John J Larson

1885 Minneapolis?
Marriage- [http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/DigitalObject/View/BF3D1D2ED9B61E...]

Biography c. 1902

John J. Larson, a prominent and successful business citizen of Whatcom, owning and operating the finest livery line in this city, was born in Voss, Norway, January 27, 1864. He is the son of Lars and Ingeborg (Maringa) Larson, the former of whom was born in 1817 and is a resident of Graue, Norway, where he was engaged in farming and logging. The mother is also a native and resident of Norway. Our subject has three brothers and two half-brothers, two half-sisters and two sisters: Anders, aged fifty-four years; Lars, aged fifty-two years; Neils, aged forty-three years; William B., of Whatcom; Mrs. Anna Helgeson, of Britt, Iowa; Bertha, of Wisconsin; Mrs. Sarah Larkin, of Chicago; and Mrs. Belle Olson, of Seattle. John J. Larson attended school in his native country until the age of sixteen years and then worked on a farm for two years. He then took advantage of an opportunity to come to the United States, and landed in the city of New York, October l0, 1881. As he was a farmer by occupation, he started for the farm lands of the west, reaching Woodstock, Illinois, and in that locality he remained for five years. He then went to Minneapolis and worked there for three years in a mill, and it was in 1888 that he came to Whatcom. Looking about for a suitable place for permanent settlement. He was soon employed by the Bellingham Bay Railroad Company, and continued with that company for eight years in the capacity of coachman and stableman, thus gaining a practical knowledge of a business in which he has been very successful. Mr. Larson took care of his money and later invested it in a small livery business at 1375 Elk street, and continued at that location until he moved into stables which he had erected on the corner of Elk and Magnolia streets. The building is a convenient and commodious one, a three-story brick structure, with the first floor taken up with offices, harness room, rigs; the second floor with stabling, with a capacity of eighty-six head of horses. The raze of this modern and well appointed building is fifty-five by one hundred and twenty- five feet, and cost Mr. Larson eighteen thousand dollars. He has now a fine encampment, including sixty-six head of stock, and all kinds of carriages and hacks, and he also conducts a general transfer and hauling business. This he has acquired since August, 1896, when he owned but two head of horses and two single buggies. On October 1, 1892, Mr. Larson married Sophie Peterson, who was born in Sweden. And two children have been born to them : Ruth, aged seven years, and Elvin, aged three years. Mr.and Mrs. Larson belong to the Lutheran Church. In politics he is a Republican. He is an active member of these secret organizations: the Odd Fellows, the Maccabees, the Woodmen of Amerma, the Eagles, the Elks, Rebekah lodge of the order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias. Mr.Larson is one of the city's most progressive business men. He has built up his own business by energy and Industry, and is interested in all the movements looking to making Whatcom one of the great commercial centers of the western coast.

John J Larson

                                       JOHN LARSON IS SUDDENLY KILLED

While Turning Large Touring Car He Sends It Over Em-bankment On Lake Samish Road-G. C. Hyatt and Dr. D. F. Biggs, Are Uninjured.

                                                      LARSON HIT BY WHEEL

Apparently Not Seriously Injured, But Dies While On Way to Town In a Carriage.

John J. Larson, proprietor of the Larson Livery and Transfer company, received injuries from which he died a few hours later, shortly before 11 o'clock last night, when he attempted to turn his big automobile around on a narrow strip of road near Lake Samish.
The auto plunged over a forty-foot embankment, fatally injuring Mr. Larson, who was at the wheel, and the severely shaking up Glen C. Hyatt, vice president and general manager of the B. B. I. company, and Dr. D. E. Biggs, both of whom were in the tonneau at the time of the accident.
The accident occurred on the Lake Samish road, not far from the lake, at about 10:45 o'clock.
Mr. Hyatt sustained a severe nervous shock, but when seen in his room at an early hour this morning he stated that he was not injured in any way except for the shock naturally following such a harrowing experience, and that he would be confined to his room only for the day. Dr. Biggs escaped without injury, and was able to lend medical assistance to Mr. Larson, whom he at first thought would recover within a reasonably short time.
Mr. Larson died on the way to the hospital while seated in the buggy with the doctor, and he made no statement to any one of the party.
Mr. Larson was driving his own machine and had been running at a moderate rate of speed. When he came to the fork in the road, not far from the lake he decided to return to the city. He left the machine and carefully surveyed the ground in order to see if the turn could be made successfully.
As the machine was party turned in the road, the engine reversed and began to back and passed over the wall in a second's time.

