Ole Osmundson
OSMUNDSON, JOHNSON, ANDERSON, CLARK, BRENTNER
Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 5/5/2007 at 16:07:31
Among the substantial citizens of Lake Mills, Iowa, is numbered Ole Osmundson, who has taken a very active and prominent part in public affairs. He was born in Waupaca county, Wisconsin, on the 30th of August, 1867, and is a son of Erick and Thorvor (Johnson) Osmundson. The parents came to this country from Norway and first located in Wisconsin, near Stevens Point, where the father followed farming for a time. Later they made their home near Mount Horeb and in 1873 came to Winnebago county, Iowa. The father purchased a farm in Linden township and operated the same until his death in 1879. The mother died in 1884 and both were laid to rest in a cemetery in that township. In their family were eight children, six of whom survive, namely: J. 0., whose sketch appears on another page of this volume; Ole, of this review; Henry, a resident of Walters, Minnesota; Mrs. Susan Clark, of Pasadena, California; and Mabel, the wife of Hal Brentner, of San Diego, California.
Ole Osmundson was only three years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Winnebago county, Iowa. For a few years the family made their home in Mount Valley township but later removed to Linden township, where he received a limited education in the district schools. On putting aside his textbooks at the age of fifteen years he began work as a farm hand and was thus employed in this locality until he attained the age of twenty. During the following five years he spent much of his time upon the Pacific coast, working in various places, and then returned to Winnebago county, taking up his abode in Lake Mills. For two years he conducted a meat market and then turned his attention to the livery business, in which he was engaged for five years. On selling his livery stable he began dealing in real estate, which business claimed his attention for several years. In the meantime, however, he served as sheriff of Winnebago county. In 1906 he was appointed to that position to fill out an unexpired term and the following year was elected for a two years' term. So acceptably did he fill the office that he was reelected, serving in all five years. At the expiration of that time he returned to Lake Mills and resumed business as a real estate dealer.
In April, 1892, Mr. Osmundson was united in marriage to Miss Emma Anderson, a daughter of John A. and Betsy (Berdahl) Anderson, who were early settlers of Center township, Winnebago county, but both are now deceased, their remains being interred in the Forest City cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Osmundson have one child, Edna 0., at home.
The family occupy a nice home in Lake Mills, and besides this property Mr. Osmundson also owns the northeast quarter of section 19, Newton township. Success has come to him through untiring industry and good management of his affairs and he is now one of the substantial citizens of his town. In politics he is a stanch republican and has always exerted considerable influence in political affairs and has been honored with a number of official positions of trust and responsibility. For several terms he has served on the city council in Lake Mills and also filled the office of county supervisor for four years besides serving as sheriff of the county. He is a public-spirited and progressive citizen and never withholds his support from any enterprise which he believes will promote the general welfare.
~Source: History of Winnebago and Hancock Counties, Iowa, Vol. II, 1917, page 503.
___________________________________________~photo added 11/18/2009, contributed by Ken Moen
~source of photo: Leibrand, Whiteis Private Collection
~Ole Osmundson is the man on the right
Winnebago Biographies maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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