Hans O. Olson

As printed in 1916

HANS O. OLSON.

Hans O. Olson, one of the leading citizens of Underwood, this county, was born in Norway, March 8, 1856, near Tromso, son of Ole C. and Guri (Olsen) Olson. Both parents were born in Norway, and there spent their entire lives. The father was a carpenter and shoemaker by trade, which he followed all the active years of his life, his death occurring when he was seventy years of age. Both he and his good wife were faithful members of the Lutheran church, and gave careful attention to the rearing of their seven children. Of these, Hans O.. the immediate subject of this sketch, is the eldest; Ole still lives in Norway, where he is a laborer; Olia is the wife of Nils Thygesen of Underwood; Karoline still remains in Norway, the wife of Johan Hendrickson; Kristopher also remains in his native land, a laborer, and two died in infancy.

Hans O. Olson attended the public schools of his native land, but meager was the opportunity for education given, there being but seven school weeks in the year. At the age of fourteen or fifteen he began life for himself as a fisherman and also worked at farming. In 1881, at the age of twenty-five, he emigrated to America and settled in Otter Tail county. Here he secured work on the Northern Pacific railroad, then in course of construction, remaining at that work for some two years. He quit that work to accept a position in the store of Severson & Evanson, the first merchants of Underwood, and in 1889 he left them and returned to Norway, intending to remain in his native land. However, a few months later found him back in Underwood and he then went to work for Ole Loseth in his general store and later was with Bjorge & Sjordal. He was with Mr. Loseth for five years and severed his connection to return to his native land. Again he intended to remain permanently, but in four months was back in America again, and it was then he entered the employ of Bjorge & Sjordal.

Again in i8qq Hans O. Olson returned to his native land, but this time he went for a wife, and while there was united in marriage with Henrietta Hanson, daughter of Hans Olsen. Mr. Olson then brought his wife to Underwood and again began clerking for Bjorge & Sjordal, remaining with them about three years. After a trip to the Pacific coast, where he had

As printed in History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.