Mary Malmgren Olson

As printed in 1910

Mrs. Mary Malmgren Olson is a lady of many estimable qualities, now making her home in Bishop Hill, having occupied a nice residence in this village for about five years. She has the distinction of being the first child born in the Bishop Hill colony, her birth occurring December 27, 1846. Her father. Jonas Malmgren, came to Henry county in 1846 from Woxna, Sweden, he being a member of a colony that came about that time. He had started across the Atlantic the year previous, but owing to a shipwreck, was forced to return but the following year the trip was successfully made. He had engaged in the milling business in Bolnas, Sweden, and after coming to Henry county he operated the first grist mill in the colony, continuing work along this line until others came in who could relieve him. He was also a blacksmith by trade and did work along this line for the colony until its dissolution, after which Mr, Malmgren opened a blacksmith shop on his own account and operated the same until his death, which occurred when he was seventy-four years of age. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Anna Catherine Quarnstrum, died in 1849.

The daughter Mary was educated in the colony school and was trained in the duties of the household, so that when she took charge of a home of her own she was well qualified to conduct it in a capable manner. After reaching years of maturity, she was married, December 22, 1866, to Olaf Olson, a young man who had emigrated from Alfta, Sweden, with his parents in 1849. At the time of the Civil war he offered his services to the government, becoming a member of Company I, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of hostilities. Prior to going to war he had worked as a farm hand and soon after he returned home from the field of battle, he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres south of Bishop Hill. On this tract he and his bride began their domestic Hfe, and Mr. Olson cultivated the soil throughout his remaining years. He became quite successful and was numbered among the worthy Swedish-American citizens of Weller township. After a happy married life covering thirty-eight years, they were separated by the death of Mr. Olson, which occurred in April, 1904, when he was sixty-one years of age. Personally, Mr. Olson was quiet and unassuming in manner, preferring rather to spend his time at his own fireside than to mingle with the public. At his death he left to his family a good farming property, and more than that, he left an untarnished name.

Upon the death of the husband and father Mrs. Olson took up her above in Bishop Hill, where she occupies a nice home and is surrounded by many friends. She has one son and two daughters: Henry, who operates the home farm in Weller township, and who is mentioned on another page of this work; Emma, the wife of P. L. Johnson, who is engaged in the hardware business in Bishop Hill; and Jennie, the wife of E. L. Swanson, the efficient postmaster of this' village. Mrs. Olson has one sister, Ulrika, who wedded Olaf Nordstrum and makes her home in Burbank, Alabama.

As printed in History of Henry County, Illinois (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.