Bio of BRUCE, Olof Ludwig (b.1873), Hennepin Co., MN
=========================================================================
USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information
on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities,
as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is
obtained from the contributor of the file.
These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or
presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to
use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written
consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter,
and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent.

If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives 
Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm
Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find 
the submitter information or other files for this county.
FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives

Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Laura Pruden
Submitted: June 2003
=========================================================================
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
========================================================
EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
========================================================

OLOF LUDWIG BRUCE - Vol II, pg 708-711
The legal profession of Minneapolis is proud to number among its representative
members Olof Ludwig Bruce, who was born in Vermland, Sweden, on the 23d of
March, 1873, and came to Minneapolis when he was nineteen years old. His parents
were Lars H. and Anna Bruce. The father was a descendant of Finlanders who
emigrated to Sweden during the reign of Charles XII, while the mother was a
member of a Scotch family and the only child of Olof Bruce. Some of her
ancestors held seats in the Riksdag for years and others held positions of honor
and trust in Sweden. These ancestors were owners of the mines and smelters at
Langbanshyttan, Vermland. On the maternal side there were also professional
warriors and military men. Carl Roos, a cousin of the maternal grandfather, Olof
Bruce, was a trained soldier and an officer in the Swedish army. He came to
America prior to the Civil war and upon the outbreak of that conflict, at the
age of fifty-nine years, he rallied to the defense of the Union and enlisted in
Company D, Third Minnesota Regiment. He served from the beginning of the war
until near the end, when he was given an honorable discharge, his health being
completely broken by the many hardships and the exposure which he endured. He
kept a very complete and neat diary of his experiences throughout the period of
his service and this diary is well preserved and in the possession of a son,
Carl Roos, who is still residing on the old homestead at Vasa, Minnesota. Lars
H. Rruce engaged in agricultural pursuits in Sweden and was for years
"Namdeman"- a representative of his district in a judicial capacity, as a sort
of associate Judge. His home was located in the picturesque and beautiful Upper
Vermland and he and his wife were honored and respected in the community in
which they reared their children.
In the acquirement of his early education Olof Ludwig Bruce attended the schools
of his native country, completing his public school course at the age of
thirteen. He then read for the ministry until the customary requirements for a
religious education were fulfilled. About that time great numbers of his
fellow-countrymen were emigrating to America and by the time his father had
died, in 1887, the four older children of the iamily had come to this country
and won a place for themselves in their new homeland. Some five years later Mrs.
Bruce brought the five younger children to America to join the other members of
the family, who had located in Minneapolis. Olof L. Bruce, who was still anxious
to further his education, at once enrolled in the Northwestern Collegiate &
Business Institute, later becoming a member of its board of trustees. After
studying there for three years he entered the Minneapolis Academy, taking a full
course and graduating with the class of 1901. While at the academy he proved a
brilliant student and won several honors, among them a gold medal in oratory and
debate. He entered the legal department of the University of Minnesota, where,
after completing the regular law course, he took up postgraduate work, receiving
the degree of Master of Laws in 1905. While finishing his course at the State
University, Mr. Bruce was also acting as general manager of the Minneapolis
Weekly, a religious and political paper of this city. After receiving his degree
he resigned his position with the paper and began the active practice of law. He
has since practiced here, always independently, and he enjoys an extensive and
lucrative clientele. His practice is not confined to Minneapolis alone for he is
often called to handle litigation in other cities throughout the state. Mr.
Bruce has achieved gratify­ing success, and he occupies a prominent position
among the attorneys at the Minne­apolis bar.
In 1909 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Bruce to Miss Esther M. Wallgren, a
daughter of Rev. Erik Wallgren of Chicago. Their children are: Robert W., born
September 26, 1910; Laura Vivian, born February 21, 1913; and Margaret Esther,
born June 8, 1917. Mrs. Bruce is a woman of much culture and refinement and
previous to her marriage won a reputation as a pianist of considerable talent.
Since taking up her residence here she has been prominent in the club and social
circles of this city.
The political endorsement of Mr. Bruce is given to the republican party, but he
supports the right man in preference to party. He belongs to the Tabernacle
church and for a number of years he was a member of the board of trustees. For
some years he was president of the Young People's Society and superintendent of
the Sunday school and he was one of the prime factors in the organization of the
Young People's Covenant of the Northwest. He was one of the officers in that
organization until other duties made it impossible for him to devote any time
thereto. He has likewise been president of the Scandinavian Union Mission of
Minneapolis, of which he was one of the founders. He is now one of the trustees
of Minnehaha Academy of this city. Mr. Bruce is essentially a public-spirited
man and his aid may always be counted upon in the furtherance of any movement
for the development and improve­ment of the general welfare. To that end he
holds membership in the Civic & Commerce Association and is identified with
other organizations which tend to promote good city government. In coming to the
new world Mr. Bruce has found the opportunity for which he sought and he is
sincerely devoted to the interests of his native land. During the World war he
gave of his time and money without reservation" and was prominent in all drives.