BIO: Emil OLSON, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 871 & 872.
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  EMIL OLSON, who is a very popular citizen of Winburne, Pa., to which place he 
came early in its settlement, conducts a custom coal mine and is one of the 
representative business men.  He was born October 19, 1865, in Warmland, Sweden, 
and is a son of John and Kate Olson.  Both parents are now deceased, the mother 
dying when Emil was only three years old.  He has one brother and one sister:  
Olof, who is a captain in the Swedish army; and Christiana, who is the wife of 
John Nordstrom, a baker by trade, and lives in Sweden.
  Emil Olson was fourteen years old when he accompanied his father, in 1879, to 
America.  They went to McIntyre, Lycoming county, Pa., where both found work in 
the coal mines.  In 1883 the father returned to Sweden and he remained in his 
native land until his death in 1904.  In the year in which his father went back 
to Sweden, Emil Olson left McIntyre and located at Peale, in Cooper township, 
Clearfield county, where he aided in opening up to coal mines before the 
railroad had been built that far.  From Peale, in 1885, he went to Morrisdale, 
where he secured employment with the Morrisdale Coal Company and worked for them 
until 1889, when he came to Winburne.  Here he was employed by the Somerville 
Coal Company with which he continued until 1907, when he embarked in the 
wholesale beer business and conducted it at Winburne until June 13, 1910, when 
he sold it and purchased the custom mine which he has conducted ever since, 
having a large domestic coal trade.  He also does general hauling.
  On September 1, 1887, Mr. Olson was married to Miss Ida Watkins, a daughter of 
B. Franklin and Rebecca (McCartney) Watkins.  Both parents of Mrs. Olson were 
born in Center county, Pa.  For many years B. F. Watkins was engaged in the 
timber business in Center county.  He came to Morris township, Clearfield 
county, in December, 1873.  For five years he was in the hotel business at 
Morrisdale.  He died April 12, 1888, at the age of fifty years and ten months.  
His parents, Alexander and Jane Watkins, were old residents of Center county, 
and his mother was in her ninety-fifth year at time of death.  The mother of 
Mrs. Olson was a daughter of Thomas and Rachel McCartney.  Her death occurred in 
1892, at the age of fifty-seven years and five months.  They had ten children, 
Mrs. Olson being the youngest born.
  To Mr. and Mrs. Olson eight children have been born, all residing at home, a 
happy, united family, namely:  Clara May, Easton, Edward Livingston, Reba, 
Bertha, Alice, Ross and Richard Gordon.  In politics, Mr. Olson is a Democrat 
and he has served in the offices of inspector and judge of elections.  He has 
seen this place develop from almost a wilderness, heavy timber covering almost 
the entire country when he first came here, the town having then not more than a 
half dozen houses, one store and a saw mill.  He attended night school which was 
conducted by John Somerville, who made no charge for his service and is 
remembered with a great deal of respect by Mr. Olson and many others.
  Mr. Olson is a member of the United Mine Workers of America and was the first 
president of Winburne Local.  He belongs also to Winburne Lodge, No. 61, Odd 
Fellows; Philipsburg Lodge, No. 123, Moose, and belongs additionally to the 
Scandanavian Brotherhood.  With his family he is connected with the Presbyterian 
church.