Ole Kristian Olsen was born in Norway, probably near Nannestad on June 16, 1854.
He was a shoemaker ("Skomager") and is told that he traveled from farm to farm,
living at each place and making shoes for all the family from hides prepared on
that farm. Then on to the next farm. He no doubt was a farmer as well and
skilled at many trades. In a document date June 6 1883, which was probably
a passport application for his son Karl, it is clear that the surname was spelled
"OLSEN." Even so, Ole Kristian spelled the name sometimes with an "0".
He often used Krist or Christ as his first name. There is evidence that his
sister Mina and his brother Gustav used the letter "E".
living at each place and making shoes for all the family from hides prepared on
that farm. Then on to the next farm. He no doubt was a farmer as well and
skilled at many trades. In a document date June 6 1883, which was probably
a passport application for his son Karl, it is clear that the surname was spelled
"OLSEN." Even so, Ole Kristian spelled the name sometimes with an "0".
He often used Krist or Christ as his first name. There is evidence that his
sister Mina and his brother Gustav used the letter "E".
On January 2, 1874 he married Mina Kristine Olsdatter at Nannestad,
Norway.She was born January 6, 1855 at Hurdals, Norway. She was
confirmed in 1867.She spoke of a brother living in Iowa with the family
name of Gulbransen. So we may speculate that her father was Ole
Gulbransen. She also spoke of two other brothers, Gunvold Olsen
and Olaf Rustad. In the early days it was a common thing for
immigrants to change their names when coming to America.
Ole and Mina came to America in 1883. They came first to St. Ansgar,
Mitchell County, Iowa;then to High Lake Township, Emmet County, Iowa;
then to Graettinger, Palo Alto County, Iowa; then to Pequot, Crow Wing
County, Minnesota.
Mitchell County, Iowa;then to High Lake Township, Emmet County, Iowa;
then to Graettinger, Palo Alto County, Iowa; then to Pequot, Crow Wing
County, Minnesota.
Their children born in Norway:
1) Oscar Marinus whose wife's name is Hannah have at least two
1) Oscar Marinus whose wife's name is Hannah have at least two
children :Earl and Stella.
2) Karl Gustav (Gustav, Carl), born March 26, 1876 on a farm
called Bjerke Sogn near Nannestad. He married Britha Louise Christopher,
Oct. 5, 1898 and died August 9, 1931. They had nine children.
3) Hjalmer Laurentius (Elmer) came with the family in 1883 married Emma
Christensen
4) Inga Lydia, born June 28 1882. She was one year old in mid-Atlantic. She
married Carl Christopher, brother of Britha Louise Christopher. They had
eleven children. She died July 13, 1949 in Missoula, Montana ..
Christensen
4) Inga Lydia, born June 28 1882. She was one year old in mid-Atlantic. She
married Carl Christopher, brother of Britha Louise Christopher. They had
eleven children. She died July 13, 1949 in Missoula, Montana ..
Their children born in America:
5) Klara Naomi (Clara), born near St. Ansgar, Iowa. She married Everett
Evans in Minnesota and she died in Pine River, Minnesota. They had at least
six children some of who were raised in Pequot, Minnesota.
6) Ragna Marie (Mary), born at St. Ansgar, Iowa. She married Frank McCready
there and had three children. They moved to Canada where Frank died in 1918.
She remarried a man by the name of Artindale. He was killed but they had one
child, Lillian. All Lillian's children live in Canada. Mary died in a rest home near Calgary
in 1967.
7) John Alfred was born on the Gulbransen farm near St. Ansgar.
Ole's parents were said to be Ole Gulbransen and Berthe Maria Sonsdatter.
Ole had one brother, Gustav born Sept 7, 1844 and died August 21, 1911,
in Oslo, Norway. Gustav was a military man with the Norwegian Field Artillery.
He attained the rank of "Stukjunker and was awarded the "Oscar II" silver
medal in 1901. He is buried at Krist Kirkegaard in Oslo with military honors.
(This cemetery, in the heart of Oslo, has now been moved.) He was married,
but wife's name is unknown at this time. They had one son and three daughters.
One of these daughters had a son born in 1940 who served in the Norwegian
Air Force and a daughter born in 1942 who was an airline pilot.
Ole had one brother, Gustav born Sept 7, 1844 and died August 21, 1911,
in Oslo, Norway. Gustav was a military man with the Norwegian Field Artillery.
He attained the rank of "Stukjunker and was awarded the "Oscar II" silver
medal in 1901. He is buried at Krist Kirkegaard in Oslo with military honors.
(This cemetery, in the heart of Oslo, has now been moved.) He was married,
but wife's name is unknown at this time. They had one son and three daughters.
One of these daughters had a son born in 1940 who served in the Norwegian
Air Force and a daughter born in 1942 who was an airline pilot.
Ole had five sisters: Karen, Julie, Bergithe, Mathea and Mina.
Karen married Otto Solberg and they had two girls.
Julie died very young at Nannestad, Norway.
Julie died very young at Nannestad, Norway.
Bergithe married and had four children.
Mathea married and had one girl.
Mathea married and had one girl.
Mina was born in 1862 and died in 1947.
She never married but kept the family history
and kept the correspondence between the Olsens.
WATCH FOR A NEW BLOG ABOUT THE OLSENS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION
TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!
She never married but kept the family history
and kept the correspondence between the Olsens.
WATCH FOR A NEW BLOG ABOUT THE OLSENS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION
TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!
