Biography of Eric R. Olsen

	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1898. Page 294.

	Scan and OCR by Joy Fisher, 1997. This file may be copied for non-profit 
	purposes. All other rights reserved. 

ERIC R. OLSEN is the oldest settler within the present city limits of 
Brookings, South Dakota. He was born near Bergen, Norway, February 22, 
1842, a son of Rognald and Martha Olsen. In 1867 our subject came to 
America, it requiring one month to sail from Bergen to Quebec. From 
there he went to Wisconsin where he was employed as a farm laborer one 
year at Sun Prairie, Dane county. The next year he went to Marquette 
township, Green Lake county, where he worked on a farm two years and 
then rented a farm for three years. In 1873 he came to South Dakota, 
driving with ox teams from Wisconsin, five weeks and three days en 
route. Here he filed a homestead claim on section 27, in the present 
city limits of Brookings. He lived in a dugout three years, and the 
nearest railroad station was at Marshall, Minnesota, sixty miles 
distant. His first winter's supply of flour was hauled from Madelia, 
Minnesota, one hundred and fifty miles away. He left Wisconsin with two 
yoke of oxen, a wagon, two cows and $100.00 in cash. The grasshoppers 
destroyed all of his first three years' crops, and he was obliged to go 
east and work to support his family which remained on the claim. After 
the ravages of the grasshoppers ceased he raised good crops and since 
has been quite prosperous. He now owns 482 acres of land, of which 300 
is under cultivation and the balance is in pasture and meadow, and is 
provided with good improvements, and ten acres of a fine grove of 
trees. Mr. Olsen gives much attention to the raising of stock and to 
dairying. He keeps eighteen head of horses and fifty head of cattle 
besides sheep and Poland-China swine. His herd consists of crossbred 
Shorthorns, Herefords and Galloways and he has a fine flock of sheep 
consisting of natives, Cotswolds, Merinos and Shropshire, and thinks 
the last named the most desirable breed for this country. He is also a 
stockholder in the Brookings Creamery and the Farmers' Shipping 
Association of Brookings. He has always taken a keen interest in the 
development of local affairs, especially educational, and was president 
of the first school board of Brookings. Politically he is a Republican.

	In 1866 Mr. Olsen was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Lardatta, also a 
native of Bergen, and their wedded life has been blessed by the presence of 
eight children, viz: Lars, a farmer in Brookings township, Robert, Martin, 
Edward, Mary, died December 26, 1896, at the age of twenty-seven years; Lizzie, 
wife of Andrew Wold, Brookings; Louise and Bessie. The family is connected with 
the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, of Brookings, and the children 
have received the advantages of a good education from their indulgent parents.