Trails-to-the-Past-Minnesota-Jackson-biographies

The Date in the ( ) is the date that the person became a resident of Jackson County

JOHN G. O’DONNELL (1892), a citizen and businessman of Jackson, was born in the town of New Diggings, Lafayette county, Wisconsin, April 7, 1870, the son of John and Mary (Rooney) O’Donnell. He received a common school education at New Diggings and resided with his parents until twenty-one years of age.

In 1891 Mr. O’Donnell went to Havelock, Pocahontas county, Iowa, remained there during the following winter and in April, 1892, located in Jackson, Minnesota, where, with the exception of one year spent in Austin, Minnesota, he has ever since resided. Mr. O’Donnell was married October 28, 1894, to Miss Reka Hagerman. To them have been born two children: Blanche and Edward. The family are members of the Catholic church.

LENICK OLSEN (1888) is one of the extensive anil successful farmers of Wisconsin township, residing a short distance southeast of Jackson. He farms 480 acres of land on sections 32 and 33. Our subject was born in Norway October 17, 1859, the son of Ole Larson and Martha (Peterson) Larson, both of whom are past ninety years of age and living in their native country. They are the parents of three children, Lenick, of this sketch: Peter, of Norway; Mrs. Anton Olson, of Norway.

Until he was twenty-seven years of age Lenick resided with his parents, securing an education and assisting with the farm work. At that age be married and for a year or two worked out. He came to America and to Jackson county in 1888, arriving in Lakefield on the first day of October of that year. He worked out two years, then rented land and farmed for himself two years. He then became a land owner, buying an eighty acre tract in Heron Lake township, which he conducted six years. He sold his land, rented a few years, and then sold all his possessions with the determination of making his home in the west. Not being satisfied with the western country, Mr. Olsen returned and for four years engaged in farming in Heron Lake township. In 1905 he rented the H. G. Anderson farm in Wisconsin township, and that has since been his home.

Lenick Olsen was married in Norway to Anna Paulina Hendrickson, a daughter of Henry Peterson, Six children have been born to these parents, as follows: Matilda, born January 19, 1887; Henry, born August 2, 1888; Anton, born January 21, 1890, died March 3, 1906: Linda, born September 16, 1891; Alfred, born January 19, 1895; Palmer, born August 14, 1897, The family are members of the Lutheran church of Jackson.

TARJE K. OLSEN (1873). Among the pioneer settlers of Alba township is the gentleman whose named heads this sketch, he having resided on his present farm for the past thirty-seven years. He owns 480 acres of land and is in prosperous circumstances.

Mr. Olsen was born in Brigham township, Iowa county, Wisconsin, April 14, 1853. Until May 26, 1873, he lived with his parents and worked on the farm in his native county. On the date last mentioned he came to Jackson county in company with his brother-in-law, E. O. Woien. and his sister, Kisten Woien. Upon his arrival he bought the homestead right to the southeast quarter of section 30, Alba township, from Israel Smith, took up his residence on the place, and in time secured title to the land. At the time of taking possession the only improvements was a 12x12 feet shack. This he rebuilt and lived in until 1882; then he replaced it with a part of his present house, completing the building in 1900. Within a very few days after his arrival came the first grasshopper visitation. Mr. Olsen did not raise anything that year or for several years afterward, and he was obliged to support himself by working at odd jobs, on the railroad section, and threshing in Martin county. After the hopper days Mr. Olsen came upon prosperous times. He added to his holdings from time to time by purchase until he now owns 480 acres of land. Of this he farms 320 acres, renting out the rest. Besides his general farming he engages in the raising of high grade cattle and feeds many head of hogs annually for market.

He is the manager and secretary of the Farmers Creamery company of Brewster and is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator company of the same village. Mr. Olsen has held a number of local offices during his long residence in Alba township. He was township clerk ten years and has served on the township board. He has held the office of treasurer of school district No. 34 since 1881. He has also served as assessor and road overseer.

The parents of our subject were Knute and Mary (Ness) Olsen. They were born and married in Norway, coming to the United States in 1850, shortly after their marriage, and located in Brigham township, Iowa county, Wisconsin, where they lived until their deaths in recent years. They lived a married life of over sixty years. Mr. Olsen died in 1901 at the age of 85 years; his wife died November 4, 1907, aged 85 years. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom are living: T. K., Carl, Alec and Adaline.

