BIOGRAPHIES: Louis E. OLESON, Rice Lake, Barron County, WI ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, 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. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Vic Gulickson 2 April 2001 ==================================================================== Louis E. Oleson, the efficient superintendent of the Barron County poor house, was born in Rose Hill, Chicago, June 9, 1863. The parents, Andrew and Mary Oleson, were natives of Norway, but were married in this country. The father was a painter by trade, but in the fall of 1873 came alone to Barron County, Wis., and homesteaded 160 acres in what is now section 34, Bear Lake Township. The land was all wild and without buildings, and his first task was to build a half-roof log house. He then began breaking his land, remained on the farm during the winter, and in March, 1874, was joined by his family, who made the trip from Baldwin, Wis., by team. On the way they met with an adventure, the team running away with Mrs. Oleson, who, however, escaped serious injury. Their early life on the farm was one of hard work and more or less privation, as they had no means. Soon also a great misfortune befell the family, as in the fall of 1875 the little son August, then five years old, was lost in the woods and never found, although a search, joined in by at least five hundred people, was kept up for weeks. After struggling along for two years, Andrew Oleson went in 1876 to St. Louis to take a job at which he could earn some money, leaving his family on the farm. But fortune was still unpropitious, for in the spring of the following year, 1877, he died in St. Louis at the age of 51 years. His widow was thus left with the four surviving children, the eldest, Louis E., being then under fourteen. The other survivors were Albert, Anna and Caroline. Mrs. Oleson survived all these misfortunes, and with the assistance of her son Louis, and occasional help from the neighbors managed to keep the farm going and bring up her children. She died at Stevens Point, Wis., in 1915 at the age of 71 years. All the children are living except the lost child August. Albert is now at Deer River, Minn. Anna is a school teacher at Stevens Point, Wis., and Caroline is a teacher in St. Paul. Both the daughters are unmarried. Louis E. Oleson's educational opportunities were confined to the district school and were very limited, as, after his father's death he was his mother's chief reliance, a trust which he faithfully fulfilled. He remained on the home farm until arriving at the age of twenty, and then went to work at lumbering. For 21 years he was in the employ of Knapp, Stout & Co., during the first seven years doing general work, and for 15 years holding the position of foreman. In 1887 he began farming for himself, buying 80 acres in Bear Lake Township, where he remained two years. In 1892 he sold that place and bought 80 acres in Rice Lake Township, which tract he began improving. Later he bought another 80 acres, and about 1897 still another tract of the same size, all adjacent, which gave him a farm of 240 acres on which he erected a fair set of buildings, besides clearing and developing his land. There he remained until the fall of 1917, when he moved to Rice Lake city, being engaged to patrol the state trunk line including a territory about Rice and Long Lakes of twelve miles. He was thus engaged until the fall of 1918, when he was appointed to his present position as superintendent of the Barron County poor farm, one in which he has made a good and satisfactory record. In l9l7 Mr.Oleson sold his Rice Lake farm. While living there he served two years on the town board, and was also for seven years town assessor. Politically he is a Republican, though reserving his right to vote for the fittest candidate irrespective of party. Mr. Oleson was married April 10, 1887, to Jennie M., daughter of Halvor and Oleana Knutson, of Colfax, Wis. She was born in Norway July 14, 1865, and was two years old when she came to America with her parents in 1867. They were very poor and settled on government land, living in a log house, and the father grubbing for others to get a start. Of the ten children in the family seven are now living. Mr. Knutson, who was finally successful, died in December, 1907, and was survived by his wife, who is now 81 years old and a resident of Rice Lake. Mr. and Mrs. Louis E. Oleson have had nine children, their record in brief being as follows: William L., born Feb. 15, 1888, at Colfax, Wis., and now residing at Rice Lake, was married June 30, 1920, to Anna M. Schultz of Cumberland Township. Florence M., born April 19, 1890, is the wife of Ole Holder of Rice Lake and has three children, Ruby, Aura and Orville. Clarence A., born May 17, 1893, is a telephone lineman living at Rice Lake. Percy R., born Feb. 13, 1896, died Dec. 17, 1915. Chester O., born Sept. 16, 1899, is with his father on the county farm. He was married Feb. 9, 1920, to Evelyn Miller, daughter of Peter and Carrie Miller of Rice Lake. Hazel L., a twin sister of Chester, is the wife of William Behrens of Rice Lake and has one child, Jeanette. Gladys M. and Elsie I., twins, were born Aug. 14, 1903, and are now residing at home, as also is Norman W., born March 3, 1917. The record of the Oleson family is one of interest as showing how a prosperous station in life may be won in spite of humble beginnings and early misfortunes through industry, perseverance and self-reliance. --Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co., 1922, pp. 110-111.