OLSON, John 1839-1925

OLSON, OLSEN, OLESON GUTTORMSDATTER, PETERSON, JOHNSON

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 3/3/2015 at 13:38:12

John Olson (Johan Olsen or Oleson) was born July 3, 1839 (one source says 1840) at Malmo, Sweden to Ole Peterson and Karen Johnson. Believe he had 2 siblings who also emigrated to America:
Johan Olson (Olsen, Oleson) (born 1842 Malmo, Sweden, died June 9, 1935 at Osage, Mitchell, Iowa) and

Inger (b March 19, 1848 Malmo, Sweden, married Ole Pedersen Fjelde November 10, 1880 at St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa, died October 4, 1938 Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa).

John Olson emigrated to America about 1872 - 1875 (conflicting dates found) and may have first lived around Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Found in the 1880 census living at Rock, Mitchell, Iowa:
1880: Johan Oleson age 30, farmer, born in Sweden; John Oleson age 32, farmer, born in Sweden, brother to Johan; sister Inger age 24, born in Sweden, keeping house.

John married Gubjorg Guttormsdatter (b February 28, 1857 Gran, Hadeland, Norway, d March 29, 1939 Osage, Mitchell, Iowa) on November 25, 1882 at the First Lutheran Church, St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa.

The couple had 4 children who were all born at Rock Township, Mitchell County, Iowa:
Caroline (b September 2, 1883, d July 8, 1973 Mitchell Co, Iowa);

Gustav (b September 19, 1896, d October 20, 1946 Mason City, Cerro Gordo, Iowa);

Olga Johanna (b February 26, 1895, d March 24, 1995 Osage, Mitchell, Iowa) and

Julius Gerhard (b September 29, 1898, d December 30, 1991 Mitchell Co, Iowa).

Family found in the 1885 to 1920 censuses living at Rock, Mitchell, Iowa:
1885: John Olson age 34, farmer, born in Sweden; Julia Olson age 27, born in Norway; Caroline age 1, born in Iowa; Johan Olson age 32, single, brother to head of household, born in Sweden. Farm is in Township 98 - Range 18 - Section 34.

1900: John Olson born July 1840, age 59, male, married 19 years, 4 children, all living. Emigrated 1875. Farmer. Wife Julia, born February 1858 Iowa, age 42; daughter Caroline born September 1882 Iowa, age 17, single; son Gustav born September 1885 Iowa, age 14 single; daughter Olga born February 1895 Iowa, age 5, single; son Julius born September 1898 Iowa, age 1; brother of John, Johan born September 1841 Sweden, age 58, farmer.

1910: John Olson 70, Gulbjorg Guttormsdatter Anderson Olson 50, Olga Olson 16, Julius Olson 12, Johan Olson 68. Says emigrated 1875.

1915: John Olson age 76. Says he is Lutheran and has been in the US for 43 years (emigrated 1872?)

1920: John Olson age 80, emigrated 1873, naturalized in 1880. Born in Sweden; wife Julie age 63 born in Norway, emigrated 1873; son Julius G age 21, born in Iowa, farmer; daughter Olga age 24 born in Iowa, single; brother Johan age 77 born in Sweden, emigrated 1870.

Found in the 1925 census at Osage, Mitchell, Iowa: Johan Olson 68, Julia Olson 68, Johnson Olson 82.

John Olson died July 18, 1925 at Osage, Mitchell, Iowa and is buried at Rock Creek Lutheran Church Cemetery, Meroa, Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa.

There is a memorial for him at Find a Grave #99561429 with 2 photos.

(Contributor's note: Researching this family was hard due to the brothers having the same name and living together their entire lives. Found different spellings of their first and last names as well as different emigration dates and birth dates given between censuses. Not 100% sure what is correct but believe John Olson born in 1839 is the married brother and Johan Olson born 1842 is the single brother.)