T. K. Olsen was married in Worthington, Nobles county, May 30, 1879, to Tena Rindy, who was born in Norway November 1, 1860, and came to America in 1868. She is the daughter of John and Susan Rindy. To Mr. and Mrs. Olsen have been born twelve children, of whom the following named eleven are living: John B., born February 25, 1880; Josephine S., born April 29, 1881; Clark M., born October 5, 1882; Cora M., born June 29, 1884; Orville K., born September 24, 1886; Ethel N., born February 8, 1888; Clayton O., born August 18, 1893; Tillie T., born May 26, 1894; Knute E., born August 28, 1896; Hazel M., born June 16, 1900; Paul C, born July 8, 1903. One daughter, Martha M., died in infancy. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Brewster.

THOMAS OLSEN. (1889) is a Hunter township farmer who resides on the northwest quarter of section thirty-one. He was born in Norway on August 7, 1860, and there resided on a farm with his parents until sixteen years of age. He then became a sailor and followed a seafaring life until 1882. In that year he emigrated to the United States and first located in Kendall county, Illinois, where he worked on farms for a period of two years. He then moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he made his home until 1889. Then he moved to Jackson county, and took up his residence on section one, in Sioux Valley township, residing on a farm there five years. He then made a trip to his old home in Norway, and returning to Jackson county the next year, he located on his present place in Hunter township, where he has since resided.

Mr. Olsen is the son of Ole and Martha Torresen, both of whom are natives of Norway, where the former now lives, the mother having died about fifteen years ago. They have five children living.

Thomas Olsen was married in June, 1895, to Magdalina Aslaksen, who is also a native of Norway. They are the parents of five children, as follows; Martin, born January 28, 1890; Olga, born April 22, 1898; Thelma, born December 30, 1902; Ardette, born April 3, 1905; Hilda, born July 15, 1906. Mr. Olsen has served as director two terms in school district No. 113. He is a stockholder in the Rost creamery and the Lakefield grain elevator. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

ANDREW C. OLSON (1868) is county commissioner of Jackson county and one of the most successful farmers of Christiania township. He is one of the oldest settlers of the precinct and has resided there since he was two years of age. He owns and farms 240 acres of land on sections 8 and 9 and has other business interests.

Mr. Olson was born in Winneshiek county, Iowa, March 30, 1866, the son of Carl Olson, who died December 21, 1881, and Ingeborg (Simonson) Olson. His parents came to the new world from Norway in 1858 and located in Iowa, from which state his father enlisted and fought with the union forces during the civil war. He was with General Sherman on his famous march to the sea and was wounded in the service. Andrew accompanied his parents to Jackson county in 1868 at the age of two years, and his home has ever since been in Christiania township. His father homesteaded land on the south bank of Fish lake, and there our subject lived until he was twenty-two years of age, securing an education and working on the farm.

At the age of twenty-two Mr. Olson was married and began farming on his own account, locating on a farm on the west side of Fish lake. In 1890 he bought the farm he now owns and in 1897 he moved onto the place. He has a fine home and a well improved farm, he has large interests in the creamery company of Bergen and the Farmers Elevator company of Windom and other cooperative concerns. He is a director of the Farmers State Bank of Windom. During his long residence in the county Mr. Olson has many times been called upon to serve in an official capacity. He is at present a member of the board of county commissioners, was chairman of the Christiania township hoard twelve years, clerk of his school district twenty-two years, and township assessor five years.

Mr. Olson was united in marriage to Carolina Anton, of Christiania township, December 13, 1888. To this union have been born eleven children, as follows: Ella C, born October 21, 1889; Eva M., born January 10, 1891; Clinton O., born May 15, 1892, died July 19, 1893; Bert M., born December 23, 1893; Cyril, born October 3, 1895; Irvin, born August 7, 1897, died September 5, 1897; Morris, born August 7, 1897, died September 3, 1907; Marion, born February 21, 1901; Kermit, born December 29, 1903; Grace, born November 18, 1905; Alvin C, born May 20, 1900. The family are members of the Lutheran church and Mr. Olson is a member of the Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen lodges of Windom.

EDWARD E. OLSON (1869), a Jackson grain buyer, was born in Belmont township forty years ago, on December 6, 1869, and with the exception of a few years spent in Cottonwood county has spent his entire life in the county. His father, Ole E. Olson, came from Sweden when thirteen years old, and at the age of nineteen enlisted in the United States army and fought for the preservation of the union. He located in Belmont township in the sixties and took as a homestead a piece of land that had been taken by one of the settlers who was killed in the massacre of 1862. He was a resident of Belmont township until his death. Our subject’s mother was Christina (Anderson) Olson, who was present at the time of the massacre.

