Bio for KELSEY, John Olif (b.1832 d.1912), Wright 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: Diane Hanson Submitted: April 2005 ========================================================================= HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY 412 John Olif Kelsey was born in Westmaland, Sweden, February 3, 1832. He came to America with his parents at the age of thirteen, and with them came directly west to Chicago, Ill. The father died six months after their arrival, and the mother died the following year of Asiatic cholera, thus leaving their three HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY 413 sons and one daughter orphaned at a tender age. John Olif was the oldest. It was indeed a dark day for the young boy, left in a strange country without relatives or money, and with three younger children to care for. But kind friends came to his assistance and homes were found for his sister and two brothers. Having acquired some knowledge of the shoemaking trade from his father, he found work as an apprentice to a Mr. Reed, in whose employ he remained for seven years. In June, 1853, he married Brita Johnson, who was born in Sweden, and came to America with her parents, three brothers and one sister in the year 1852. After their marriage they made their home in Illinois until the spring of 1858. Then they started for Minnesota, coming by a Mississippi river steamboat up the river from Galena to St. Paul, and there taking a smaller Minnesota river steamboat to Carver. Their destination was the banks of Clearwater lake, where Waconia is now located, some ten miles from Carver. There being no conveyance available, they left their heavier possessions, and with some light baggage started to walk. One of the two children was a baby and had to be carried. Following the blazed trail through the woods they arrived, toward evening, at the home of Mrs. Kelsey's brother, Jonas Johnson, a pioneer well known to the early settlers of Carver and Wright counties. At his log cabin the weary wanderers found a warm welcome. They lived on the present site of Waconia for five years. Mr. Kelsey erected the first frame house in the village, helped to clear up the townsite, and worked at his trade as a shoemaker. When he sold his town property he bought a yoke of oxen, a plow, a harrow and a wagon, and moved to a rented farm three miles west of Waconia. There they lived until 1866. Then he took up a homestead in section 22, Franklin township, Wright county. He built a log cabin, and on May 15 moved his family into it. The same year he cleared off the timber around the house, so as to let the sunshine in. These worthy people endured all the privations of pioneer life. Provisions being very expensive, the family subsisted mainly on potatoes and corn bread. But soon he was able to clear sufficient land to raise an ample supply of food and better circumstances prevailed. After the sons grew large enough to help they assisted in clearing up the farm and erecting good substantial buildings. They also bought the second steam threshing outfit brought to this part of Wright county and operated it for many years. The wife and mother died after a lingering illness, July 3, 1887, and the management of the farm was turned over to the sons, in whose hands it still remains. The father died on the old homestead July 17, 1912. The sons and daughters are all living. Joseph, the oldest, lives on the homestead and devotes his attention to farming. Edwin devotes his time to farming and dairying on his farm 414 HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY in section 15, town of Franklin. He was one of the organizers and first secretaries of the Delano Co-operative Creamery Association, one of the largest and best equipped creameries on the Great Northern railroad. He married Emma Kappe, and they have five children. Albert lives at home and owns a farm in Chatham township, this county. Kate, the only daughter, married Joseph Broberg, who owns a farm near Eagle Bend, Todd county, this state. They have five children. Ferdinand is a mechanical engineer and owns a residence in Park Falls, Wis. They have three children. Lawrence married Antonia Buch and has four children. He is a carpenter by occupation and owns a residence in St. Paul. Otto is a rural mail carrier and owns a residence in Delano. He married Ida Walgren and has four children. It is fitting that mention should here be made that the members of the family are sober and industrious and have always been ready to do their part in bringing about the better condition of the community in which they live. ========================================================================= Copyright Diane Hanson 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm =========================================================================