History of Winnebago and Hancock Counties, Iowa - 1917

Winnebago County >> 1917 Index

History of Winnebago County and Hancock County Iowa
Vol. II Chicago: Pioneer Publishing Company, 1917

John Olson submitted by Gordon Felland

John Olson has since 1911 been cashier of the First National Bank of Forest City but for a much longer period has been identified with financial interests in Winnebago county and has been a close student of the grave and important financial problems of the day. He is actuated in all that he does by a spirit of enterprise and public opinion accords him place with tbe representative citizens of part of the state. He was born in Iowa county, Wisconsin, June 8, 1873, a son of 0. B. and Gunhild (Anderson) Olson, both of whom were natives of Norway but became residents of Wisconsin during their childhood days. At the time of the Civil war the father responded to the country's call for troops, going to the front with a Wisconsin regiment and thus aiding in defense of the Union. In 1880 he removed to Worth county, Iowa, where he purchased a farm, devoting the greater part of his life to general agricultural pursuits. He has now passed away, while his wife resides at Lake Mills, Iowa.

John Olson supplemented his public school education by three years' study in the Valder Business College at Decorah, Iowa, and on the 20th of July, 1896, arrived in Forest City, then a young man of twenty-three years. He became official stenographer with Judge C. H. Kelley, with whom he remained for a year, after which he spent a year as deputy county treasurer. Since then he has been closely identified with banking interests. He first entered the Winnebago County State Bank as cashier, in which capacity he served for a decade, after which he filled the office of state bank examiner for two years. On retiring from that position be entered the First National Bank of Forest City as cashier in 1911 and is the present incumbent in that office, contributing in large measure to the success of the institution by reason of his fidelity and thorough understanding of banking in all its various phases.

On the 16th of December, 1896, Mr. Olson was married to Miss Maude Cole, a daughter of A. T. and Phoebe Cole, who were pioneers of Winnebago County. They have four children, Vance, Ruth, Eunice and Mark. The son Vance, a senior in the Forest City high school, enlisted in the United States army in the signal corps May 7, 1917, at the age of nineteen.

Mr. Olson is very prominent in fraternal circles, holding membership in Truth Lodge, No. 213, A. F. & A. M., in Bethel Chapter, No. 116, R. A. M., of Garner; in Forest City Lodge, No. 440, I. 0. 0. F.; in Linwood Camp, No. 717, M. W. A.; in Forest City Homestead, No. 498, B. A. Y., and with the lodge of the Mystic Toilers, No. 132, of Forest City. He was national delegate to the Modern Woodmen Head Camps, held in Milwaukee, Wis., in 1905, in Peoria, Illinois, in 1908, in Buffalo, New York, in 1911, in Chicago, Illinois, in 1912 (special session) and in Chicago Illinois in 1917. He was also a delegate to the national convention of the Brotherhood of American Yeomen in Colorado Springs in 1905, in Minneapolis in 1909, in Oklahoma City in 1913 and in Detroit, Michigan, in 1917, and he is in thorough sympathy with the spirit of fraternity that underlies these organizations. Mr. Olson is also recognized as a prominent factor in political circles. A stalwart republican, he has been a member of the city council and also a member of the school board and he has done much to further the interests of his party as chairman and as secretary of the republican county central committee, while on four different occasions he has been a delegate to the republican state convention. His position is never an equivocal one. He stands loyally for what he believes to be the best interests of the community and his progressive spirit has carried him into important public relations.

K. G. Osheim submitted by Dick Barton

K. G. Osheim, who was prominently identified with the business life of Thompson as a member of the hardware firm of Jerde & Osheim, but is now living retired, was born in Norway, July 20, 1855. When two years old he was brought to America by his parents, Gunder and Bertha Osheim, who purchased a farm in Winneshiek county, Iowa. There the father engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death at the age of sixty-three years. He is buried in the Stavanger Church cemetery. Five children of the family of four sons and two daughters survive.

