Their attendants were Mrs. Ida Anderson and Martin Ekum, sister and brother of the couple. Both were at the Sunday reception. “In a brief program, the Rev. Peder Nordsletten, Immanuel pastor, reviewed the lives of the celebrants. Daughters of the couple participated in devotions and the reading of anniversary poems. “Before coming to Viroqua to reside in 1946, Mr. and Mrs. Ekum operated a general store and tourist camp at Mason City on Highway 14 between Readstown and Viroqua for 26 years. “Their children are Mrs. Floyd Clements, Mrs. Arnold McKittrick, Mrs. Adrian Sherry, all of this vicinity; Ernest, Mason City; Arch, Birmingham, England; Tomas, U.S. Army stationed in Virginia; Walter, Monroe, Wisconsin. “Mr. and Mrs. Ekum never have seen the two children of Arch, who served overseas during World War II and married an English girl. Nor have they seen a grandchild living in the south. The other six grandchildren are in the area.” In his World War II draft registration, he gave his address as Route 5, Viroqua. He was self-employed. Ernest Ekum, in the Vernon County 150 years book, wrote: “In the year of 1920, Albert Ekum bought two acres of land from Mr. Ole B. Fortney to build a grocery store and living quarters combined. They moved to the store from Liberty Pole on October 31, 1920. Behind the store on the north side were hitching posts for the customers’ horses. “They sold groceries and later added clothing such as jackets, shirts, gloves, shoes, etc. “There was no electricity then so they used two aladdin lamps to light their store. “For a time, they bought fresh cream from the farmers around for Swift & Co. who came and picked it up. “Later, when people started buying cars and there were better roads, the Ekums tore the porch off the front and put in gasoline pumps. They also tore out the hitching posts and built a place to drain oil from cars. “The Ekums then built a few tourist cabins which was a good business. “In 1946, the Ekums sold their store to Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Olson of Madison and they then moved to the city of Viroqua. “The store was then run by the Olsons until the roads got better and the people were shopping more elsewhere. Later the state road was rerouted from the store location and the Olsons closed their store and business.” According to the obit in the La Crosse paper, he died suddenly at his home in Viroqua on Tuesday afternoon, March 4th. Visitation was at the home on March 7th, and the funeral on the 8th was from the home and at Immanuel Lutheran Church. That obit also says: “Before coming to Viroqua six years ago, Ekum operated the Mason City general store and tourist cabins in the Township of Franklin, Vernon County, for 27 years. He held many township offices including assessor, and was treasurer of the Franklin Lutheran Church for many years. He remained active in church work in Viroqua.”
  Person ID	I160	Don Carlson's Tree
  Last Modified	2 Aug 2022

  
  

