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Note: History of Black Earth, Wisconsin - ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/wi/dane/history/1877/madisond/blac kear 5ms.txt
By 1863 John was a landowner in Wisconsin. On June 27, 1863 he received the deed for 80 acres of land in section 1, Vermont township, for the consideration of $350.
Civil War Pension for: John H. Barsness Images Online #: 3146 (ancestry.com) State Filed: Wisconsin Widow: Sarah Barsness
Enlistment of: John H Barsness Residence: Vermont, Wisconsin Occupation: Enlist Date: 19 September 1864 State: Wisconsin
John and Siri Barsness built a home in Black Earth and moved there in 1902, after Herman and Otelia took over the home farm in Vermont. Sal Urness lived with them while she attended high school in Black Earth. She tells that John had an aristocratic attitude, but Siri was full of fun and told her stories. Siri made toast for Sal by holding bread over the hot coals in the heating stove. She also ground peanuts for Sal's sandwiches. When Sal's father asked Siri what he should pay her for Sal's room and board, Siri asked for the money to buy a pair of eye glasses. John Barsness died in Lodi, Wisconsin while visiting his daughter, Nelsina.
OBIT - (as it appeared in the Lodi newspaper) Death Called Him While Visiting His Daughter J. H. Barsness of Black Earth who, with his wife, was visiting their daughter at the Methodist parsonage, was taken suddenly ill during the night last week Thursday and passed away the following evening. Heart failure was given as the cause of death. With him when he died were Mrs. Carver and her mother, Rev. Carver and Mr. and Mrs. Nels Barsness. The remains were taken Saturday to the home of the deceased at Black Earth where the funeral was held from the Lutheran church Tuesday morning at 11 o'clock. John H. Barsness was born in Sogn, Norway, April 14, 1836, and died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. G. R. Carver at Lodi, Wisconsin at 8:30 p.m., May 23, 1913, at the age of 77 years, one month and nine days. He had been in poor health for several weeks but was able to be around as usual until the day of his death. Six days before his death he and his wife had come to Lodi to visit their daughter, Mrs. G. R. Carver, and her husband. He retired Thursday night, expecting to return to his home at Black Earth the next morning but was taken seriously ill in the early morning and passed away the same evening. When he was seventeen years of age (should be 19 years) he left Norway and came to this country and resided in Vermont, Dane Co., Wisconsin, until about twelve years ago, when he moved to the village of Black Earth, where he resided until the time of his death. During the Civil War he answered his country's call and enlisted as a private in Company G 16th Wisconsin regiment of Wisconsin Infantry of the Grand Army of the Republic. He was united in marriage to Sarah Nelson June 15, 1866, in the town of Vermont, Wisconsin. To this union twelve children were born. One son, Nels, departed this life 18 years ago and one daughter, Hannah, died ten years ago. The deceased was a kind and devoted husband, a loving father, a good neighbor and citizen. The cause of civic righteousness found in him a loyal supporter. In early life he united with the Norwegian Lutheran Church and remained a faithful member of the same until the time when his Master, whom he had learned to love and serve, called him to be with Him. He leaves to mourn his departure his bereaved wife, four daughters - Mrs. Hans Urness (Christina) of Vermont, Wisconsin, Mrs. Ralph Sutcliffe (Selina) of Vermillion, South Dakota, Mrs. G. R. Carver (Nelsina) of Lodi and Ada at home, and six sons - Peter S. of Madison, Herman J. of Vermont, Edward S. at home, Joseph of Vermont, Melvin H. of Superior, Gerhard N. at home and fifteen grandchildren and other relatives and many friends.
