In examining the life record of Ole J. Olson, well known citizen of Greencastle township, Marshall county, we find many of the chracteristics of those successful and sterling men who have come to us from the frigid region of Norway, where his birth occurred on July 2, 1865. He is the son of John B. and Martha (Medhus) Olson, both born in Norway. They spent the early part of their lives there and emigrated to America, coming to Marshall county, Iowa, on July 17, 1867, taking up their residence at LeGrand, eastern part of LeGrand township, on a forty acre farm. This was added to from time to time until the elder Olson had an excellent farm of one hundred and twenty acres and he is now living retired in the town of Dunbar, having reached the ripe old age of seventy-seven years. His wife is sixty-six years of age. They became the parents of eight children, all still living but one. Politically, the elder Olson is a Republican and he is a member of the Friends church.

Ole J. Olson was educated in the public schools of his home land and he grew to maturity on a farm. He has engaged in farming all his life, and now owns a well improved place of eighty acres in Marshall county, and two hundred and forty acres in Edmonds county, South Dakota, also eighty acres in Arkansas county, Arkansas, all valuable land. He has made his home in Dunbar since 1891. He clerked in a store for eighteen months, later engaged in the grain, coal and live stock business for a period of seven years, during which time he built up an extensive trade. He then engaged in the mercantile business with equally gratifying results. In connection with his farming he keeps a fine herd of Holstein cattle. He has made all the improvements on his place. He has one of the most modern barns in the county - everything about his place, in fact, shows good management and thrift.

He is a stockholder and director in the Citizens' Savings Bank of Gilman and he is also one of the stockholders and directors in the Savings Bank at Dunbar. He was one of the organizers of the Dunbar Creamery Company, and he sold the land for the site of the plant of this company. He is a stockholder in the same and one of the principal factors in its success. Mr. Olson is secretary and manager of the Hawkeye Building Tube Company, of Dunbar, a corporation with a capital of ten thousand dollars, manufacturers of Hawkeye building tubes. In all lines of endeavor he has met with signal success, being a man of rare soundness of judgment and persistent in his application of right principles. He has done much for the general good and advancement of Greencastle township and he is eminently deserving of the high esteem in which he is held by everyone. He is a man who delights in promoting any good cause whatsoever. Politically, he is a Republican, and for four years he was township trustee, filling the office in a very worthy manner.

On January 24, 1894, Mr. Olson was united in marriage with Christina Harem, a native of Norway, having been born there in 1872. She is the daughter of Thomas and Gurene (Gendersen) Harem, both natives of Norway, from which country they emigrated to America, locating in Marshall county, Iowa. They are now both deceased. They became the parents of nine children, eight of whom are living. To Mr. and Mrs. Olson four children have been born, namely: May, John Leroy, Clifford and Vernon Raymond.