THE last post on this OLSENFAMILY Blog was June of this year. Since that time I have spent many hours researching our mutual ancestral pedigree line. What I have found I am sharing with everyone on this group email list of Olsen descendents. Please share with anyone who has interest as I may not have everyone's email address.
One of our Olsen's loved to draw. Sharing this poster with her family was a great way to celebrate Christmas. It was drawn by Esther Olsen and depicts her with her seven siblings.. I'm not sure when this drawing was made, but her brother Alvin has an M on his sweatshirt. He did attend Unviersity of Montana in Missoula for 2 years, so this maybe showing how the children looked about 1922.
Karl Gustav(Gus) Olsen, (1876-1931-Norway)was the second son of Ole Kristian Olsen and Mina Kristine Olsdatter, He married Brieta (Bessie ) Louise Christopher (1878-1958) in 1898. They had nine children. The following story of their family appeared in the Medina, North Dakota Diamond Jubilee Publication in 1974:
MR. AND MRS. GUSTAV C. OLSEN
Gustav C. Olsen, his wife Bessie, and their two children, Alvin and Thelma, came to Medina about 1903. Mr. Olsen filed on a homestead a few miles north of town. In addition to improving his property, putting in some crops and raising some stock, he conducted a real estate business in town. An old photo shows his office on the west side of Main Street with a sign over the door: "G. C. Olsen, Land Office."
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| Bessie, Alvin Thelma and Gus |
With some surveying experience and a familiarity with land subdivision, he was instrumental in locating many early settlers on their properties. He later formed a partnership with a Mr. Batz, establishing themselves in a small building on the northwest corner of Main and Water streets where the store now stands.
Alvin and Thelma started to school in 1906 in a little one room structure north of Medina. The teacher was Mrs. Margaret Gleason. The building was used for many years after moved to other sites and back again. It no longer exists.
In 1907 Mr. Olsen moved his family into town. They lived in a two story building which still stands. It was on the west side near the creamery and across the street from the Preszler home. By now the family had increased in size. Raymond was born in 1904 and Elmer in 1906.Alvin and Thelma attended a school located where the present water tower now stands. It was a two story building with a large belfry.
About 1910 Mr. Olsen sold out the store business and joined Wm. F. Stege as Credit Manager in a new bank in Medina. Employed also at the time were Adam Preszler and Chub Opp. The Olsen family moved from the west side to the Dr . Todd house on east Water Street. The house is still there on a corner north of a church. Two more children were born. Harold in 1909 and Olive
in 1912.
In 1913 Mr. Olsen moved his family to Carrington, where he operated a garage business. In the fall of 1914, he moved his family back to Medina again to a home about a block north of the Todd house and east across the street. Here Esther was born.
With all this, Mr. Olsen found time to campaign as a Republican candidate for Representative to the State Legislature. His bid for the office was not successful, but he gained a wide acquaintanship which may have resulted in obtaining for Alvin a job in the office of Secretary of State in Bismarck.
In June 1916, Alvin moved to this job after completing three years of high school, the last two being in a new brick building built near where the present school stands.
In 1917 Mr. Olsen moved his family to Havre, Montana where he was employed as Credit Manager in the Havre National Bank. Alvin joined the family there shortly after. Alice was born in Havre in July 1917. Norma was born there in July of 1920.
In the years after that, the family moved many times, mostly in Oregon. The last move was to Oakland, California where Mr. Olsen owned and operated a "school store" . catering to the wants of school children nearby until his health faded. Gustav Karl Olsen died in Oakland of cancer on August 9, 1931.
Nothing much is said here about his wife Bessie, but it is understandable that with such a large family she had, plenty to keep her busy. A devoted wife and mother, Bessie Louisa Christopher Olsen died in Oakland on July 3 I, 1958 at the age of 80 years.
The many children are scattered. Alvin -lives in Nevada City, California; Thelma in Tracy, California; Elmer in Martinez, California; Harold in Corvallis, Oregon; Olive in Roseburg, Oregon; Esther .in Eugene, Oregon; Alice in Oakland, California; and Norma in Sanoma, California.
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Since the time of this writing in 1974, the family has grown and spread further. I invite any
Olsens who have stories to add here of Gus and his family to write a short biography such as the one above and send it to my email. I can then share it on the blog as an update.Please also send any photos you have that can be shared in that update.
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In other NEWS:
Many thanks to Jim Skofstad who has found a way to view the Medina Diamond Jubiliee Publication on line for any of you interested ( see below)::
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2016 will bring more blog posts on our common ancestors. Please email me if you have photos or stories to share from the "Good Old Days"
Alvin and Thelma started to school in 1906 in a little one room structure north of Medina. The teacher was Mrs. Margaret Gleason. The building was used for many years after moved to other sites and back again. It no longer exists.