Edward Olson, who was one of a family of eight children, lived with his parents until 1890. He worked on the farm and received an education in the district school and in the Breck school at Wilder. He bought a farm in Cottonwood county in 1890 and for eight years lived there, engaged in farming. Selling out in 1898, he located in Jackson and built an elevator in partnership with Lee Brothers, which they conducted three years. Thereafter Mr. Olson bought grain for the Hyde Elevator company five years, for James Lowe one year and since that time for M. H. Lee. Mr. Olson owns a home in the village. He is a member of the Lutheran church.

In Des Moines township March 20, 1897, Mr. Olson was married to Emma J. Lee, a daughter of Oliver Lee and a native of the township in which she was married. Two children, Hayes and Clark, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Olson.

JOHN M. OLSON (1872), ex-county commissioner and a prominent farmer of Belmont township, is a native of Norway and was born October 12, 1845, one of a family of six sons born to Ole H. Mosand and Kari (Storbudalh) Mosand, both deceased.

Our subject resided with his parents in Norway until he was twenty-two years of age, and during this time he received his education and worked in his father’s tannery. He came to America in 1867 and first located in Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he spent the summer. During the next five years Mr. Olson worked in the pineries of Wisconsin and on railroads and farms in different parts of Iowa.

He arrived in Jackson county in 1872 and homesteaded the southeast, quarter of section 10, Belmont township, upon which he has ever since lived. A number of years later he bought the south half of the southwest quarter of section 10, he now has a farm of 240 acres. Mr. Olson has taken a prominent part in the affairs of the county. He served as county commissioner from the fifth district from 1899 to 1906, inclusive, during which time two of the hotly contested battles for the possession of the county seat were waged. During his incumbency the contract for the present handsome courthouse was let. He is clerk of the township board, an office he has held for many years, and for several years he was clerk of school district No. 39. Mr. Olson is a lifelong republican, having cast his first vote for U. S. Grant for president.

The marriage of Mr. Olson occurred in Allamakee county, Iowa, September 10, 1872, when he wedded Mary Anderson, a native of Norway. They are the parents of eight living children, named as follows: Cora (Mrs. N. H. Strand), Obert, Christie (Mrs. John L. Strom), Peter, Julia, Ida, James and Mabel. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Christiania township.

OLE J. OLSON (1862). There are few residents of Jackson county who have a period of continuous residence of greater length than Ole J. Olson, of this sketch, who owns a farm on sections 34 and 35, Belmont township.

He is the son of John Olson and Anna (Ellingson) Olson, whose arrival in the county and adventures in this frontier region have been told in the historical part of this volume. John and Anna Olson were born in Tolen, Norway, and soon after their marriage in 1851 they came to America. They resided in Rock county Wisconsin, several years, and came to Jackson county in 1862 where they took a homestead—the land upon which the son now resides. John Olson died in 1879. His wife, who is now 84 years of age, resides with her son on the old homestead. They were the parents of seven children, five of whom are now living, as follows: Christie, Anna, Lena (Mrs. P. H. Berge), of Jackson; Ole J., Peter J., Petria (Mrs. Louis Ellingson), of Polk county Wisconsin; Mrs. Ingebor Hoaas, deceased; Peter, deceased.

Ole J. Olson was born to these parents in Rock county, Wisconsin, December 17, 1858, and in 1862 he was brought to Jackson county. The head of the family homesteaded the south half of the southeast quarter of section 34, land which had included part of the old Belmont townsite, and on that place Ole J. Olson has ever since resided, excepting one year. For many years the family home was in a log cabin which had been erected by the townsite boomers. Soon after their arrival to the frontier country came the terrible Sioux war and the Belmont massacre. The family were on the west side of the river on that memorable Sunday and escaped the slaughter that took many of their neighbors. One of Ole’s uncles was killed and a cousin was badly wounded and left for dead.

After the massacre the family fled south and for a year lived at Spirit Lake. Then they returned to Belmont. Ole was a member of the party which met disaster in a prairie fire on the return while near the present village of Jackson, a detailed account of which is to be found in the historical section of this volume. He continued to make his home with his parents and as a child and young man encountered many hardships and adventures incident to the settlement of a new country. After his father’s death in 1879 Mr. Olson conducted the farm a few years for his mother and then bought the place and has since operated it on his own account. Mr. Olson has never married. He makes his home with his mother and a sister. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

OLE R. OLSON (1880), Christiania township farmer, is a native of that precinct, having been born April 26, 1880, the son of Ryar and Gertie Olson, His parents came from Norway and to Jackson county in an early day and homesteaded land on section 12, Christiania township. They are still residents of the county.

