URNESS, Ole Johnson

WI 15th Inf Co B. Residence: Black Earth, Vermont Township, Dane County, Wisconsin. Born 23 Aug 1840 in Sogn, Norway. Came to the US in 1861. Civil War: Age 22. Farmer. Unmarried. Enlisted for three years on 5 Jan 1864 at Madison, Wisconsin, and mustered there on 28 Jan 1864. Private. Recruit. Joined Company B at Strawberry Plains, as a Corporal. Sick 22 May 1864. Promoted to Sergeant. Transferred to Company H at Lookout Creek on 1 Dec 1864. Assigned temporarily to the 24th Infantry. Transferred to 13th Infantry, Company I, on 10 Jun 1865. Mustered out at New Orleans, Louisiana, on 30 Jun 1865, due dysentery. Post war: Took a homestead near Brandon in Douglas County, Minnesota. He married Bathilda Thice, who was born 23 Jul 1859. They were farmers. In 1883, he joined 14 other veterans in organizing the John L. Reynolds GAR post in Douglas County. Ole served as sheriff of Douglas County from 1887 to 1888. The 1890 Veterans and Widows Census lists him living in Urness township, Douglas County, Minnesota. He died 15 Dec 1899. Sources: (WHS Series 1200 box 76-13; red book vol 20 p36) (Buslett) (Ager p274, photo; p297, e210) (Ulvestad p266) (Gjertveit) (DCHS 1890 Veteran Census card file) (Obituary note, Alexandria Citizen, 21 Dec 1899) (“Urness Clan”, by Eunice Urness Sondrol, Buxton ND) “Unis, Ole”