Family History

Iver Asmund Stevenson, who was born on October 31, 1875, grew to be a handsome young man. He was a great outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing and trapping. Iver was known as a jovial person with a good sense of humor. He could throw his voice and once used this trick to make the meowing sound of a cat in church. He laughed to himself as people peered under the pews for the cat.

On April 25, 1898, the United States declared war on Spain and the Spanish-American War began. A second call for volunteers went out on May 25, 1898. At this time, the twenty-three year old Iver was living in Eagle Grove, Iowa, where he worked as a machinist. On June 22, 1898, Iver Osmund Stephenson enlisted in Company C of the 52nd Iowa Volunteer Infantry. At that time he was 6’4”, weighed 165 pounds, and had blue eyes and light hair. He was to be stationed at Camp Thomas, Georgia, but before he could leave he fell ill with acute diarrhea on July 9. After that he was in and out of the Red Cross Hospital at Camp McKinley in Des Moines, Iowa, with a variety of health problems. Finally on August 18 he ws diagnosed as having pulmonary tuberculosis. He was given a furlough from September 6 to October 30, but on October 30, 1898, he was discharged because of his poor health. His army career lasted only a little over four months.

 Iver suffered from the tuberculosis for another year and a half and passed away on March 22, 1900.