Bio: John A. Olson, 1850
Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: OLSON, MICHELSON, DONALDSON, TREAT, MILTON, DELEVAN, STRETE, OLSON, SOLVESON, SWENSON, TUFTE, MATHEISON
----Source: HISTORY OF CLARK CO., WI, Compiled by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge, Chicago and Winona, H. C. Cooper Jr., & Co. in 1918.
JOHN A. OLSON, a prominent citizen
of Abbotsford, where he has resided for many years, and is highly
esteemed, was born in Waukesha County, Wis., Aug. 15, 1850, son of
Christian and (Michelson) Olson, natives of Norway, who came to
America when quite young. The father was a musician, farmer and
gardener, in politics a Democrat, and a member of the Episcopal
church, died April 15, 1907, at the age of 86 years; the mother
died Feb. 19 ', 1918, at the age of 88 years, 6 months and 26 days,
at the home of her daughter Kate, in Hartland, Wis. She and her
husband had eleven children: John A., Mary, Sophia, Otto, Minnie,
Emma, Frank, Richard, Mabel, Kate and Ida, of whom Emma, Otto,
Richard, Sophia and, Frank are now deceased. John A. Olson, at the
age of 21 years left home and. went to Michigan, where he worked
two winters in the pine woods and sawmills. He then spent two
winters on Jump River in Wisconsin at the same kind of work, in the
summers being employed on his father's farm. In 1878 he bought a
threshing outfit, which he operated for two years. In 1880 he moved
to Dorchester, Clark County, and worked for others, but soon bought
ninety-five acres of land across the line in Marathon County.
However, he did not make his home there, but took a position in
the, building department of the Wisconsin Central Railway, and was
with that company for ten years. After that he went to Missouri and
worked in
the same capacity for the Santa Fe Railroad, on their Lexington
Junction-St. Joseph branch. In 1891 Mr. Olson came to Abbotsford
and entered the mercantile business with N. E. Denney , under the
firm name of Denney & Olson, and in this business he continued
for fourteen years, or until 1905, since which time he has been in
charge of the public school building. Mr. Olson has taken a
prominent part in local affairs. He has been a member of the
village council since the incorporation of the village, and for a
part of the time has been village treasurer. He is a Mason and
Woodman of the World, having been through the chairs of both
lodges, and he was the first Master of Abbotsford Lodge No. 298.
Religiously he is affiliated as a member with the Episcopal church.
In February, 1883, Mr. Olson was united in marriage with Mary
Donaldson, who was born in Norway, and came to America with her
parents at the age of 9 years. Her father was a shoemaker by trade,
died in January, 1886; her mother in October, 1894. They had a
family of four children: Caroline, Erick, Trena and Mary. Mr. and
Mrs. John A. Olson have had eight children, as follows: Josephine,
born Nov. 7, 1882, who is the wife of Albert Strete; Emma, born
March 22, 1885, who married R. H. Treat and has one child, Helen
J.; Charles Delevan, born July 12, 1887; John Milton, born Feb. 27,
1890, who died Feb. 9, 1891; Mabel Augusta, born Nov. 29, 1891, who
died Dec. 9, 1894; James Milton, born Aug. 8, 1894, who married
Meta Fuchsgruber, and has one child, James M., Jr.; Effie Augusta,
born Aug. 16, 1898; and Mabel Adelaide, born Jan. 21, 1902. The
following letter contributed to the Oconomoc Enterprise, was
written by Mrs. Johanna Olson, then residing at Nashotah, Wis., and
contains interesting reminiscences of her early experiences in this
country.
"Editor of the Enterprise: On July 23, 1830, 1 was born in Jarpen,
Norway. My parents were Mr. and Mrs. Ole Michelson, and I had two
sisters and one brother. Our mother died when I was 11 years of
age. We came to America with our father and stepmother in 1847,
crossing in a sailing ship, the trip taking nine weeks and four
days. From New York we went to Buffalo by canal boat and from
Buffalo to Milwaukee by steamboat, there being no railroad of any
kind. The trip from Milwaukee to Nashotah (then called Pine Lake
Station) was made by wagon and oxen, and we encountered many
accidents and unpleasantness. In 1849 I was married to Christian
Olson, settling down on the farm where I still reside, two miles
north of Nashotah, in the town of Merton. We lived in a small log
cabin and had no conveniences. Water had to be carried from Pine
Lake, one-half mile distant. Our neighbors were William Schuchardt,
Peter Swenson, Jacob Solveson, Hans Rasmusson, Tolaf Waller,
Gregerous Tufte, Christian Stave and Andrew Matheison, all of whom
have passed away. Indians were plentiful. They begged and took
things not belonging to them. The country was thickly wooded and
there was much underbrush. Laboring men received about 50 cents per
day and hired girls 50 and 75 cents per week. I often walked to
Oconomoc, carrying a baby in my arms. I was the mother of eleven
children, seven of whom are living. My husband died on April 15,
1907, at the age of 86 years. I have met with many peculiar
experiences' but cannot clearly recall them. We were obliged to do
all kinds of work in order to obtain a living.--Mrs. Johanna
Olson."
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