2019 New Year Greetings

New Year Greetings to all Olsen cousins! I am sharing here a little about my recent experiences          in learning more about our common Norwegian heritage.

I have joined the Sons of Norway organization and attended my first meeting, where I learned about the Norwegian Resistance during World War II.  Some fantastic videos on YouTube can be found here for your information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3jSWSa6aBM
or website: https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/resistance-movements/the-norwegian-resistance/  or 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_resistance_movement

I also went to their Christmas Bazaar where I heard the local "SCANDI BANDI" playing Norwegian music, visited their many craft booths, and enjoyed Norwegian foods of all kinds.

Alpaca booth

Rosemaling booth

Woodcarving booth

I learned about  hats that the Norwegian women made during WWII.  I had to buy one ..not only because I love the look, but because of the history behind it. This 100% wool hat called "LUE" originated in Norway during the cold hard winters of WWII when everything was re-used two or three times.  The original "LUE" was lined with flannel often from an farmer's old shirt.  The decorations were made from scraps and represented Hope, Peace and Spring. The ideas was to support the hope for Peace in the coming spring. These new handmade hats are made from wool,       but lined with fleece.

Handmade gnomes, slippers, jewelry and hats

AND THE GNOME I BOUGHT

This is the hat I bought

Rosemaling candlestick ...

and wooden apple I bought

Rosemaling artist from Norway

Also at the Sons of Norway meeting I met Ingre...she is a native of Norway and can speak and read Norwegian.  She graciously translated for me a letter from the Olsen Round Robin Letter Series. This letter was written in Norwegian from great grandmother Mina Olsen on February 20, 1932.  I've looked for years for some way to translate it and Ingre was willing.  She said some
of the wording sounds strange, but it is the best she could figure out.  I am including both the Norwegian and the English transcription here for you.

Ingre

Ingre and friends 

ForestHome Farm February 20, 1932

Dear Bessie and all yours and a heartfelt greeting. 

It is strange sometimes with thoughts that come and go as I have come aware of since Gustav’s death.  I think it is so hard to think about him being gone.  But we must keep in mind that God

sends us to our rest. I have been thinking about the thick forest that was at our place when you and Gustav came to see us the first time, and so these thoughts come—have they made the forest such—you then have the sense that the forest has green on.   Also, I have sound again by the house, of the old trees.  Also, I have the new trees that were planted when we were together.

These things are such happy memories for me, so it came to me that I should call my place SKOGHEIM.(ForestHome)  It was Gustav and his father who did the first heavy work in the forest here that first winter. When I am reminded of those who are now gone, who struggled to make a home, it is impossible to leave the home before God calls me to my heavenly home.  I will try to

hold on if I must pay all expenditures that go with having my place. I cannot tolerate seeing my

home destroyed.

Under God’s service, I have a blessed life and health, and I will live and die in the forest. I am in good health and have God to thank for nearing the 80’s.  As such I cannot likely expect much hereafter. Though when spring comes, I shall be stronger, so I can work a little outside. 

Clara has moved back to her place since her husband has returned.  I hope they have found themselves a home that is good.  In the world the best that God has given us is nicely a home.

So, greetings to all from mother, Mrs. Christ Olson

This letter  might also explains these photos passed down from the Alvin Olsen family.

Gus in back with hand on hat Bessie is in the center holding Alvin
I'm guessing it's Christ on the far left and Clara on the  far right
Also guessing the man holding the saw is Elmer and the girl way back could be Mary.
Mina is probably taking the photo!

These children (also in the photo above) are the last 4 children of Mina and Christ Olsen plus their first grandchild, Alvin

The writing on the photo may set the date for the above photos and letter

 For some of the details of Mina and Christ Olsen's life and ancestry, search the OLDER POSTS at the end of this blogpost.  Go to 8/14 called "2014 Olsen Review" on this blogpost. Since 2014, I have been gathering photos and facts about their children's families which I will begin to share on future blogposts.

Please feel free to make comments, additions/corrections to facts or send photos/family stories to me at lana.rankin@yahoo.com and I will use them in the next blog updates. Many THANKS to the Olsen cousins who have contributed photos and information to this blog post so we can ALL enjoy
our heritage.

THE PAST IS YOUR PRESENT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

THE PAST IS YOUR PRESENT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

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."

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.

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.

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.  

Harold

Olive

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.

Alice

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.

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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)::

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"

ROUND ROBIN LETTERS

The last letter ..I have..if you have more, please share...for the other letters, look in the archive section below.

MORE ROUND ROBIN LETTERS

ROUND ROBIN LETTERS

MORE....

FROM JOHN AND SUSAN OLSON

ROUND ROBIN LETTERS

Here are a few more Round Robin letters from the 30's..............

"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

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