Gust Olson

OLSON, ANDERSON, PARSON, HEDBERG, NORDHOLM, LINGREN, APPELHOLM, JOHNSON, OTT, WILL

Posted By: Tamara (email)
Date: 10/15/2010 at 20:48:22

From the History of Boxholm and Grant Township in Boone County, Iowa, 1986, by David C. Peterson, pp. 261-262:

Carl Gustaf Olson was born in Hulterstad parish, Oland, Kalmarlan, Sweden on Oct. 29, 1867, one of nine children born to Olaus Anderson (1829-1908) and his wife Helena Marie (Parson) Anderson (1837-1900). The parents were natives of Sweden and immigrated to this country in 1891, coming directly to Grant Township where their children (of whom seven lived to adulthood) were already settled. Both are buried in Prairie Lawn Cemetery east of Boxholm.
Gust Olson was reared and educated in his native land and immigrated to this country in 1886, coming directly to Grant Township, Boone County, Iowa. Shortly after his arrival, he settled on an 80-acre farm in Section 21 (S1/2 of SW1/4). This farm was later purchased by Mr. Olson on Feb. 3, 1894 for $2,625.
Here in Grant Township Mr. Olson met and married Miss Anna Christine Hedberg on Sept. 20, 1894. She was born in Norlan, Sweden on July 25, 1867, one of 10 children born to John Hedberg (1832-1899) and his wife Cathrina (Nordholm) Hedberg (1830-1892). She came to this country in the fall of 1891 with her parents. The mother died the following spring and the father lived out his life on the C.J. Lingren farm (Mrs. C.J. Lindgren and Mrs. Gust Olson were sisters.) Both are buried in Prairie Lawn Cemetery east of Boxholm in unmarked graves on the John Appelholm lot. (John Appelholm's first wife was also a sister.)
To Mr. and Mrs. Olson were born 10 children: Frank Wallace (1895-1918), Mrs. Gunnard (Dora) Johnson (1896-1958), Mrs. Emery (Medella) Ott (1898-1902), Mrs. Clarence (Edla) Will (1899-1891), Carl Raymond (b-1901), Rudolph Erick "Rudy" (b-1903), Mrs. Shelby (Delia) Will (b-ab. 1905), Leonard (1906-1985), Russell (1912-1983), and a daughter that died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Olson's oldest son died of pneumonia while enroute to France during World War I. Mr. and Mrs. Olson were members of the Boxholm Methodist Church, he joining on Oct. 13, 1889 and she joining in 1895, shortly after their marriage.
Mr. Olson was engaged in farming all his life. Besides his home place 80, he also purchased 80 acres in Section 10 (S1/2 of NE1/4) in February of 1917. Mr. Olson died on June 8, 1922, aged 54 years and Mrs. Olson died on April 30, 1931, aged 63 years. Both are buried in Prairie Lawn Cemetery east of Boxholm. The home place farm is currently owned and occupied by a son, Rudy Olson, who is the only survivor of his immediate family and their only descendant still residing within Grant Township. The present house he occupies was built in 1908.