Our subject has spent his entire life in Christiania township. He received a common school education and until he grew up worked for his father. Then he engaged in farming for himself. He farms 200 acres of land, the home place being the northeast quarter of section 22, Besides his farming operations he has conducted a threshing machine for the last fourteen years. Mr. Olson was married March 12, 1903, to May Hjony, of Des Moines township, Mr. Olson is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and of the Sons of Norway lodge.

PETER A. OLSON (1866), Belmont Township farmer, has spent the entire forty-three years of his life on the farm upon which he now lives, having been born in the old fort located on the farm, which was built by the early settlers as a protection against the hostile Indians.

Peter Olson’s parents were Anders Olson Slaabaken and Patnella (Peterson) Olson Slaabaken. The former piloted the first Norwegian families to Jackson county and for many years was the most influential man in the Norwegian settlement—a man who had the respect and confidence of all his neighbors. Much of his life’s history is to be found in the chapters in the first part of this volume. He and his wife were both born in Norway and came to the United States when young. They resided several years in Wisconsin, a short time in Winneshiek county, Iowa, and came to Jackson county to reside permanently in 1860 with the vanguard of the Norwegian settlers. Anders Olson Slaabaken, also known by the name of Anders Belmont, homesteaded the north half of the southeast quarter of section 34, Belmont—part of the site of the old town of Belmont—and upon that farm he lived until his death in 1893. He was a veteran of the civil war, enlisting from Jackson county, and was with the army at the time of the Belmont massacre. His wife also died in 1895. They were the parents of three children, of whom only our subject is living.

Peter A. Olson was born May 23, 1866. He helped his father work the home farm until the latter’s death. Then he bought the place and has since been engaged in farming it. In addition to the home farm he now owns eighty acres on section 27, Belmont, and eighty acres in Enterprise. He engages extensively in general farming, raises Holstein cattle and feeds hogs for the market. He served several years as treasurer of school district No. 5. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

Mr. Olson was married in Belmont township June 4, 1897, to Lena Ree, a native of Norway and a daughter of Hans J. Ree, a Belmont settler of 1870. Three children have been born to this union, namely: Albert, Harry and Alma.

PETER T. OLSON (1870) has lived in Belmont township since he was six years of age. He owns and farms 200 acres of land on section 13 and engages quite extensively in stock raising. He is the son of Thore 0. Flatgard and Ingebor (Waldon) Flatgard both past seventy years of age and residents of Belmont. They came from Norway in 1870 and less than a year later to Jackson county, where they homesteaded land on section 14, Belmont. They have nine children, as follows: Ole Peter, Mary (Mrs. J. F. Ellefson), Andrew, Edward, John, Julius, Ida and Lena (Mrs. Ole Eide) of Jackson.

Peter T. Olson was born in Norway November 21, 1864. At the age of five years he came to America with his parents, lived one year in Fillmore county, and then located in Jackson county. Until 1892 Peter resided on his father’s homestead, attending school and helping work his father’s farm. In the year last named he bought forty acres of his present farm on section 13 and began to improve it. lie was married the next year and moved onto his own farm. Later he bought the other property adjoining. He is treasurer of school district No, 39 and has held the office for eight years. For a period of eleven years he has been a member of the board of township supervisors. Ho is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

In the Christiania church on July 8, 1893, Mr. Olson was married to Rosa Peterson, a native of Jackson county and a daughter of Ole Peterson, one of the early settlers of Belmont. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Olson, namely: Tillie born June 4, 1894: Ida. born January 31, 1896: Clara, born January 31, 1896: Olga, born February 27, 1899; Lillian, born October 4, 1900; Mabel, born February 10, 1903; Josie, born September 14, 1905; Ruth, born March 16, 1908.

