Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


GUS OLSON. � An exceptionally fine man as both citizen and neighbor 
is Gus Olson, who was born in Vermland, Sweden, in 1874, the son of a 
prosperous farmer, who is still living. His good wife was Mary Nelson before 
her marriage, and she became the mother of seven children, all of whom are 
living. Gus is the oldest of the family, and was brought up on a farm while 
he attended the public schools. At the age of nineteen he started for Cali- 
fornia and arrived at Eureka in 1893. where he was employed by Mr. Minor 
at lumbering on Mad River for a couple of years. In 1895 he came south 
to Fresno County and was busy for five seasons lumbering for the Sanger 
Lumber Company. In the summer-time he went to the woods, and in- the 
winters he worked on the ranches. For six years following he rented a 
vineyard north of Sanger. 

In 1905, Mr. Olson bought his present ranch. It consists of 100 acres at 
the corner of Braly and Olive Streets, and is one of the most desirable of 
local farm-properties. In 1907 he located on it and began improvements. 
Later he sold forty acres to his brother, and now he has sixty acres which 
he has developed into a choice tract. He set aside seventeen acres as a peach 
orchard, and has about forty acres in vineyard. He has peaches of several 
varieties, and Thompson, sultanas, muscats and malaga grapes. He also owns 
five acres of alfalfa south of Olive Avenue. He leveled the whole tract, it 
being quite a task as it was hog-wallow. It is under the Herndon canal but 
he has also installed a pumping-plant which affords him ample water for 
irrigation. In 1907 he erected a commodious residence, and his whole place 
shows the industry and thrift of the owner. He is a member and stockholder 
of the California Peach Growers, Inc., and also of the California Associated 
Raisin Company, having always favored cooperation. 

Mr. Olson was married at Fresno on December 22, 1906, to Miss Mary 
Nelson, a native of Vermland, Sweden, and who came to Fresno in 1905, 
and they have one child, Arthur. They are members of the Swedish Lutheran 
Church in Fresno, and Mr. Olson is a trustee in the congregation. He also 
belongs to Manzanita Camp, No. 160, Woodmen of the World, in Fresno. In 
national politics, Mr. Olson is a Republican, but he heartily supports all non- 
partisan endeavors for local improvement.