John H. Barsness John H. Barsness, retired, of the village of Black Earth, was born at Barsness, Saagen, Norway, on April 4, 1836. His parents were Herman Johnson and Christina (Peters) Barsness, natives of Norway, where the father was born in 1807 and the mother in 1800. The father was a brewer by trade. In 1856 he started for America with his family. The trip was made in a sailing vessel and it was more than five weeks before he arrived in Quebec, Canada. From Quebec he traveled to Milwaukee, thence to Black Earth where he purchased eighty acres of wild land. After some years spent improving and clearing the place the father pulled up stakes and went to Polk Co., Minn. The mother died November 30, 1881, and the father followed on April 14, 1887. There were five children in the family, of whom John H., the subject of this sketch, was the oldest; Peter (died in 1866); Inger, Martha and Inga. The family were all members of the Lutheran church. John H. Barsness attended the public schools of Norway and the district schools of this Co.. In 1858 he started out on life's journey. He hired out to the farmers of the vicinity for a few years and in September, 1864, enlisted in Company G, Sixteenth Wisconsin Infantry. The regiment saw service with the Army of the West and later was with Sherman on his march to the sea. Mr. Barsness was taken sick and was invalided for some time. He received an honorable discharge from the army at Washington, D. C. in 1865, and returned to Wisconsin. Two miles south of Black Earth village in the town of Vermont was a place of one hundred and ten acres with a small clearing and a log house, which Mr. Barsness purchased and upon which he settled. This farm furnished him a means of livelihood until 1898, when he retired and went to Black Earth village to live. Politically he is a Republican. He has held the office of school director and been honored with other minor offices. He is a member of and an active worker in the Norwegian Lutheran church of Black Earth. On June 15, 1866, Mr. Barsness married Sarah, daughter of Ingabrecht and Sarah (Severson) Nelson of Norway, and on June 15, 1906, they celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson lived and died in the old country, where the father was a farmer. Four of the children came to this country when Mrs. Barsness was twelve years old, settling in Black Earth. Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Barsness.--Christina, March 23, 1867; Nels, August 31, 1869, died February 11, 1884; Hannah Sophie, born September 27, 1871, died November 18, 1902; Peter, a practicing dentist at Middleton, born December 8, 1873; Hermand, working the homestead farm, born April 9, 1876; Edwin Samuel, June 20, 1878; Selina, September 7, 1887; Joseph, September 27, 1882; Nelsina, August 21, 1884; Ida Amelia in 1887; Melvin, July 29, 1889; and Nels Gerhard, July 27, 1892. Upon moving to Black Earth Mr. Barsness built himself a fine residence, which is today one of the most beautiful homes in the community.
Title: History of Dane Co., Wisconsin, page(s) 62-63 Source Type: Biographical Sketch Portrait _______________________________________
Source: vesterheim.org BARSNESS, John H. WI 16th Inf. Residence: Vermont township, Dane Co., Wisconsin. Born in Norway. Civil War: Farmer. Age 26. Blue eyes, brown hair, fair complexion, 5'51/4". Drafted. Enrolled for one year on 19 Sep 1864 at Janesville, Wisconsin, and mustered there the same day. Private. Assigned to this company on 8 Nov 1864. Was on the march through Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and Washington, DC. Discharged from the service 6 Jun 1865 at Washington, DC. Sources: (SHSW Series 1200 box 80-18; red book vol 21 p150) "Barnist, John"
Source: Verna Gasdorf He was in the fields plowing when he was ordered to report for duty. Rather than be drafted he decided to enlist.
Source: Book: Vermont History, Biographical Sketches, Then and Now, published August 1977, compiled by Vermont, Wisconsin residents "Nobody from the Vermont area was in the 16th Regiment until September 19, 1864, when six Vermonters signed up together: Jacob Ottesen, Gilbert Ede, Andrew Albertson, Erik Soley, John Barsness and John H. Urness. The war was almost over, but General William T. Sherman was organizing for his "March to the Sea." The six men had a quick training period at Camp Randall in Madison and soon joined Sherman's Army at Atlanta, Georgia. From there, they headed for the Atlantic Ocean and spent Christmas 1864 in Savannah. In January they headed north through the Carolinas and were involved in the battles of Pocotaligo, Whippy Swamp, Orangeburg, Chersaw and Bentonville. At Bentonville the 16th suffered the embarassment of being defeated in the last Confederate victory of the war. However, none of the boys from Vermont were killed."
Note: Almost none of the troops in the Scandinavian Regiment could speak English fluently because they were new to the U.S.A. and lived in rural areas where they spoke Norwegian, their native country's language.
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