History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Olson, Albert E. a former resident of Tomahawk, for many years engaged in railroad construction work, was born in Trondjhem, Norway, Dec. 17, 1848, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ole ALBERTSON, the parents being farmers by occupation who spent their lives in their native land. Albert E. had but a limited schooling. He remained at home until reaching his majority and then, in 1869, came to the United States, locating in Sioux City, Iowa, where he lived for two years employed in railroad construction work. He then went to Texas to engage in the same kind of work, and from there came to Wisconsin the year before the Wisconsin Valley Railway was built from Tomah to Wausau. During the building of that road he occupied the position of grade foreman, when the "Valley Road," (now the C. M. & St. P.) was extended north from Tomahawk to Star Lake, he worked during the summer as grading boss and during the winters as section boss on the line south of Tomahawk. It was in 1887 that he moved with his family to Tomahawk. Mr. OLSON continued in the harness until a week before his death. The last call was sudden and unexpected; while at the C. M. & St. P. depot in Tomahawk he was stricken with paralysis, from which attack there was no recovery, and thus another good and worthy citizen passed to his reward. Mr. OLSON married Elizabeth M. PHILLIPS, who was born in the township of Arthur, Ontario, May 8, 1858, daughter of John and Margaret (FINUCANE) PHILLIPS. The parents were natives of Ireland who had settled in that township on emigrating to America and who later moved with their children to Grand Rapids, (now Wisconsin Rapids), Wis. To Mr. and Mrs. Albert E. OLSON were born five children: Margaret, Feb. 20, 1878, at Grand Rapids; Albert E., Jr., Nov. 29, 1881; Otto G., April 29, 1884; Herbert L., March 15, 1890, and Ruth E., Nov. 15, 1895. Margaret is now Mrs. Hiram R. RAYMOND of Antigo, Wis., and has two children; Cecelia B., born Feb. 22, 1880, and Frances Rae, born Dec. 12, 1880. Albert E., Jr., died in Tomahawk Sept. 14, 1905. He was in the grocery business here and had been married Sept. 12, 1904 to Mary BOURCIER of Tomahawk, who subsequently remarried. Otto G. married Ruth TREAT of Tomah, in which place they reside, he being a conductor on the C. M. & St. P. Railway and also proprietor of a posting service at Tomahawk, called the Olson Posting Service. Herbert L. was in the United States' service from April, 1917, to May, 1919, and in the World War was a member of the Rainbow Division, in the 166th Infantry. He enlisted at Toledo, Ohio, was first assigned to guard duty at the bridge at Bowerstown, Ohio. There he was transferred to the 42d Division and was sent to Camp Perry, Ohio, and in September to Hoboken, N. J., whence he sailed for France, being landed at Brest Oct. 17, 1917. He was with the first American troops to to into action under General Pershing, was gassed twice and was wounded by schrapnel, two fingers on his left hand being disabled. He returned to his country in May, 1919, and is now living in Chicago. Ruth E. OLSON was married Feb. 4, 1920 to Lloyd F. KOTH of Tomahawk. She is a graduate of the Tomahawk High School class of 1913, subsequently took a commerical course in Ashland, Wis., and was there for two years in the employ of the Tomahawk Shoe Co. as stenographer. After that she was employed for three and a half years in the office of the Bradley Company. She and her husband are the parents of two children, Lloyd, Jr., born Nov. 7, 1920, and Robert A., born Sept. 26, 1922. The Koths live with Mrs. KOTH'S mother at No. 118 Lincoln Avenue, Tomahawk. The Olson family are members of St. Mary's Catholic congregation. Mr. OLSON, the subject of this sketch, was, however, reared a Lutheran. He was for 46 years a faithful and valued employee of the C. M. & St. P. Railway, and when he passed away he left his widow the comfortable home which she now inhabits.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 554-555, History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others 1924, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co

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