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| 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.
