"Round Robin" Letters

Recently Betty Olsen Grady sent me several copies of letters written in the 1930's  as a way to correspond with Olsen/Christopher cousins.  They are interesting and make quite a collection.  If anyone has more to add, send them to me at my email address and I will reproduce them here on the blog for everyone.  Also if there are other Olsens' or Christophers who want this blog sent to them I can easily add their email to this group list and they will get all future posts.  Older posts can still be accessed ...just scroll down until you see OLDER POSTS.

The following letter from Gus Olsen is just the first of many..others will follow shortly:
(please excuse the inconsistent spacing and fonts on this copy..some if the problem is the way it
copied from Gus's typewriter and I can't seem to change it here and when transcribing to the blog,
 it became even more scrambled!)

               ,-               /

2139-35th Ave •

                  Oakland, California

                       Feb. 9th 1931

 Dear Mother-Brothers and Sisters--

Letter writing seems the hardest thing for all of us.Why not make it an easy task and also interesting? One letter and behold we have written to all--in our case it means the saving of nine letters for each one of us.

Cora Christopherof Graettinger started the idea by a "Round Robin letter" she called it. It as now gone the rounds once and the idea was sure a good one and the number of letters from the Christophers and Charlesons made very interesting reading. Carl and Inga, Bessie and I will get the benefit of both circuits and will have the advantage over the rest of you. I have improved a little on the plan by binding together a number of uniform size sheets so that it will have a sort of a manuscript appearance and will, by the time it reaches mother, be easy to read in the order sent out. You will note that John,Susie and Mother are the last on the list in the order of mailing. They will add their letter to the others and return all to me and Bessie. We will then take out our old letter and write a new one and start it out again. On the second time around you see we will have a letter from each one. Moder du maa ogsaa skrive et 1angt brev

--Now what are we most interested in? Seems to me we are  most inerested in our children. Believe too, that Mother will be interested in knowing all about the grandchildren. So let's give a complete biography of the kids and their doings. Our children know very little about their numerous cousins. Many of you have probably lost track of us and our wanderings. Bessie figured out that this is our 25th home now we are going to claim that. 

So there we have the two extremes of 'our clan.

First of all, as we are most interested in the kids,  will give the names,ages, and present whereabouts of our bunch. Now there is a word, "bunch". Believe  Inga and Carl can also claim it.

Alvin is now 33 on July the 5th. He has just been married to Evelyn Perrigo from Chico, Calif. 
Alvin is located at Hilt, California, wbere he has been nearly 5 years. He graduated from ths Oregon State College in 1926 as a logging engineer in the Forestry course. Took a job at Hilt shortly after gradunting as assistant engineer but was soon after promoted tochief engineer which position he has held till now. He is employed by the California Fruit Growers association who have a large Saw mill ,and timber operation at Hilt. Alvin is engaged mostly in survaying railroads out to the timber holdings in the Siskiyou Mountains. The girl that he married is Scotch and has been teaching school at Hilt. '*'We havn' t met the girl but Alvin claims she is the best ever.

Thelma is now making us visit and will speak for herself  adding a chapter to this episode. Her home is at Vernonia, Oregon.She is married as you all know to Mr. VanPeebley a very fine young man. More from herself.

Elmer who is 23 is employed by Schwabaker Frey Company, San Francisco.His firm deals in Stationery and Art goods wholesale and retail. Elmer is a salesman on the fourth floor in the frame Dept. Just now since I was taken sick--tell you about that later--he has been staying with us and commutes to San Francisco.

Harold has just passed 21 and is the largest in the family. Stands 6 foot in his sox and is built in proportion. He is now at Corvallis, Oregon address c/o Sigma Phi Epsilon House. He is of-course. 2nd year. He makes his way by playing with an' orchestra. Plays Sousaphone(in case any of you do not know it is the biggest bass horn. You get inside the coils and the bell extends above the head,)  healso plays the bass or bllll fiddle. Has 4 engagements a week he tells us--playing I mean.

Olive is next, she was 19 Jan. 27--her address is 142 No.Jackson St., Roseburg, Oregon where she is working at the fountain in a drug store. She is working for and staying with her boy friend's folks a very fine family. The boy friend is attending business college at Portland, Oreg. Olive has worked in a couple of banks in Roseburg and is in line for a position with one of the banks in the spring.

Esther was 16 in November and is the youngest member in the family to wear an engagement ring. Her young man's name is Kennet Harkins, of Harkins and Son Merchants, Oakridge, Oregon, where she is staying at present attending high school. She says they have no int ention of marrying until she finishes high school--2 more years--and may go to College. The Harkins family are very fine folks and we think a lot of "Kenny". Esther and Kenny--drove here to spend the holidays with us.

