Otto Theodore Olson was born October 13, 1876 to Lars Pella (4/06/1846 - 2/16/1898) and Karin Erickson (also spelled Carin or Caren) (7/09/1852 - 4/19/1939) Olson in Belle River Township, Douglas County Minnesota.

Lars Pella’s father was Olof Larsson (born 1819, died March 2, 1899 in Sweden) and his mother was Carin Persdotter (born in 1821, died in Douglas County about 1901). L.P. immigrated to Minnesota from Sweden in 1872, and his mother and sister, Anne Olsdotter, immigrated to Minnesota in 1879. Lars' other sister, Carin (aka Carrie) Olsdotter (born July 3, 1859) immigrated to Minnesota in 1882 and later married Simon Olson. It is believed that Carin and Simon did not have any children. Carrie and Simon lived in Belle River until 1901, then moved to Flaxton, DD.  Carrie returned to Alexandria in 1903 to seek treatment for diabetes.  She died in Alexandria November 21, 1903.  Simon died in North Dakota November 7, 1925.  L.P.’s father and siblings Olof (born June 20, 1856, who suffered from some type of mental health issues), Stina (nickname for Kristina who was born Nov. 29, 1850 and who moved to the Village of Risheden in 1881), and Brita Lisa (born June 25, 1848 who moved to the Village of Hammarsbyn in 1881 with her daughter Berta Karolina, born September 17, 1876) all remained in Sweden.  

A history of Karin’s family life in Sweden, immigration to Minnesota and settlement in Belle River Township was recorded in the book “Memories” written by Karin’s sister, Mrs. Per Olson that was printed in 1940. I have also included some of the information in the section on the Erickson Sibling History.

L.P. and Karin were married August 01, 1874 and farmed near the Ericksons. The homestead application for the L.P.’s first 80 acres of land is dated May 18, 1877, and an application for an additional 80 acres is dated December 14, 1878 (see Homestead Grant and Plat Maps sections). Pelle died February 16, 1898, and Karin died April 19, 1939. Both are buried in Fahlun Church Cemetery, rural Nelson, MN.

Children of Lars Pelle and Karin (Carin) Erickson Olson:

Otto Edward was born October 25,1874, and died July 7,1875 (cause of death list as a cold). Because Otto Edward’s name is not on the plat for the Fahlun Church Cemetery, we believe he was buried in the pioneer cemetery south of the Fahlun Church and that is marked by an obelisk

Otto Theodore (see information below).

Emil Olson born August 28, 1878 and died January 26, 1960. Emil was married to Anna Hedlof (1898 - 1976). They lived on the farm originally homesteaded by L.P. and Karin in Belle River Township. Both are buried at Fahlun Cemetery. Their children were Alvin, Rudolph, Edward, Raymond, Eunice, and Delores.

Caroline, born May 19, 1881, and died January 20, 1960 (known as Aunt Lena). She married John Wallace Thunberg (1/25/1879 - 8/23/1953) on December 18, 1907. Wally (aka Johan Vilhelm Valentin) immigrated to the U.S. with his parents as an infant. They lived in Troy, NY for a short time before moving to Nelson, MN. Wally and Caroline farmed near nelson, and they had four children: Lloyd, Raymond, Harold, and Morris. Both Caroline and Wally are buried at Fahlun Church Cemetery.

Emelie Olson, conflicting dates of birth have been found of both November 26, 1883 and December 5,1883. In the 1900 US Census, her birth month and year is listed as November 1883. Her name is recorded as Emily on her death certificate, and
is written as Inga in the Douglas County birth register. She was confirmed at Fahlun Lutheran Church June 22, 1904. Emelie died October 8, 1912 at the Fergus Falls Hospital of TB and gastric ulcer. She is buried at the Fahlun Cemetery. Emelie never married.

Zelma Wagner (courthouse records show Selma Marie) was born May 31, 1886, died February 3, 1982. Zelma married Samuel L. Wagner Sept 1926 at Ventura, California. Sam was born March 5, 1892 and died August 11, 1967. They lived for a time in Florida, then moved back to California where they lived until their deaths. They are buried at Live Oak Memorial Park, 200 E. Duarte Rd., Monrovia, California. Zelma and Sam did not have children.

Arthur Olson was born January 12, 1891, and died December 12, 1964, in Everett, Washington. Arthur married Lillian Sward of Nelson who was born May 1889 and died November 1965. Both Arthur and Lillian are buried in Everett, Washington. Their children were Arvilla, Wilford, and Sylvia.

Otto grew to manhood in Belle River Township and attended District 40 school in Belle River Township. He was baptized at Fahlun Lutheran Church and confirmed there in 1891. Otto was a member of Fahlun Church all of his life.

On December 13, 1899, Otto married Hanna Regina Bergstrom daughter of John and Christina (Hansdotter) Bergstrom. Otto and Hanna first lived on the farm of Otto’s parents, and later purchased the farm of Otto’s aunt and uncle, Sarah and Ole Hendrickson, which was about a mile or two south and west of Fahlun Church. Otto and Hanna had five children: Herbert Melvin, Agnes Irene, Lydia Virginia, Elsie Evelyn and Esthrie Ethelyn. (Information regarding their dates of birth, etc. are recorded in Hanna's history)

Otto and Hanna farmed grain and milked cows. Otto ran the threshing machine for neighbors during harvest time for many years. He also did some carpenter work and sawed wood for a other members of the community. He drove his team of horses on the saw rig regardless of the heat or cold. He would come home late in the evening in the cold and both he and the horses would be all white with frost, even Otto’s mustache and eyebrows. Otto served on the Fahlun Lutheran Church and local school boards for many years. He rented his farm out to his son, Herbert, from 1929 to April 1932, and later rented the farm to his son-in-law, Laurence Schelin, from 1942 until Laurence and Esthrie moved to California in March 1951.

Otto and Hanna lived some of the time in Minneapolis with their daughters Lydia and Elsie, later returning to the farm. Otto continued to live on the farm after Hanna’s death until about 1960 when sold his farm to daughter Agnes and her husband Albert Forsgren. Otto then made his home with daughter Elsie and her husband Roy Floding who had moved to Osakis, where they had a tavern. Otto passed away there August 13, 1961. He is buried in Fahlun Cemetery beside his wife, Hanna.

See also the Erickson sibling history for additional information regarding Karin and also the history of Hanna Bergstrom Olson for information about Otto and Hanna’s children.paragraph here.

L. Pella and Karin Olson with Otto.  Carrie (Mrs. Simon) Olson, sister of Pella, standing.  Photo taken about 1884.

Judy Alcott

The Life of Otto Theodore Olson

Father of Herbert Melvin Olson, grandfather of Judy Olson Alcott

Sibling Zelma Olson Wagner, date unknown

Otto and Hanna Olson farm, rural Nelson, MN

Otto Theodore - 1960

Left to right:  Siblings Otto, Emil, Lena (Caroline) Thunberg, and Arthur Olson