Iver Anton Botten

  Research Notes:

1. posted on Ancestry.com Public Member Tree - Hawkins-Hansen

by John Hawkins
Grandson of Iver and Clara Botten
Iver and Peder Botten were twins who arrived in Washington State from Norway in late 19th Century. They worked in the forests. Later they bought a general store. They married sisters, Clara and Anne Marie Prestlien. Peder and Anne Marie returned to Norway. Iver stayed in the U.S.A., and he and Clara raised nine children in Silvana, Washington.


2. "University of Washington" Digital Collection: Iver Botten Photographs of Silvana, Washington. PH Coll 1332. https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/wastate/id/865/rec/27

Biographical Note

Iver Botten was born in Norway on September 13, 1872. He was the fourth of eight children born to Einer and Marie Botten. Iver immigrated to the United States in 1892 with his twin brother Peder. Iver and Peder first settled in Stanwood, Washington, where they worked cutting lumber shingle bolts during the winter months. With the income he earned from his lumber job, Iver spent his summers attending classes at a Seattle business college. Upon graduating from the business college in 1897, Iver moved to Florence, Washington and opened a general store with Peder. A year and a half later, the twins bought out the Haugen & Company general store in Silvana, Washington and relocated there.

In 1899, Iver served as treasurer and Peder as president of the Salem Lutheran Church ('Little White Church on the Hill') in Silvana, Washington. Clara Prestlien, and her younger sister, Marie were also on the church's
program committee roster dated May 5, 1899. Iver and Clara were married on June 14, 1899 at the Salem Lutheran Church. Shorty after, Peder and Marie were married March 18, 1900 in the same church. Iver and Clara had four children: Sylvia, Einar, Carl, and Esther.

Clara Botten died September 29, 1945 and is buried at Valley View Cemetery in Stanwood, Washington. Iver Botten died on November 8, 1962 (aged 90) in Stanwood, Washington.
Peder Botten died January 27, 1940 and is buried in Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham, Washington ***

*** this Peder Botten is NOT the brother to Iver Anton Botten who was Peder Jonas Botten - Peder J Botten died in Norway.
The Peder Botten mentioned in the last sentence and died in 1940 is likely Peder A Botten [see findagrave id
7299334, and death notices: Bellingham Herald, issue 30 Jan 1940
[ https://www.newspapers.com/image/768854681/?terms=%20Botten&match=1 ]

Iver married Clara Prestlien, daughter of Nils Mikkelsen Prestlien and Sara Troen Torgerson, on 14 Jun 1899 in Silvana, Snohomish Co, Washington, United States.⁵¹⁷⁷ (Clara Prestlien was born on 20 Jun 1879 in Tordenskjold Twp, Otter Tail Co, Minnesota, United States,⁵¹⁷⁷ died on 29 Sep 1945 in Silvana, Snohomish Co, Washington, United States ⁵¹⁷⁷ and was buried in Valley View Cemetery, Stanwood, Snohomish Co, Washington, United States ⁵¹⁸⁸.)