Alice--13 is attending Jr. High school which is next door to us here. Her grade is called high 8 here. She is a fast growing kid and a good scholar.

Norma -  She is the "Skrapa Kaka" our baby and she sure doesn ' t look much like a baby any more. Sturdy and healthy, very fond of dolls and has a large family of them. She was 10 years old July 28th.

Now though they are qui t e a bunch, and we are very proud of all of them. Our movements since leaving Havre, Mont. where we crashed in 1920 has got a band of Gypsies beat several ways: Seaside,Oregon,Vernonia, Oregon, about 3 yrs.; Corvallis,Oregon and Philomath,Oregon, 'about 2 years.; Nampa, Idaho, one year; Roseburg, Ore.,8 months; Oakridge, Ore., 9 months.

 Landed in Oakland, Calif., Oct 1st, 1930. Family came here Thanksgiving day and we haven't

moved since.We have a grocery, confectionery and fountain, commonly called a "school store." 

Will try to have some snap sbots taken and enclose with this so you can have some idea of the looks of things and also ourselves.

If you can, all enclose some snap shots of youuselves it will help us get aquainted again. This goes to Mary and Willis from here.  It has been along time Mary since we had a letter from you and we haven't had a picture of Willis either so if you have any old snaps of yourselves and kids, let's have them. Mary and (Minnie will remember her), Mrs. Carey stayed with us a week.We sure had a fine visit. Frank Carey has his second wife and also lives at San Jose. California.

 This is the first winter in our lives that we haven't seen snow or ice. There was a trace of white frost a couple of mornings in January. Flower's have been in bloom all inter.Geraniums that freeze so easy have been blooming outside of our apartment all winter. This part of the Bay region is noted for its fine climate and it has not so much fog and rain as San Francisco. A trip to San Francisco costs 21 cents which includes ferry across the bay. The ferries are really large steamors and it is quite a sight to see the hundreds of people rush on and off the boats all the time. The trip across the bay is very interesting epecially at night when all the lights in both cities can be seen as well as the smaller and numberous towns all along the bay. There is. the aquarium where all varieties of wonderful fish that are swimming in glass tanks. One would never imagine that therewas so many colors and shapes in fish. There also is a Natural history museum whore hundreds of specimens of animals, birds, seal~sea lions, etc. are mounted.

Interesting also is Chinatown which they say is a pretty good duplicate of the real China. S,)me funny sights are seen here especially in the shops and food stores of the "Chinks", the smell in some of them is not so enjoyable. Millions of dollars are to be spent in the bay region in the next few years in various building enterprises. A bridge connecting Oakland and San Franclsco has been approved and will take 3 years to complete. The Government has a 1arge airport and a dirigible base scheduled. Oakland now has two large airports with all manner of air transports.

Carl, this is a great poultry center especially around the Hayward neighborhood. Street cars run out there and I was out there last Sunday and it sure makes one wish for a small place!
A beautiful level country rich black looking soil~ property can be bought very reasonably too now on account of the so called depression and I notice places advertised for sale with modern houses and equipped for poultry raising at very reasonable prices and on easy terms. If one could buy now it would probably be on the most favorable terms ever to be had. I was thinking of enclosing some literature but am afraid there won't be room, SO I will mail you some direct. There may be some prospects of you breaking away from that cold weather some time. Not that poultry ranching or small tract farming is all rosy either--They have their grievance here too I notice, but poultry raisers that tend to business admit that are at least making an easy living. Eggs are now cheap--about 26c-- but everything is the same way now. However, better times "aroung the corner".

 I mentioned being sick so I presume I need to explain it. On the morning of Jan. 15,
 I had a rather bad hemorage and the doctor after giving me a thorough x-ray
 examination came to the conclusion that the trouble is stomach ulser, However 
did not think there was any doubt that it could be cured without operation.
 Have been on a diet since. Yesterday he called me to the office again for another
 X-Ray of the chest and I do not know what the outcome of it will be for a few days. 
Elmer laid off for a couple of weeks and helped Bessie in the store but went back
 to work again the first of the month. Thelma drove down with a lady friend from 

Vernonia, Ore., arriving here Saturday night--3rd day. They are both busy fixing
 up the store real fine. The lady friend is ex-perienced at fountain work and will be
 a real help while they can stay. So now I have rambled off quite a lot I notice as
 I look over the pages written and will close with love to all and all good wishes 
and trust that when this comes back that at least all the enclosed pages will be full. 
Bessie and Thelma will add some also and we are going to try to have a few snap shots. 