  Father	Thomas Monsen EIKUM (MUNSON),   b. 4 Sep 1850, Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway d. 24 Nov 1905, Siskiyou County, California (Age 55 years)
  Mother	Susanna Clausdatter (Susan) BOWE,   b. 18 Dec 1860, Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway d. 9 Aug 1943, Viroqua, Vernon County, Wisconsin (Age 82 years)
  Marriage	8 Mar 1880	Vernon County, Wisconsin
  Family ID	F115	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Brita Eriksdatter (Bertha Malina) ØREN,   b. 21 Dec 1891, Årdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway d. 11 Feb 1960, Vernon County, Wisconsin (Age 68 years)
  Marriage	19 Dec 1911	Immanuel Lutheran Church, Viroqua, Vernon County, Wisconsin
  	Date per obit in the Viroqua paper. They celebrated their 40th anniversary on December 16, 1951, with a reception at the Immanuel Lutheran Church.
  Children	1. Ernest Theodore EKUM,   b. 30 Mar 1913, Vernon County, Wisconsin d. 24 Dec 1995, Viroqua, Vernon County, Wisconsin (Age 82 years)   2. Selma Margarite EKUM,   b. 26 Mar 1915, Wisconsin d. 8 Mar 1923, Wisconsin (Age 7 years)   3. Theresa Caroline EKUM,   b. 16 May 1917, Vernon County, Wisconsin d. 16 Apr 1977, La Crosse County, Wisconsin (Age 59 years)   4. Archie Bennett EKUM,   b. 28 May 1919, Franklin Twp, Vernon County, Wisconsin d. 29 Oct 1981, Birmingham, England (Age 62 years)   5. Walter Raymond (Wally) EKUM,   b. 20 Sep 1921, Franklin Twp, Vernon County, Wisconsin d. 24 Jun 2004, Monroe, Green County, Wisconsin (Age 82 years)   6. Dorothy Marie EKUM,   b. 30 Oct 1925, Vernon County, Wisconsin d. 10 Jul 2020, Viroqua, Vernon County, Wisconsin (Age 94 years)   7. Selma Mae (Sally) EKUM,   b. 2 Mar 1928, Mason City, Franklin Twp, Vernon County, Wisconsin d. 13 Mar 2007, Onalaska, La Crosse County, Wisconsin (Age 79 years)   8. Thomas Roy EKUM,   b. 8 Jan 1930, Vernon County, Wisconsin d. 26 Oct 2015, Hutchinson, Reno County, Kansas (Age 85 years)
  Photos		The Cozy Cabins Albert and Bertha ran a general store with tourist cabins called the cozy cabins at a location a few miles south of Viroqua. Their son, Ernest Ekum, in the Vernon County 150 years book, wrote: “In the year of 1920, Albert Ekum bought two acres of land from Mr. Ole B. Fortney to build a grocery store and living quarters combined. They moved to the store from Liberty Pole on October 31, 1920. Behind the store on the north side were hitching posts for the customers’ horses. They sold groceries and later added clothing such as jackets, shirts, gloves, shoes, etc. There was no electricity then so they used two aladdin lamps to light their store. For a time, they bought fresh cream from the farmers around for Swift & Co. who came and picked it up. Later, when people started buying cars and there were better roads, the Ekums tore the porch off the front and put in gasoline pumps. They also tore out the hitching posts and built a place to drain oil from cars. The Ekums then built a few tourist cabins which was a good business. In 1946, the Ekums sold their store to Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Olson of Madison and they then moved to the city of Viroqua. The store was then run by the Olsons until the roads got better and the people were shopping more elsewhere. Later the state road was rerouted from the store location and the Olsons closed their store and business.”
  		Albert Ekum Family Probably taken in the mid 1940s in front of Albert's general store in Mason City. It can't be later than 1946 because Ernest said that that's when Albert sold the store and moved to town. That's Dorothy and Theresa in the back row between their mother Bertha and their brothers. Sally is in the middle in the front row and Tom is on the right. Ernest is in the front row on the other side of Sally. Walter is on the right in the back row which would leave Archie as the one between Walter and Theresa. That may be Dorothy Fish Ekum with her son on the porch in the background.
  Family ID	F116	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	13 Jan 2020

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Albert Ekum, late teens The small oval original is mounted on heavy brown paperboard. The studio imprint is Miller McCloud, Cal. On the back Cora first wrote in pencil "Albert Ekum." Over that she wrote in ink, "My Cousin Albert Ekum."
  		Martin and Albert Ekum Probably taken in the later years of the first decade of the 20th century after the Ekums had returned from California. Martin would have been in his late teens and Albert in his mid 20s. The original is an oval picture mounted on heavy paperboard. The studio is "Henry and Jasperson, Viroqua, Wis." On the back Cora wrote "My Cousins Albert & Martin Ekum."
  		Albert and Bertha Ekum, wedding This is from their wedding in December of 1911. Albert is 29 and Bertha two days short of turning 20. The original is about 4x6 and mounted on sturdy brown board stock and has the imprint Jasperson Viroqua Wis. with a space to the left of Jasperson indicating perhaps that the change in ownership from Henry and Jasperson was recent. On the back of the picture Cora wrote, "My Cousin Albert and Bertha." One of Albert's daughters confirms that this is their wedding picture with the comment, "Yes, she wore a black dress."
  		Albert Ekum