Falkenstein, Ira Jacob-[176]

  General Notes:

Ira Moved west with his father's family and arrived in Bismarck, ND on april 4, 1885. They stayed in the Banner House untill the could build on thier homestead. This homestead was in Cromwell Township. Ira married Emma Anderson and they built a 3 room house in Crofte Township. As the family grew, so did the house. In 1907 more rooms were added, 2 upstairs and 2 downstairs. Nine children were born.
Tragedy struck the family in the early years when thier oldest child, Ralph, was killed by lightening in 1937. Andrew was crushed an a gravel pit cave-in in 1923. Ethbell died of pneumonia at six weeks and Lester died of diabetes in 1933. Other events made for a life of hardships. Ira built a new barn in Dec. 1905 and in Apr. 20, 1906, they awoke to find it in flames. they lost the barn, 13 horses, 1 cow, 2 calves, 4000 bushels of grain & 15 tons of hay.
In 1916, during a wind and hail storm, they lost the new barn when it collapsed. Other buildings were damaged and 350 acres of crops were destroyed. Ira built a new barn with 12 foot high and 12 inch thick concrete walls.
In 194? they sold the farm and retired to a house on 15th street in Bismarck. Emma died in 1950 and Ira lived with daughter Ruth and family until his death in 1959.
Grandpa Ira was loved very much by his children and many grangchildren. He was born on the Forth of July and he was a firecracker. R.L.F
Ira Falkenstein (obit.)

Ira J. Falkenstein, 88, pioneer Burleigh County farmer who died Sunday in a local hospital. Mr. Falkenstein, who made his home with his daughter at 1417 13th St., had been in ill health for several years.
He was born in Pennsylvania July 4, 1871, a son of Mr. And Mrs. Richard Falkenstein, and came to Bismarck with them in 1884. The following year they homesteaded in Cromwell Township. He was married to Emma Anderson in Bismarck on Feb. 22, 1898, and the couple farmed in Croft Township until he retired in 1941 and moved to Bismarck. His wife died in 1950. He was a member of the Burleigh County Pioneers.
Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Frank (Marie) Lorier, Norwalk, Calif.; Mrs. Ralph (Grace) Carlson, Bismarck, and Mrs. Israel (Ruth) Keator, Birsmarck; two sons, Orville, Portalnd, Ore., and Clarence, Wilton; a sister, Mrs. Mary Jane Register, Bismarck; 22 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. A brother and sister also preceded him in death.
Burleigh Co., ND Land records
FALKERSTEIN IRA J 05 141 N 079 W 010 160 251101 PA 6526 09/16/1904:

Ira married Emma Alvina Anderson-[357] [MRIN:75], daughter of Olaf P. Anderson-[1805] and Ingeborg Anna Wold-[1806], on 22 Feb 1898 in Bismarck, Burleigh Co., ND. (Emma Alvina Anderson-[357] was born on 12 Feb 1876 in Red Wing, MN, died on 30 Dec 1950 in Bismarck, Burleigh Co., ND and was buried in Jan 1951 in Sunne Lutheran Cemetery, Wilton, ND.)