Representative John Olson Kasa View All Years

Memorial to the Honorable Johan Olson Kasa of Emmet County

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the late Honorable J. O. Kasa, begs leave to submit the following memorial:

J. O. Kasa, son of Ole Johanneson and Karen Kasa was born June 8, 1859, in Kongs Vinger Sogn, Norway.

At the age of ten years he came to America with his parents, landing from the Mississippi river at Red Wing, Minnesota. With a yoke of oxen and a covered wagon they came to Ottertail county, where his father took a homestead and organized the first Hauges Lutheran congregation in that county.

Here J. O. Kasa grew to manhood and graduated from the Red Wing Seminary July 17, 1887. This same year he married and as an ordained minister took charge of the Nathanael congregation at Wallingford, Iowa. He served other congregations also, at the same time farming near there.

After retiring from the farm he engaged in the hardware and implement business for several years and acted as postmaster at Wallingford for eighteen years.

He was also instrumental in organizing the Emmet County Mutual Insurance Company.

In 1894 he was elected Representative to the legislature for Emmet, Dickinson and Palo Alto counties and served in the Twenty-fourth General Assembly.

He passed away March 20, 1948, at the age of eighty-nine years, nine months and twelve days. He was survived by his widow and eight children, sixteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

He was a man of pleasing personality, took an active interest in all things that were for the betterment of his community and all Iowa.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Fifty-third General Assembly of Iowa: That in the passing of the Honorable J. O. Kasa, the state has lost an able and honored citizen and the House tenders, by this resolution, its sincere sympathy to the surviving members of his family in their sorrow.

Be It Further Resolved: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House, and that the Chief Clerk be instructed to send an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

GEORGE H. ROBB,

A. H. AVERY,

W. J. JOHANNES,

Committee.