Biography of Ole Didrikson, 1902, Baker Co. Oregon: Surnames: Didrikson, Kreston ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access and not to be removed separately without written permission. ************************************************************************ Transcribed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: W. David Samuelsen - November 2001 ************************************************************************ An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, pub. 1902 by Western Historical Pub. Co. of Chicago. page 328 Ole Didrikson Born in Denmark, to Nelson and Coskasine (Kreston) Didrikson, natives of that kingdom, and passing their entire lives near Kolden, our subject early learned the thrifty ways of the people of his country, and was engaged variously, from 1843, seven years after his birth, until 1864, the time of his advent into the United States. Driving stage, farming, serving as soldier, and other occupations kept him busy until the last date mentioned. His first night in this country was spent in Castle Garden, and the next day he was the subject of some very shrewd tricks on the part of the United States recruiting officers, who sought for two weeks to entrap him into enlisting in the army. Finally the consul of his native land was called in and he was sent on his way to Wisconsin, his journey's destination. By some mishap he was switched onto the wrong train, and was fast being carried to the seat of war but was enabled finally to get transferred to a train going to Oshkosh. At one dinner stop the accustomed hurry of a late train was interfering with dinner, when our subject seized a roast chicken, some bread and other things from the table and made the train, amid the merriment of the passengers and the discomfiture of the host. For a few years Mr. Didrikson was employed on a farm, in the woods on Lake Superior, in Chicago, in Minnesota, and finally, in 1868, crossed the plains with ox teams. His same adventurous spirit led the way to the mines at Helena, on Peace river, event o Lawson, Alaska, then to Walla Walla, afterward to Colorado, and then to Baker county, with a bunch of stock. While on this last trip he was so taken with the view of the Pine valley as seen from the tops of the mountains that he immediately came thither and secured a homestead, only two families being the valley at the time. Quietly and industriously pursuing the life of the agriculturist and stockman, he passed the intervening years on this ranch, until the present, but now he has sold and gain is embarking in mining near the Iron Dyck, on Snake river. His properties are rich in copper. The life of Mr. Didrikson has always been that of the celibate, he preferring the freedom of that career to the cares of domesticity.