Lars Olson

As printed in 1916

LARS OLSON.

bar- Olson, a prosperous farmer of Henning township. Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was born in Olmstead county, Minnesota, June 1, 1858. He is a son of Ole and Kari Olson, both of whom were natives of Norway, the former of whom was born on November 16, 1816, and the latter born August 14, 1821. Mr. Olson's parents came to the United States from Norway in 1847, locating first in Wisconsin. Later they moved to Iowa, and in 1855 came to Olmstead county, Minnesota, where they homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land. On this land more than three hundred Indians were at one time encamped. They gradually added to this original tract until at one time the family had more than two hundred acres of land, ami it was on this farm that Mr. Olson's father died on September 20, 1899. His mother had passed away more than a quarter of a century previously. August 3. 1872. Ole Olson and wife were the parents of seven children, of whom only three, Thomas, Olaus and Lars, are living. The deceased children are Ingeborg, Halvor, Helge and Helena.

Lars Olson received his education principally in the schools of Olmstead county, Minnesota, and for a time was a student in the Benson high school, and also spent one term at St. Olaf's College, Northfield, Minnesota. He was reared to the life of a farmer, and in 1884 came to Otter Tail county, purchasing fort) acres of land in section 17, of Henning township. At this tim- he also owned an eighty-acre farm in section [9 of the same township, lie disposed of this land, however, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Folden township, hut for the past seven years has lived in Henning township on a farm which is situated in section 17.

On April 10. 1887. Lars Olson was married to Carrie Grovdal, who was born in Norway in r866, and who 1. a daughter of Hans and Anne

Grovdal. Mrs. Olson's parents came to Dodge county, Minnesota, in 1876, and here her father died in 1895, while her mother died in Otter Tail county three years later in 1898.

Mr. and Mrs. Lars Olson are the parents of seven children, of whom one, Lawrence, is deceased. The living children are Oscar, Carl, Emma, Harris. Edwin and Lillian.

Mr. Olson and family are earnest members of the United Lutheran church, in which they take an active interest. Mr. Olson has served his township as assessor for seven years, holding that important office at the present time.

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.