Anders Olson

OLSON, ANDERSON, NILSON, BENGTSON, BODIN, APPELHOLM, WOLF

Posted By: Tamara (email)
Date: 10/15/2010 at 20:15:13

From the History of Boxholm and Grant Township in Boone County, Iowa, 1986, by David C. Peterson, p. 259:

Anders Olson (1832-1925)
Anders Olson was born in Kolo socken, Varmland, Sweden on Sept. 5, 1932, the son of Olof Anderson (b-1806) and his wife Marit Nilson (1804-1890). The father disappeared in 1861 and was never head of again. Anderson Olson was raised and educated in his native land and was there married on March 25, 1865 to Miss Martha Bengtson. She was born in Alga, Varmland, Sweden on Feb. 3, 1837, one of four children born to Bengt Nilsson (1800-1865) and his wife Ingeborg Nilsson (1800-1876). The father died in Sweden and the mother came to this country at a later date and is buried in an unmarked grave in the Scandinavian Cemetery two and one-half miles north of Boxholm, IA.
Mr. and Mrs. Olson and their family immigrated to this country in the fall of 1876, settling at first in Clarion, Iowa, but coming to Grant Township, Boone County, Iowa in the spring of 1877. He settled on a 40-acre tract of land in Section 15 (SE1/4 of SW1/4) which he eventually purchased on Feb. 25, 1886. He also bought 40 more acres in Section 15 (NE1/4 of SE1/4) on Dec. 13, 1888. Mr. Olson was engaged in the farming of this land for the rest of his life.
To Mr. and Mrs. Olson were born five children, four in Sweden and one on their homestead here in Grant Township. They were: Olof (1865-1956), Mrs. F. Albert (Christine) Bodin (1870-1961), Axel (1872-1931), Mrs. John (Mary) Appelholm (1874-1959), and Mrs. Charles B. (Annie L.) Anderson (1878-1959). Mr. and Mrs. Olson were members of the Lutheran Church in Sweden, but later joined the Boxholm Methodist Church on Aug. 21, 1887. The original church building was located just across the road from their pioneer residence (which no longer stands).
Mrs. Olson died on Feb. 11, 1890 at the relatively early age of 53 years. She was originally buried in Union Cemetery southeast of Boxholm, but was exhumed and reburied in Prairie Lawn Cemetery east of town on June 10, 1891. Mrs. Olson was a sister to Anders and Nils Bengtson and also to Mrs. Gustaf (Karwin) Hall, all formerly of Grant Township. Mr. Olson continued to live on his home place until about 1922 when he went to live with his son, Olof. Anders Olson died on March 23, 1925, aged 92 years and was the oldest citizen of Grant Township at the time of his death. His 80-acre farm changed hands several times over the yeras and is currently owned by Bob Petty. The only descendant of theirs still residing within Grant Township is a great grand-daughter, Mrs. Bruce (Velma) Wolf.