By By all and hurry the circle.

Gustav'

P.S. We had your card Art and Mable, but you did not give your address. 

As Minnie is to forward this to you, I hope she has your  address.

 If not, it can be sent in care of John D. Charleson, 3610 Edward N. E., Minneaoolis 

Colllmbs. Hgts. Station R. 8  He 18 3.bout 2 miles from where Artie works and I am

sure he will see that it reaches Artie. If any of you have Art's address put it in the cover for

 Minnie.

                                                                      Gus

•

Letters from the past

During the 30's and 40's Olsen families wrote letters in a "Round Robin" format.  We are trying to collect them from family members that are now stretched all across America.  If any of you readers have copies of these and can scan them and send them to me by email, I can reproduce them here on the Blog for all of us to enjoy. Also found were postcards from even earlier days.

Here are a few:  Postcard from Klara to Inga:

Postcard from Inga to Minnie: 

Postcard to Inga from Mary:

Letter from Clara to all:

Letter from Inga to all: (letter was handwritten but hard to read, so I typed it leaving the grammar, spelling and punctuation the way it was on the original. )

2014 Olsen review

When I last posted I thought I would have the time to post family history information ( see blog archive on this page)  but I didn't expect so many health problems for myself and my husband.  Never the less I am now compiling Olsen information, I have gathered over the years, into a readable chronologial history for everyone to enjoy in our Olsen-Christopher family.  I am rewriting the previous post I wrote about Olsen History adding new information and correcting some errors.

Ole Kristin Olsen and Mina Kristine Olsdatter

Ole Kristian Olsen was born in Nannestad,   Norway on June 16, 1854.  He was a shoemaker (“Skomager”) and we are told that he traveled from farm to farm, living at each place and making shoes for all the family from hides prepared on that farm.  He no doubt was a farmer as well and skilled at many trades.  On a document dated June 6, 1883, which was a passport application for his son Karl, it is clear that his name was spelled Ole Kristian Olsen.  On the 1920 census the name is spelled Chris Olson. On his baptism record we find Ole Christan Olesen, and on his tombstone (Pequot Lakes, MN)it is obvious that he preferred Christ Olson at the end of his life.  It is very common for immigrants to change their names when coming to America

His parents were Ole Gulbrandsen (1814) and Berte Marie Jensdotter (1817).  Besides Ole, they had a son named Karl Gustav (1844-1911) and daughters: Karen Johanne (1838), Anne Marthea (1842), Birgitte (1847), Julia (1849), and Mina (1860).

He married Mina Kristine Olsdatter (1853-Hurdal, Askershus, Norway) in Hurdal on Jan 2, 1874.

Mina’s family, from Hurdal Norway, Inge Louise Gulbrandsen (1825-1910) and Ole Christofferson (1826-1906) who immigrated to St. Ansger, Iowa and remained there the rest of their lives.   Mina nd Christ had children in Norway before coming to America in 1882: Oscar Marinus, Karl Gustav, Hjalmer Laurentius, and Inga Lydia. Six more children were born in Iowa: Klara Naomi, Ragna Marie, John Alfred, Mina Christine, Robert William, and Arthur Fritjoph. A story is told that while he often cobbled into the evening, Mina would sit and read aloud to him from the Decora Post (Norwegian language newspaper) or religious books. He was very musical and lead the singing in the church for 20 years.    

They settled first in St.Ansgar, Mitchell County, Iowa, then moved to High Lake Township, Emmet County, Iowa, then to Graettinger, Palo Alto County, Iowa and finally settled in Pequot Lakes, Crow Wing County, Minnesota in 1898.  He built a small home there with the help of his son Oscar who moved to Pequot Lakes at the same time.  That home is no longer standing and a tree farm is on the homestead area. 

Christ and Oscar also helped build the local Lutheran Church.  Christ Olsen, wife and seven children were received into the congregation in 1900 as was the Oscar Olson family in 1902, church records show.  Christ was very involved in his church as the minister’s assistant ($10 per year beginning in 1908).   Oscar served as secretary starting in 1907.  Christ was also the “Klockker” (Liturgy reader).  It was he that pronounced The Lord’s Prayer in Norwegian at the end of each Sunday service. The story is told that Mina, who never learned English, slept through the services when they switched to English, but woke up when she heard her husband’s voice at the end of the service. This tradition of reciting the Lord’s Prayer at the conclusion of the service continues even today in Pequot Lake’s Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. The cemetery was added in 1902 and various changes and additions were made to the church throughout the years.

