Biographies: Andrew OLSON, Chetek, Barron Co., 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: Victor Gulickson 29 June 1999 ==================================================================== Andrew Olson, for many years a business man of Chetek, and at one time proprietor of Hotel Douglas, in that city, was a successful man, conservative and solid in business, and his death was sincerely mourned. He was jovial and genial, he was friendly and sympathetic, he loved children and animals, and was especially fond of good horses. He was ever ready to do a kindly deed, and his benefactions were many. He was born in Trondhjem, Norway, Oct. 16, 1844, the son of Ole and Irene Olson, and was there reared and educated. As a young man he married. In the seventies he came to America and entered the employ of Knapp, Stout & Co., at Menomonie, Wis., alternating between their yards, sawmill and store. His wife died in Norway soon after he came here. His daughter, Gusta, preferred to stay in that country, but a son, Olaf, and a daughter, Martha, joined their father here. Olaf later went back to Norway again, but Martha remained here and married Jack Johnson, a farmer of Chetek Township. All three children are now dead. About 1882 Mr. Olson came to Chetek, and opened a place of refreshment which he conducted until 1910. He then conducted the Hotel Douglas, with the assistance of his wife, until his lamented death, Sept. 5, 1917. Mr. Olson was married in Chetek, June 12, 1883, to Bertha Kathrena Jensen, born in Denmark, June 28,1853, daughter of Nels and Mary (Peterson) Jensen, pioneers, who came to this county from Denmark in the seventies, and took a homestead of 160 acres of wild land at Moosear, Chetek Township, where they farmed for many years, until 1900 when they moved to the city of Chetek. The mother died and the father married again, He died at Nina, Winnebago County, this state, in 1917, and she died in 1920. Nels and Mary Jensen were the parents of five children. Sophia is now Mrs. J. Jarvis of California. Hans is operating a sawmill near Bloomer, Wis., and has a farm in Chetek Township. Minnie is dead. She was the wife of Fred Hanson, music dealer of Chetek. James is a carpenter in Minneapolis. Bertha Kathrena is the widow of Andrew Olson. Mrs. Olson proved a loyal helpmate and loving and understanding mother. She shared her husband's genial and helpful temperament, and has delighted in making her home a center of hospitality for her friends and her husband's friends, and for the friends of her children from early childhood up. She is a most estimable woman, and is highly regarded by all who knew her, as well as adored by her family. Mr. and Mrs. Olson had eight children: Elmer, Arden, Claude, Dewey Carlisle, Lucille, Violet and Rex Elmer, a veteran of the World War, was born in 1890, and is now manager of an automobile and concrete supply house in Superior, Wis. He married Lottie Gisin and has one son, William Leroy. Arden was born in 1895 and lives at home. Claude Douglas, a veteran of the World War, was born in 1897, and is manager for the Barron County Canning and Pickling Co. of Chetek. He married Margaret Thompson of Rice Lake. Dewey Carlisle was born in 1900. He has been employed on the Great takes, and is now a local restaurant man. Lucille was born in 1903 and is also employed in a restaurant. Violet, the youngest daughter, born in 1904, and Rex, the youngest of the family, a bright boy, born Jan. 3, 1907, are both doing well with their studies in the high school. Elmer Olson was inducted into the United States service at Superior, Wis., in June, 1918, and was first trained at Camp Grant, Illinois. Then he was sent to Camp Mills, New York, where he trained with the 332nd Machine Gun Battalion. He sailed for France, Sept. 12, 1918, and upon his arrival was assigned to reserve duty back of the first line trenches at various points. At Chaumont he was several weeks at General Pershing's headquarters. Upon his return to the states he reached New York Dec. 24, 1918, and was discharged at Camp Grant in January, 1919. Claude D. Olson was inducted into the United States service at Chetek, April 28, 1918, and was sent to Camp Grant, Illinois. From there, June 4, he was sent to Camp Mills, L.I., N. Y. June 13 he set sail from New York, joined a convoy at Halifax, N. S., reached England June 30, and France three days later. He was attached to the radio corps of the 89th Division. From July 13 to July 24, he was in the reserves in the third line. He took part in the St. Mihiel drive, and was gassed Sept. 4, being in a hospital from then until Feb. 1, with the exception of four days when he was out to participate in the Armistice Day celebration. He was then assigned to the Army of Occupation. May 16, 1919 he sailed from Brest, was detained for a while at Camp Upton, L.I., N.Y., and was discharged at Camp Grant, June 5, 1919. --Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co., 1922, pp. 958-959