In 1907 Mr. Olsen moved his family into town. They lived in a two story building which still stands. It was on the west side near the creamery and across the street from the Preszler home. By now the family had increased in size. Raymond was born in 1904 and Elmer in 1906.Alvin and Thelma attended a school located where the present water tower now stands. It was a two story building with a large belfry.
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| Gus, Thelma and Elmer |
In August 1908, Raymond suffered a ruptured appendix and died in the hospital in Jamestown. He is buried in the Christopher plot in the Medina Cemetery.By now Mr. Olsen had discontinued the real estate business and gone into the general store business under the firm name of "Remboldt and Olsen."
A sister, Mary, had joined the household and worked as a clerk in the store. Also another sister, Minnie, joined the family. She attended high school in Jamestown and college in Valley City.
Mary became the wife of Frank McCready, railroad station master. Minnie married Ray Gleason.
One of Mr. Olsen's interests was playing cornet in the town band. He pursuaded his son, Alvin, to take up the snare drum. He also organized and played cornet in a small dance orchestra with Pearl Olson, piano; Jack Stewart, violin; Alvin, drums. At times others played with the group - as: E. F. Langer, cello; Ray Gleason, trombone; Frank Carey, violin; Ross Jennings, clarinet. A sister, Mary, had joined the household and worked as a clerk in the store. Also another sister, Minnie, joined the family. She attended high school in Jamestown and college in Valley City.
Mary became the wife of Frank McCready, railroad station master. Minnie married Ray Gleason.
About 1910 Mr. Olsen sold out the store business and joined Wm. F. Stege as Credit Manager in a new bank in Medina. Employed also at the time were Adam Preszler and Chub Opp. The Olsen family moved from the west side to the Dr . Todd house on east Water Street. The house is still there on a corner north of a church. Two more children were born. Harold in 1909 and Olive
in 1912.
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| Harold |
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| Olive |
With all this, Mr. Olsen found time to campaign as a Republican candidate for Representative to the State Legislature. His bid for the office was not successful, but he gained a wide acquaintanship which may have resulted in obtaining for Alvin a job in the office of Secretary of State in Bismarck.
In June 1916, Alvin moved to this job after completing three years of high school, the last two being in a new brick building built near where the present school stands.
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| Alice |
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| Norma |
In the years after that, the family moved many times, mostly in Oregon. The last move was to Oakland, California where Mr. Olsen owned and operated a "school store" . catering to the wants of school children nearby until his health faded. Gustav Karl Olsen died in Oakland of cancer on August 9, 1931.
Nothing much is said here about his wife Bessie, but it is understandable that with such a large family she had, plenty to keep her busy. A devoted wife and mother, Bessie Louisa Christopher Olsen died in Oakland on July 3 I, 1958 at the age of 80 years.
The many children are scattered. Alvin -lives in Nevada City, California; Thelma in Tracy, California; Elmer in Martinez, California; Harold in Corvallis, Oregon; Olive in Roseburg, Oregon; Esther .in Eugene, Oregon; Alice in Oakland, California; and Norma in Sanoma, California.
*********************************************************************
Since the time of this writing in 1974, the family has grown and spread further. I invite any
Olsens who have stories to add here of Gus and his family to write a short biography such as the one above and send it to my email. I can then share it on the blog as an update.Please also send any photos you have that can be shared in that update.
*********************************************************************************
In other NEWS:
Many thanks to Jim Skofstad who has found a way to view the Medina Diamond Jubiliee Publication on line for any of you interested ( see below)::
Thanks to our cousin Jim Skofstad for finding this "ON LIne" book and to cousin Dennis Skofstad for sending the link to me so I could send it on to the entire Christopher Camp. See e-mail entry below:
"My brother Jim does all the genealogical research in my family. Accordingly he sent me a reference to http://digitalhorizonsonline.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/ndsl-books/id/11003/rec/25 which is the Medina, ND Diamond Jubilee book. It’s a marvelous piece of work, dedicated to uncle Glenn Christopher, with sections on the history of Medina by Glenn (pg6/PDF pg8), Carl Christopher family (pg 116/PDF pg 142), Bill and Janet Christopher Well (pg108/126), Glenn Christopher family )pg 136/162), the committees on which Glenn and Janet served (pg 219/273), a picture of the Feton Lumber company fire (pg 230/284) where Glen worked for years and more. The recounting of winters, threshing, and daily life are marvelous. The pictures are great. You may not have Glenn’s bio of himself. I think you’ll like it.
Dennis Skofstad"
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2016 will bring more blog posts on our common ancestors. Please email me if you have photos or stories to share from the "Good Old Days"