Mina was one of the early members of the Norwegian Lutheran Aid of Ideal Township organized in 1903 as was her daughter-in-law Hannah Olsen. As time went on other ladies of the family joined as well. The ladies sponsored auction sale lunches, ice cream socials, and lutefisk suppers.  They sold handmade items such as quilts, embroidered pillow cases, knitted mittens, aprons, and towels. They sold Christmas cards and magazines and also cleaned the church.

When Christ died September 27, 1924, many family members stayed at the old homestead with Mina, such as the Elmer Erikson family and the John Alfred family. When Mina died on October 21, 1932 the Carl Christopher family stayed for a short time on the homestead until they moved to Arlee Montana.  This was a time that the Olsens and the Christophers renewed their family ties and built many good memories.

************************************************************************** 

 Please contribute any stories you have to add to this account...have a great reunion Olsen Cousins!

Many months ago I announced our move to Caldwell Idaho (see previous postings)  and now I can gratefully say that most of the unpacking is finsihed and I am settled for the most part.  Now I plan on spending my free time to post family history on the blog and share the information I have with the Olsen Family.

I am encouraged to renew this effort  after reading an article in Reader's Digest (September Issue):THE STORIES THAT BIND US  and the subtitle:  STRONG FAMILIES KNOW AND TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION THEIR HISTORIES.  I agree with the author and have always felt that sharing family history stories is important for family unity and communication.  Now I can add that research shows: "The single most important thing you can do for your family it seems, is to develop a strong family narrative."
" Holidays, vacations, big famiy get-togethers,....retelling stories of best moments and challenges that show ability to bounce back...may increase the odds that your family will thrive...."

So announcing the come back of family history..dates, places, times...news old and new...coming to this blog this month!

Thanks for your patiences while I moved to a new location, retired, and  set up office space so I can be ready to research and share.  Please send back by email any news you wish me to include for everyone to see....

Love to all,

Lana.

Moving NORTH!!!

Announcing Lana's retirement May 24..2013 and moving date  June 1

New Address:  2902 Autumn Gold Drive.  Caldwell, Idaho  83605

Now I will be so much closer to my children, grandchildren and cousins!  

Most of all-  I will have the time I want to spend on returning to blogging and family history research.  I have so much to share..so little time, but wanted everyone to know that I will
be devoting time now to the    olsenfamily 2012 Blog Site.  As soon as my computer is set up in Idaho, I will be sending another blog post.  To keep in touch, use:  lana.rankin@yahoo.com and plan to stop by and visit whenever you are in the Boise area.  

A letter from the past: Inga and Carl in 1931

HAPPY NEW YEAR COUSINS!!!

To begin the new year I want to share with you a long letter written in 1931 by our grandmother Inga and grandfather Carl.  I  have the original, now on yellowed binder paper, in their own handwriting.  Although I can't remember who gave it to me, it is a treasure that might soon fade with age.  So I am rewriting it as best I can, interpreting where I can, words I am unsure of.  I am not correcting the spelling or punctuation errors to best portray the actual letter. (I made a few spelling correcttions where it was necessary to understand the intention)  I have chosen two different fonts as close as I could come to the original handwriting style of each of them.  I hope you enjoy the letter as I am sure it was part of the original round robin letters started, I think by Thelma  Olsen.  The letter shares information about each of the Christopher kids in 1931. If anyone out there has other letters in this series, that  could be shared with all of us, let me know and I can put those on the blog as well.  If you want to see the orginal, I can try to scan it, but its very hard to read.  You can come visit me though and see the orginal plus other artifacts I have, pictures, etc. you might also enjoy.

Medina, North Dakota,  March 29, 1931

Dear Mother, Sisters, and Brothers,

Received the letters Friday.  Enjoyed them very much, sorry to hear you been sick Gus hope you soon will be well again, your being lucky to get along with out a doctor’s care for so long.  You have a nice little store. The snaps were so good, but you sure look different then when I seen you last  and Bessie is nearly as fat as I am     I think  she must eat to much ice cream.  Thank you Thelma for writing.  it was just as good as getting a letter from you.  It must be a pleasant place to live out there in winter.  ..may be hot in the summer.  Ive been having a very nice winter till last week had a real old time blizzard.  it is warming up a little now.  We had a lot of snow in November there never was so much snow in Medina that I now of, we had to do some skraping hear too.  Jan and Feb were nice so the winter did not seam so long.

