Biographies from The History of Columbia County,
Wisconsin, 1880 


Contributed by Carol carolann612@charter.net
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm


From The History of Columbia County, Wisconsin, 1880,
publ. by Western Historical Company, Chicago, Page
999-1000

OLSON & LARSON, manufactures of and dealers in boots
and shoes, hides, leather, etc., etc., Rio; they keep
a varied assortment in stock, and they do a square
business, as their patrons can testify.  M. D. OLSON
was born in Bergen-Stift, Norway; is the son of Ole
OLSON and Sygnelde (JOHANNESSON); was born March 3,
1849; came here in April 1871; lived in the town of
Leeds three years; worked for A. JONES three years;
then worked for John PETERSON four years, and then
bought him out; went into partnership two years ago
with Peter LARSON, who was born Aug. 10, 1842, at same
place, as partner, son of Lars Asb JURNSON, of
Stenchjem, where his father died in 1849; his mother
is now at Otsego, Wis., wife of J. JOHNSON; he came to
America in 1873, and worked for John PETERSON until he
went into partnership in 1878; married at his
birthplace May 3, 1865, to Ingeri PEDERSON, and had
eight children - Martha, born Jan. 8, 1866; Lewis,
born Sept. 29, 1867; Peter, born Sept. 30, 1869;
Andrew, born Dec. 15, 1871; Edward, born June 26,
1874; Emma, born Oct. 8, 1875; John, born July 20,
1877; Anna Maria, born April 23, 1879.  Mr. LARSON'
wife was born July 12, 1841.  Both members of the firm
are Republican, and members of the Lutheran Church.

GEORGE ORMSBEE, farmer, Sec. 3, P.O. Doylestown; 160
acres in Secs. 2 and 3; born Jan. 15, 1829, in the
town of Windham, Greene Co., N.Y.; came to Wisconsin
twenty-four years ago, and to this town in 1870.  Was
married June 6, 1849, at Lexington, N.Y., by Rev.
William GOULD (Methodist), to Harriet HOSFORD,
daughter of William and Lucia (OSBORN) HOSFORD; they
have had five children - Lafayette W., born Feb. 28,
1850, married to Christina PALMER, now in Smith Co.,
Kan.; Marion, born Dec. 18, 1851; married Mattie SAGE,
and living in Smith Co., Kan.; Buel S., born Oct. 4,
1853 - in Smith Co., Kan., unmarried; Brazilla B.,
born Oct. 4, 1855, died Sept. 12, 1874; Myron H., born
Dec. 10, 1857, married to Abigail PARSMEAU, who was
born in Carleton, Kenauwee Co., Wis., March 4, 1862.
Mr. ORMSBEE has a good farm, and wants to sell it and
go West to join his children.  Brazilla B. was killed
by the accidental discharge of his gun, he having
carried it along, as usual, to shoot squirrels while
driving the cows from pasture, and left it at the
fence while milking, which being done, he attempted to
pull it through the fence, when the hammer caught,
shooting him in the neck, causing instant death by
severing the jugular vein.

ROSWELL PALMER, farmer, Sec. 5; P.O. Rio; born Jan.
18, 1821, in Lysander, Onondaga Co., N.Y.; son of
Oliver S. and Chlore (PALMER) PALMER, who were from
Greene Co., N.Y., came to Wisconsin May 29, 1842, and
settled in Lisbon, Waukesha Co., then came here; was
married Sept. 4, 1847, in Waukesha (then Milwaukee
Co.), Wis., by Elder Timothy PALMER, his uncle, to
Loretta M. PEASE, who was born Aug. 8, 1827, daughter
of Samuel and Olivia PEASE; her mother was a widow and
married Mr. PHILLIPS; Mrs. PALMER died Oct. 30, 1878.
They have had four children - Frances O., born Oct. 8,
1848, wife of James C. STEWART, of Lowville, and has
one child; C. Elmira, born July 15, 1851, (died April
23, 1871, wife of C. T. JOBBINS; Clara Nell S., born
Dec. 19, 1854, wife of C. T. JOBBINS (husband of
deceased sister), married June 29, 1873, has three
children, viz., George R., born June 22, 1874,
Clifford L., born Feb. 21, 1877, Loretta E., born Nov.
17, 1879, now on farm; James R., born Sept. 8, 1863,
died Nov. 17, 1864.  Mr. PALMER has been Supervisor
and Chairman, and five years a Justice; is a member of
the Baptist Church, as are also his two daughter, he
being Deacon; he is a Republican in politics, and
Anti-Mason; he owns 120 acres of land.

M. D. PARSNEAU, farmer, Sec. 24; 100 acres; P.O.
Doylestown; born in Vermont, Aug. 22, 1828, son of
Gilbert and Mary (LEGISA) PARSNEAU, of Canada; came to
Fall River twenty-seven years ago, and after two years
went to Kewaunee, Mich., where he remained twenty
years; during the Peshtigo fire he lost most of his
effects, and came near losing their lives; he returned
to Fall River, then to Doylestown two years, and then
to this farm.  Was married Oct. 4, 1853, in Jefferson
Co., N.Y., by Rev. John THOMAS, Rev. H. CORBIN
assisting, to Judith A., daughter of Seneca and
Abigail (BROWN) WARNER, from Aldburg, Vt.; they have
had eight children - Alfred W., born July 23, 1854;
Nelson G., born May 22, 1856; Mary A., born June 27,
1858; Harriet J., born July 18, 1860; Abigail E., born
March 4, 1862, married to Myron ORMSBY, Sec. 3 (see
George Ormsby, Springvale); George M., born Oct. 16,
1863; Nettie Bell, born Aug 11, 1865; Alpheus S., born
Dec. 7, 1869.  Mr. PARSNEAU is a Republican in
politics and a Methodist.  He had two brothers, Jehial
and William V., and several nephews were in the army.
Mr. P.'s father was in the war of 1812, and was in
jail in Montreal, sentenced to be hung, when peace was
declared, and he was exchanged.  Mr. P. had three
brothers-in-law in the army.

Submitted by Carol