Hooverson Bear Chair

By RuthAnn Wilson

This “Bear Chair” has been traveling
for at least 157 years.  

The story begins with Hoover Hooverson (1844-1905), who was born in Norway in 1844. When he emigrated from Norway to Crawford County in 1854 at the age of 20, he carefully brought his treasured hand-carved oak “Bear Chair” with him. A few years later he joined the Wisconsin Volunteer Regiment and fought in the Civil War. Several years after the war ended, in 1868, he married his wife Bertha (1842-1915). They had eight children together, including a daughter Christine and a son Peter.  

When their daughter Christine married Charles Hawkins, they were given the beloved hand-carved oak Bear Chair as a wedding gift. But as it turned out, they had no children of their own.

Christine’s brother Peter Hooverson (1879-1956) married Amanda Golberg (1880-1956). One of Peter and Amanda’s children was Bertha Hooverson. When Bertha was born in 1904, she was given the name Bertha in memory of her grandmother Bertha. They lived in Avalanche and Viroqua when growing up.  Some years later, this Bertha married Tom Navrestad, who was born in Norway in 1894 and who arrived in Westby in 1911. They were the parents of George, Tennes, and Marilyn (Navrestad) Jensen.    

Back detail

Another of Peter and Amanda’s children was Charles Hooverson. Christine and Charles Hawkins had no children, so Christine’s nephew Charles Hooverson was eventually given the Bear Chair when he married Caroline Binder (Feb 13, 1920 – Oct 1, 2010) in 1945. Charles and Caroline Hooverson lived in Chicago, and celebrated many years together. Over the years, many people admired the Bear Chair and heard the story of its travels. Perhaps inspired by their dear Bear Chair, Caroline and Charles also enjoyed many travels together.   

Some years after Charles’ death, Caroline’s memorial service was held August 11, 2011 at Westby Coon Prairie Church, with Rev. Julie Wollman Officiating.  Both Charles and Caroline Hooverson are buried at Coon Prairie Cemetery. Their daughter Gail Hooverson Bieber, George Navrestad’s first cousin, received the chair after her parents died. Following their wishes, Gail brought the chair from Sterling, Colorado to Westby and donated it to the Westby Area Historical Society on August 17, 2011.   

And so the Bear Chair has been on an extensive journey, traveling from Norway in 1854 to Wisconsin, then to Chicago, to Detroit, to Phoenix, Arizona, then to Sterling, Colorado, and now finally, after 157 years, to Westby, where it has found a home where it can be admired by present and future generations for many years to come.