Well, Mary, I was sure glad to see the picture of you and William.  You both look happy.  Your letter was very interesting.  I wish I could write letters like the rest.  Well I must write about the children.  I have not any pictures that was taken lately, but will have some next round.

Glen Arthur was 27 last Jan 7   had 1 ½ high school.  He did not want to teach so did not finish He is a farmer  has farmed Mrs Gleason’s a few years.  Has his own Ford and a partnership tractor with Carl.  He has worked in a garage, run tractors etc.  Now he has landed that carrier job  Will carry the mail on Monday Wednesday and Friday’s. a Star Route west of town.  Will commence April 1^st so I don’t think he will farm this year. 

Alfred Clifford was 24 March 24 born on Palm Sunday.  He finished the 8^th grade when he was 14 been working in farm mostly also training horses.  He worken now the Equity Creamery at Jamestown from June 1 till Dec 19 when he got sick with Rheumatism abut the same as he had twice before  he was in bed two weeks this time so it was not so bad as before  anyway he has gone out west again now .  had a chance to work in the creamery this spring   he think it is to damp there   likes to be out doors in the sunshine so he is trying something els again  he is at Buffalo, S. Dak now.

Roy Willard is nex was 20 last Aug  He finished Medina High School in 1928 also had 3 months at the A.C. at Fargo worked for the Bell Telephone Co about 3 months, was out in the storm last fall…..they had the crew tied together with a long rope. Ther truck got staled and they had to walk three miles back to town  that was near Lamore(?) N. Dak.  He has work on farm and out threshing in the fall, was to Edgar Neb last year. He want to go to small colage as soon as he can. Should have before but been rambling around to much.

Ruth Lillian was 18, August 10^th so you see Roy and her are twins but 2 years apart.  Ruth will finish high school this spring. She is going to take up nursing   is going to train in Bismark N. Dak.  May not till next fall. 

The twins, Lauren Ivan and Lester Carl were 16 last Aug they are healthy and strong  have worked out some.  They should go to high school but I guess they will be just plain farmers.

Kenneth Orvin was 14 last Sept 7  I think Bessie remembers that when she was trying to be at two places at once   Kenneth finished the 8^th grade at xmas time had  had just one study History  so just went  1 day   he is the only one in the family that got black hair.

Otto Vernon was 12 Dec. 19 and is an all around big help where he is needed the most. When Ruth is not home, he helps me peel spuds, etc.  he is in 6^th grade.

Robert Norman is 10 years old today  is not much for work  yet can do quite a few things anyway  he is the 4^th at school.

Doris Ester will be 8 years June 10 is growing tall and slim  she is in 3^rd grade at school.

Donald Edwin will be 6  Sept 10 and then he starts to school.  He is a healthy boy and quite large for his age.  Was sick a week or so this winter with kind of a flu  the rest of us had it to 

(Well that is the bunch) Hear is some news  George Kapp was married to Mrs. Albert Bast two weeks ago.  Gus and Mary remembers him  he lived south of town near his brother Willis. And now his wife has a nice farm too and he is happier still   she is a real jolly woman  so they should get along just fine.  Kletts store burned this winter  he has started a store again in BucksWater Hotel on the south side where she had the restaurant.

Well I started to write news and forgot to tell my age.  I am 48(born June 28, 1882)  Carl was 55 on March 20.

 I hope mother gets this for Mother’s Day    think it would please her more than anything else we could send. 

I guess I did not write down the year the children were born so here it is:

Glen Arthur  Jan 7, 1904

Alfred Clifford March24, 1907

Roy Willard  August 10, 1910

Ruth Lillian  August 10, 1912

Lauren Ivan  August 5, 1914

Lester Carl   August 5, 1914

Kenneth Orvin   Sept 7, 1916

Robert Norman  March 29, 1921

Doris Esther  June 10, 1923

Donald Edwin  Sept 10, 1925

I hope this will find everybody well and that we all will write a letter even if there is so many blots as I made.  I think I will have to get a new pen 

Love to all from Inga and Carl

I will write a few lines   I own big farm in N.D. doing a small business at a loss    mostly the depression has hit us right and I think I will have to get a jack and see if I can jack up the price of farm produce  have enjoyed this letter from all of you  I will say that it is a good idea  sorry to hear that your health is not so good, Gus and hope that you will be OK by the time (this) gets to you.  I also hope that I will be able to get out in that country some day altho it does not look much like it at this time  My little wife has told you about everything here so I will stop right here.      Yours     Carl