K. G. Osheim received a limited education in the district schools of Winneshiek county and subsequently spent several years working for his father, but when twenty-one years old rented a farm in that county. A year later he bought that place, which he operated until 1892, when he removed to Winnebago county and purchased a quarter section in Linden township, to which he added by purchase until his holdings comprised four hundred and eighty acres. In 1896 he gave up farm work, sold his land and became a member of the firm of Jerde & Osheim, dealers in hardware at Thompson. At length he bought out his partner and in association with his son Lawrence conducted business until 1910, when he disposed of his interests therein and retired from active life.

In 1876 Mr. Osheim was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Danielson, who passed away leaving two children: Lawrence, now a resident of Rosholt, South Dakota; and Julia, the wife of Lars Ritland, of Adams county, Iowa.

Mr. Osheim gives his support to the republican party but has not been very active in public affairs, preferring to concentrate his attention upon his business interests. He is a communicant of the Lutheran church and seeks to extend its influence and further its work. He early realized the fact that he must win for himself whatever success he gained and bent all his energy to making his way in the world. His industry, determination, and good management have been well rewarded, for he now has a competence that ensures him all the comforts of life.

JAMES J. OTIS submitted by Gordon Felland

James J. Otis, was for forty-nine years actively engaged in farming and stock raising in Forest township, Winnebago county, and, while now living retired, he still resides upon the old homestead where he devoted almost a half century to the work of tilling the soil. He has passed the eighty-third milestone on life's journey, his birth having occurred in the state of New York on the 17th of October, 1834, his parents being William H. and Lovina (Edmonds) Otis, who were also born in the Empire state. They removed to Illinois in 1836 and took up their abode at Chicago when it was but a trading post, the city not being incorporated until the following year. The most farsighted could not have dreamed that a great city of two million and a half population would there be found in less than three-quarters of a century. Both Mr. and Mrs. Otis continued to spend their remaining days in Cook county and there they reared their family of eight children, three of whom are now living.

James J. Otis spent the period of his boyhood and youth in Illinois and on attaining his majority went to Michigan, where he worked in a lumber mill until he was thirty years of age. He then removed to Floyd county, Iowa, where he resided for two and one-half years and during that period be engaged in farming. He became a resident of Winnebago county in 1868 and his first purchase of land covered one hundred and sixty acres on section 29, Forest township. His first house was a little slab shanty in which he lived for a year, but soon more modern improvements were added to the place. With characteristic energy he began to break the sod and till the fields and he now has a splendidly improved farm, having carefully and systematically cultivated his land until it is most productive. He afterward purchased more land and owned six hundred and forty acres, but later sold one hundred and sixty acres to his son, so that his present holdings comprise four hundred and eighty acres. In addition to cultivating the cereals best adapted to soil and climate he always gave much attention to raising and feeding stock and that branch of his business proved very profitable.

Mr. Otis has been married three times. He first wedded Calista Van Order and they became the parents of four children, but all have passed away. Following the death of his first wife he wedded her sister, Emeline Van Order, and to them were born the following children: Laura, deceased; George, a resident farmer of Winnebago county; William; Anna, the wife of William Simmons; Ella, the wife of William Welman; Jesse and Frank, who are engaged in farming; Maggie, deceased; Lydia, the wife of Irvin Ambrose; Fred, who is engaged in the jewelry business; and Jerome, who follows farming. The present wife of Mr. Otis was formerly Mrs. Anna Soals and she has two sons, Albert E. and John A., who are farmers of this county.

Politically Mr. Otis follows an independent course, voting for the man rather than for party. He has served as school director for twenty years and was trustee for seven years. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His has been an active and useful life. He has worked hard and made good use of his time and his opportunities. Thus as the years went by he accumulated a comfortable competence that now enables him to live retired, enjoying a well earned rest, his capital being sufficient to supply him with all of the necessities and comforts of life and some of its luxuries. He well deserves mention in connection with the -history of Winnebago county, where he has so long resided. Through almost a half century be has been a witness of the growth and progress of this section of the state and has lived to see it converted from a pioneer region into a populous and prosperous district. He has always delighted in its progress and has cooperated in many movements leading to its upbuilding.