"The brake refused to work," was Mr. Larson's only remark, when the men were able to extricate themselves from the wreckage.
Mr. Larson was partly successful in getting from under the steering wheel, but tinally succumbed to the great pain, and the men were forced to lift the heavy machine from his body. It is thought that the steering gear caused internal injuries, so that death was due to hemorrhages.
In giving a short description of the accident today, Mr. Hyatt said:
"It was done so quickly that one could not think to jump, and I thought we had not fallen more than ten feet.”
Examination afterward proved that the bank was all of forty feet high.

Mr. Larson was suffering and needed the doctor's care, so that it was left for me to get help as soon as possible.
"I was a long time finding a farmhouse at which to telephone to the city, and it was two hours before the driver from Mr. Larson's stable reached us. We came to the city as fast as possible, but were astonished when the doctor stated that Mr. Larson was dead. The body was brought on to the hospital and the doctor and I came home."

The uninjured men attribute their own escape from death to the fact that the car formed an arch above them, protecting them from the broken machinery.
The party left Mr. Hyatt's office a little before 9 o'clock in the evening, and the impromptu invitation to take a ride was given by Mr. Larson, who was passing the office just as his two friends came down the steps to the street.
As Mr. Hyatt stepped into the car he made a remark concerning the trip, adding:
"It is nice to have a driver that one can trust."
Mr. Hyatt stated that he reposed great faith in his friend's ability to handle the machine.
Both Mr. Hyatt and Dr. Biggs express surprise at the sudden demise of Mr. Larson, for although he seemed seriously hurt, he was rational and Insisted that he was not hurt badly.
After the first few minutes he could help himself a little in climbing the embankment,
and told the men repeatedly that he was not hurt as badly as they thought he was. ried on a general conversation until after they entered the buggy, but only made an occasional remark afterward.
William Galloway, who was acting as driver on the return trip, said this morning that he was only two miles from the main part of South Bellingham when the doetor announced the death.

No attention was pald to the wrecked machine by any of the party but it is thought to be nearly a total wreck. It was practically a new four-cylinder Cadillac.
The road on which the accident occurred is one noted for its grand scenery, but is considered a very poor thoroughfare for large muchines.

John J Larson has been a resident of this city for 18 years having come here from Norway in 1889. For the past 12 years, he has been proprietor of the Larson Livery and Transfer on the corner of Elk and Magnolia streets and has always been prominent in the fraternal affairs . His brother, William Larson, whose home is at 2407 Williams St. is the manager of the Livery. Mr. Larson was married in the city 15 years ago and now has three children, one daughter and two sons
Ruth aged nine years, Alvin aged seven years and Eduan aged three years. Mr. Larson‘s parents are both living and make their home in Bergen Norway. He is also survived by three brothers and three sisters. William Larson is the only member of the family who resides in this city. One brother, Lewis lives in Portland and the other, Nels is in Bergen Norway a sister is in Seattle, Mrs. Bell Olsen and another, Mrs. Annie Lee resides in Britt, Iowa and the third Mrs. Sarah Larkins lives in Chicago. Mr. Larson was born in Norway and 1863
For several years. Mr. Larson has taken an active part in secret orders and is a member of six local lodges, as follows: B.P.O.E. Bellingham Bay Lodge No. 5422; Bellingham Bay Lodge No. 31; Rebekahs Holly Lodge No. 153; Knights of Pytheas Whatcom Lodge No. 109; Modern Woodman of America, Whatcom Camp No. 5198; Fraternal Order of Eagles, Whatcom Aerie No. 131