SIMON OLSON (1861), deceased, was one of the pioneers of the county and a gentleman worthy a place in its history. He was born in Tolgen, Norway, June 14, 1837. and came to America in 1856. From that date until 1861 he lived at Jefferson Prairie, Wisconsin. In the spring of 1861 Mr. Olson, in company with a colony of Norwegian settlers, came to Jackson county, then very sparsely settled, and took a homestead in Belmont township. In the summer of 1861 he enlisted in Brackett’s battalion of the Second Minnesota and served in the army nine months. He again took up his residence in Belmont in 1862 only to be driven out in August by the Indians. He went to Spring Grove, Houston county. Minnesota, in 1863, was married there, and came back to his former home in Belmont in 1864, being with the first party to return to Jackson county after the massacre. Mr. Olson engaged in farming from that date until his death on April 27, 1907. During his long residence in the county he held several offices of trust, among them being county commissioner and was judge of the probate court.

Judge Olson was married at Spring Grove Houston county, Minnesota, in 1863, to Bertha Olson. She died April 17, 1877, and in 1883 he married Anna Minde. He was the father of ten children.

TOLLEF OLSON (1870) has been a resident of Belmont township nearly forty years, ever since he was thirteen years of age. He is a native of Clayton county Iowa, and was born April 15, 1857 the son of Ole and Sarah Tollefson. These parents were born in Norway and came to America when children. They were married in Wisconsin and later took up their residence in Clayton county. Iowa. In 1870 they came to Jackson county, bought land in Belmont township and homesteaded in Christiania township. Mr. Tollefson died about fifteen years ago. His widow married Lars Bratager of Belmont and died in 1907. There were eight children in the family, of whom the following four are living: Isabella. Annie, ToIIef and Nels.

Tollef lived in his native county until 1870, when he accompanied his parents to Jackson county. Until he was twenty-five years of age he lived on the parental farm on section 10, Belmont. Then he engaged in farming on his own account, renting land in Christiania township. Five years later he bought his present farm, the northeast quarter of section 18 then unimproved land, and he has made his home on the place ever since. He now has a model farm, improved with substantial buildings. In addition to his own farm he rents a quarter section adjoining.

On December 13, 1887, Mr. Olson was married in Belmont township to Betsey Johnson, also a native of Iowa. The following four children have been born to them: Sophia, Anna (Mrs. Arlo Christensen), Obena and Thea. Mr. Olson has held the office of clerk of school district No. 18.

ANDERS OPPERUD (1870), deceased, was a pioneer settler and one of the best known farmers of Delafield township, his home being a short distance south of Wilder. He was born in Norway April 21, 1845, the son of Anders Anderson and Annie Anderson. These parents came to America during the eighties, but soon moved back to their native land and both are now deceased.

Anders came to the United States in 1868 and located in Fayette county, Iowa. After residing there two years he came to Jackson county and took as a homestead claim the southwest quarter of section 18, Delafield township. For two years he and his family lived in a combination sod shanty and dugout, 14x14 feet in size, and his barn was built of straw. Later a small frame building was put up, and in time this was added to, resulting in the present house. Hard times were encountered during the grasshopper times, and Mr. Opperud was obliged to spend the greater part of his time for six years working in the vicinity of Albert Lea, while his wife and mother kept up the farm as best they might. Mrs. Opperud remembers that one year the only crop they harvested was five bushels of wheat and a few potatoes.

Mr. Opperud was a hard worker and a splendid farmer. He prospered and when he died on June 29, 1908, he left his family in comfortable circumstances. During his lifetime he always took an active part in local political and business affairs. Tor eighteen years he was a member of the Delafield township board and in the early days was identified with the public school of his district, having served on the board. He was one of the directors of the National Bank of Windom.

He was a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and was instrumental in the building of the first church erected in Delafield township. For a number of years he served as treasurer of the church society. Mr. Opperud was married at Elkader, Iowa, April 8, 1869, to Johanna Gilbertson who was born in Norway October 17, 1850 and who came to the United States in 1865. Her parents were Gilbert Berge and Gunela (Opperud) Berge. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Opperud, of whom the following named six are living: Josephine (Mrs. Sam Juleson), of Texas; Mrs. Anna Fawcett of Wilder; Mrs. Hilda Potter, of Springfield, Minnesota; Mrs. Inga Schield of Fall Creek, Wisconsin; Mrs. Matilda Fuller, of Lamberton, Minnesota; John Arthur Opperud, of Delafield township.

The information on Trails to the Past © Copyright may be used in personal family history research, with source citation. The pages in entirety may not be duplicated for publication in any fashion without the permission of the owner. Commercial use of any material on this site is not permitted. Please respect the wishes of those who have contributed their time and efforts to make this free site possible.~Thank you!