Ole Anderson

As printed in 1910

OLE ANDERSON (1861). There arc only a few people living in Jackson county whose arrival antedates that of Ole Anderson, of.Jackson. For nearly fifty years he has lived in the county, playing a part in many of the events described in the historical section of this volume. More than any person living is he acquainted with the details of the early Norwegian settlement of Jackson county and the terrible times during and succeeding the Belmont massacre of 1862. He has always taken an interest in preserving the accounts of the early times, and except for his interest in the matter, much of historical interest contained in this volume must have remained unrecorded. It was largely through Mr. Anderson's persistence in demanding an appropriation from the Minnesota legislature that the handsome shaft in memory of the killed, in the Indian massacres has recently been erected in the village of Jackson.

Mr. Anderson was born in Norway June 11, 1852, the son of Anders Olson and Annie (Engebretson) Olson. When five years of age he came to America with his parents and located at Spring Grove, Houston county, Minnesota, where he lived until the spring of

1861. In the month of June of that year he arrived in Jackson county, the family having driven through by ox team. The head of the family preempted a claim on section 3, Des Moines township, and on that place the family lived until the following summer, Anders Olson having died there in April, 1862.

The Belmont massacre took place in August,

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After his marriage Mr. Anderson moved onto his mother's old claim, built a house on it and engaged in farming. There he remained until 18,S0, with the exception of eighteen months during the grasshopper times, when he lived in Capron, Boone county, Illinois. His health failed in 1880 and he v.as obliged to give up farm work. He then located in Lakefield, then just founded, where he resided two years. In 1882 he bought a farm on section

16, Des >comes township, where he engaged in farming until he was elected sheriff of.jackson county in 1892. Then he moved to Jackson, where he has since lived, having Ijcen engaged in several different business enterprises.

Anders Olson, the father of our subject, Avas a shoemaker in his native land. He came to Americu in 18.')7, lived in Houston county, Minnesota, until 1861, and then came to Jackson county. He enlisted in the Ainion army in 1861 and served until his death, which occurred in hospital at St. Louis, Missouri, in the spring of 1802. His widow remarried and lived in Jackson county until her death, which occurred in 1004 at the age of 84 years. There were four children in the family: Bertha, Christina, Bertha and Ole, of whom the first two named arc dead.

Mr. Anderson was married in Hdniout township.Tanuary 2., 1872, to Kli/.a Hanson, who was born in Boone county, Illinois, November

17, 1847. Her parents were Hans and Eliza 'Triam) Hanson, who were born in Norway and who came to America before their marriage and settled in the (then) village of Chicago. They were married in Chicago, later moved to Boone county, Illinois, where they died.

To Mr. end Mrs. Anderson have been born live children, all born in.Jackson county. They are: Ella (Mrs. C. A. Stromme), of Kenyon, Minnesota, born December 4, 1872; Hannah (Mrs. A. B. Krederiekson), of Balfour, North Dakota, born September 30, 1874; Hattie (Mrs. F. A. Brown), of Fairmont, Minnesota, born September 23, 1878; Wallace, who is married and a resident of Wilbur, Washington, born August 25, 1881; Pearl, who resides at home, born January 31. 1887.

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In the spring of 1861 Mr. Olson, in eompanj" with a colony of Norwegian settlers, came to.Jackson county, then very sparsely settled, and took a homestead in Belmont township. In the summer of 1861 he enlisted in Brackctt's battalion of the Second Minnesota and served in the army nine months.

He again took xip his residence in Belmont in 1802. only to be driven out in August by the Indians. He went lo,'spring Grove, Houston county. Minnesota, in 1863, was married there, and came back to his former home in Belmont in 1864, being with the first party to return to Jackson county after the massacre. Mr. Olson engaged in farming from that date until his death on April 27. 1007. During his long residence in the county he held several offices of trust, among them being county comniis-iiMicr and judge of the probate court.

Judge Olsiiii \\j> married at Spring tirove. Houston county, Minnesota, in 1863, to Bertha Olson. She died April 17. 1877, and in 188.* he married.Anna Minde. He was the father of ten children.

IIOCAN CIl.liERT (1804). There are very few residents of Jaekson county whose arrival antedates that of Hogan Gilbert, of Petersburg township, and perhaps none has lived upon his original land claim for a greater liiigth of time. For over forty-five years he has lived upon (he northeast quarter of section 34. which he took as a homestead claim during the civil war. He has witnessed the development of Jack.son co\inly as few other men have had an opportunity to.

Mr. Gilbert is a Norwegian by birth and was born February 6, 1838, in Hallingdal, aaly Prestegeld, the son of Gilbert and Bertha (Olson) Gilbert. He came to America in the spring of 18.52 at the age of fourteen years and after spending one year in Wisconsin, he moved west and became one of the very earliest pioneers of southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. He located in Martin county in 1853 and made his home there three years. He then located at Estherville, Iowa, where for some time he was a member of the Iowa home guards. He enlisted in the fall of 1862, immediately after the Belmont massacre, which occurred late in August, and for some time was with I he Iowa guards scouting the country up to the Minnesota line. His headquarters during this time was at Fort Defiance, at Estherville, Iowa. On the first day of June, 1864, Mr. Gilbert became a resident of Jackson county, taking a homestead claim on section 34, Petersburg, and on that farm he has ever since resided.

Mr. Gilbert owns 440 acres of land. He has stock in the Jackson Telephone company and in the Petersburg Creamery company. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

On September 27, 1869, Mr, Gilbert was united in marriage to Mary Olson and to them have been born five children: Gilbert H., Albert, Bertha, deceased: Esther and Louis.

mustered out of the service as major. Major Bailey took part in some of the important engagements of the civil war and in the Indian campaigns. He assisted in the trial of the four hundred Sioux at Mankato in 1862 and was present at the execution of the thirty-eight who were hung.

In 186.' after his discharge from the army, Major Bailey came to-Jackson county, where he resided until his death. Earlier in his career lie had assisted in the organization of Mower county, Minnesota, and when he came to.Jackson county, he, more prominently than any other, assisted in the reorganization of Jackson county. The first county election was held at his home, in his log cabin, near the village. In partnership with Welch Ashley he platted the town of Jackson and was active in the promotion of enterprises and the settlement of the county. Among the offices he held were county commissioner, court commissioner, superintendent of schools, member of the board of education and justice of the peace. Major Bailey died at Jackson April 20. 1901.

!Major Bailey was married at Bishford, Vermont, Marcii 10, 18.52, to Jane Wheeler. They had five children: Sidney, who died at the age of one year; Frank E., of Jackson; Wallace M., who died at the age of twenty-one; Freddie, who died at the age of eighteen; Brownie H. (Mrs. W. H. Dunstan), of Spokane, Washington.

As printed in An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.