August E Goplin (1857 - 1948)

Born 1 Aug 1857 in Lillehammer, Gulbrandsdalen, Norway

Ancestors

Husband of Beatha (Steig) Goplin — married 15 Dec 1888 in Jackson, WI

Descendants

Died 17 Jun 1948 at age 90 in Hale, WI

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Biography

August E. Goplin came to Trempealeau County as a boy, and has resided on his present farm located in sections 16 and 17, township 23, range 7 (Hale), since 1889. It now contains 440 acres of good, fertile land and is one of the best in the vicinity, his buildings being his especial pride. The pleasant home was built in 1897. It is a frame structure, two stories high, with 12 rooms and a full basement, supplied with running water, hot water heat, acetylene lights and other conveniences. The barn was built in 1916. It is 48 by 80 by 14 feet, with a stone basement, and an addition 22 by 36 by 12, for horses. The floors are of cement, the stalls are equipped with steel stalls and stanchions, the interior is lighted with acetylene, and there are pens for the young calves, and a special hospital pen. Among the other buildings may be mentioned a barn for young stock, 26 by 66 by 20 feet. Mr. Goplin carries on general farming and makes a specialty of raising Durham cattle, at which he has been very successful. While busy with his farm duties, Mr. Goplin has found time to take an interest in public affairs, and has done excellent service on the school board for two years. He was married Dec. 15, 1888, to Beatha Steig, who was born Dec. 24, 1868, in section 23, range 7, township 23 (Hale), laughter of Christian and Ingeborg (Anderson) Steig, and this union has been blessed with six children: Edward, Inga, Emma, Charles, Mildred and Ernest. Edward was born Jan. 6, 1890, and was married sept. 2, 1916, to Ella Eid, daughter of Gilbert Eid, of Pigeon Township. He works with his father on the farm. Inga was born March 23, 1892, and is a stenographer. Emma was born June 21, 1895; Charles, Nov. 19, 1898; Mildred, Dec. 3, 1804, and Ernest, May 23, 1907. All living at home. Mr. Goplin is a native of Norway, where he was born Aug. 1, 1857, son of Eric O. and Eli (Roen) Goplin. The father, Eric O., was born in Norway, Aug. 14, 1805, came to America in 1867, lived in Rock County a while, and in 1869 came to Trempealeau County and took a homestead in section 14, range7, township 23 (Hale), where he labored until his death in 1883. The mother was born in Norway, Sept. 30, 1827, came to America with her husband, and died May 14, 1914. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America.

-Transcribed from the "History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917," pages 652 - 653

AUGUST E. GOPLIN (LILLEHAMMER)

August E. Goplin was born in Lillehammer, Gulbrandsdalen, Norway, August 1, 1857, son of Eric and Eli (Roen) Goplin and passed away Thursday, June 17, 1948, at his home in the town of Hale. Short funeral services were held at the home at 1:30 and at the Synod Lutheran church at Pigeon Falls at 2 o’clock Monday, June 21, and interment was in their cemetery lot of the United Lutheran church at Pigeon Falls, where his remains rest beside those of his wife, Beatha, who preceded him in death on July 23, 1930. August Goplin came to America with his parents and three brothers, Olaus, Julius and Simon and two sisters, Maria and Elise in 1867, settling first near Janesville, Wisconsin. In 1869 they moved to their homestead, now the Ludwig Goplin farm in the town of Hale, where August grew to manhood. He was baptized into the Lutheran faith in Norway and confirmed in the Synod Lutheran church of Pigeon Falls by the Rev. S.L. O. Shewen and later became a member of the United Lutheran church of that place. On December 15, 1888, he was united in marriage to Beatha Steig and to this union were born six children, three sons, Edward, Charles and Ernest and three daughters, Inga, Mrs. Theodore B. Olson; Emma, Mrs. Adolph Anderson; and Mildred. Funeral services were in charge of Director E.A. Sletteland and the Rev. C.K. Malmin officiated and paid tribute to the departed for his sterling qualities as a builder of a home and true and faithful Christian. The song service consisted of a hymn by the audience, a hymn “God Understands” by Mrs. Willie Johnson, a great-niece and another by the Rev. and Mrs. C.K. Malmin, “Jeg Ved Mig En Sovn I Jesu navn.” Pallbearers were the three sons Edward, Charles and Ernest, two sons-in-law, Theodore B. Olson, Adolph Anderson; and a nephew, Ludvig Goplin. Flower girls were three granddaughters, Beatrice, Celina, Elaine and one great-niece, Corrine Goplin. Mr. Goplin is survived by the three sons and three daughters, Edward, Charles, Ernest, Inga, Emma and Mildred; five grandchildren, Edgar and Mrs. Thomas (nee Esther) Baken, son and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Goplin; Beatrice and Celina, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Goplin; Elaine, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Goplin; and one great-grandson, Thomas Edward Baken,; by one sister, Mrs. Marie Myhren, now 94 years old, of Spokane, Washington, and by many relatives and a host of friends. Floral gifts were many and memorials of $193 were gifts of relatives and friends. I cannot close the door of the past without a few words of tribute to the departed. Like most pioneer children of that day, August Goplin had to forego many of the opportunities for schooling in the English language, but what he lacked in this he made up by a determination that it should not be a handicap in his life and he made best use of his talents in self study and became very efficient in the important branches of study such as reading, writing and arithmetic. In the Norwegian he was very proficient. But it takes more than efficiency in those lines to build a home for the future, and with a desire to accomplish the same he put his energy, industry and thrift to work, so that when he married, he had a creditable amount of funds saved up to purchased the nucleus of the farm home we now know as one of the finest and best equipped in this section. Good management and hard work has brought to fruition his desire that he would leave a nice inheritance of tangible goods to his children. However, those are not the greatest assets of which his children share, but the manly character, industry, thrift and management were qualities for his children to emulate and to his credit as well as that of his wife, it can be said they reared a fine a family as one can find anywhere. But it was not the material things of life that meant the most to him. It was the spiritual welfare of his family and by his example, he has left to them their greatest heritage. He was a true Christian, gave liberally toward the support and the furtherance of God’s Kingdom on earth. He was a child of God. He was a kind and sympathetic friend and neighbor and his home radiated an atmosphere of welcome in his sunset of life, he could truly look back upon a life well spent and he was prepared to pass on to his eternal home in the heavens. His earthly career is ended but the memory of him will linger on and his children will carry on as faithfully as he wished them to do. God bless his memory. Written by G.M. Steig. THE WHITEHALL TIMES - JULY 1, 1948

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