Charles Oscar Olson was born November 1, 1876 in Lake City, MN to Erick and Netta (Olson) Olson. It would appear his family moved to Zumbrota, Red Wing, and then Duluth, MN. He went to school in Duluth. He never went to high school. He first managed a store in Duluth, which he helped build with his father. When the Spanish American War broke out, he enlisted in the army as a sergeant on April 28, 1898 in Duluth, MN. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Co. C, 14th MN Infantry on September 1, 1898, and served until November 18, 1898, when he was mustered out in St. Paul, MN. While he was in the army, he was engaged in an expedition against the Leech Lake Indians at Bemidji, MN from October 10 to 22, 1898. When he was on his way to Cuba, they pulled his tooth without Novocaine. He didn't get to Cuba before the war was over. While he was gone on military service, he lost his store in Duluth, MN.
It appears that he met Olga Alice Wallgren while they were both in Duluth, MN. After he left the army, he moved to Sturgeon Lake, MN. He ran his own store in Sturgeon Lake in 1900. He then moved to the Cunningham store in 1909.
He married Olga Alice Wallgren on August 8, 1900, at the home of his father in Island Lake, MN. Information on his father says the family moved to Willow River in 1906, but he must have been in the area before that. He and Olga rented a house for a short time and then moved into their own family home, which was built by his father, who was a carpenter. That house was owned by Alice Olson after Olga had to leave the house and go to a nursing home. After Alice's death, the house was sold and moved to 68513 Old Highway 61. Lillian remembers that there was a wooden sidewalk in front of their house that they used to go to the store, Post Office, etc. Charles planted a pretty hedge close to the sidewalk.
Charles and Olga had 9 children, 8 of whom lived to adulthood. All were born at home without a doctor or midwife.
Charles helped organize the fire department for Sturgeon Lake, MN in 1901 and served as its first fire chief. He held the position until his son Earl took over in 1922.
Charles was the Sturgeon Lake postmaster for 34 years and also owned and operated the Olson Mercantile Store. He was instrumental in the establishing of Rural Free Delivery in the Sturgeon Lake area. It was largely through his efforts and leadership that approval for the service was obtained. Postal Department regulations required a route had to be a minimum of 24 miles in length and the domicile of 100 or more persons. Roads were required to be passable throughout the year and all fordable streams bridged. On the first inspection they were not, but Mr. Olson went to work, immediately without pay and improved the roads of the suggested route. When the inspector returned in the fall of the year, he was so impressed that he approved Route No. 1. Route No. 2 was approved later.
Charles had been in the mercantile business since he came to Sturgeon Lake, first with the Cunningham Mercantile. Then he started his own business on April 1, 1930 in partnership with sons Glenn and Earl. They also owned and operated a feed mill in conjunction with the mercantile store. He was active in the mercantile business until about 2 weeks before his death.
Charles was a member of Solomon's Lodge No. 286 AF & AM of Moose Lake, was a member of the Modern Woodman of America Lodge, and served as voluntary member of the Pine County draft board for 7 years. He continued to meet with the members of Co. C., 14th MN Infantry on a regular basis.
Charles died on December 18, 1959 at the age of 83 at the Moose Lake Hospital after a short illness. He was buried at the Sturgeon Lake Village Cemetery next to his infant son, George. Later, his wife Olga and daughter Alice were buried there and his son Earl and his wife Violet were buried nearby.
It appears that he met Olga Alice Wallgren while they were both in Duluth, MN. After he left the army, he moved to Sturgeon Lake, MN. He ran his own store in Sturgeon Lake in 1900. He then moved to the Cunningham store in 1909.
He married Olga Alice Wallgren on August 8, 1900, at the home of his father in Island Lake, MN. Information on his father says the family moved to Willow River in 1906, but he must have been in the area before that. He and Olga rented a house for a short time and then moved into their own family home, which was built by his father, who was a carpenter. That house was owned by Alice Olson after Olga had to leave the house and go to a nursing home. After Alice's death, the house was sold and moved to 68513 Old Highway 61. Lillian remembers that there was a wooden sidewalk in front of their house that they used to go to the store, Post Office, etc. Charles planted a pretty hedge close to the sidewalk.
Charles and Olga had 9 children, 8 of whom lived to adulthood. All were born at home without a doctor or midwife.
Charles helped organize the fire department for Sturgeon Lake, MN in 1901 and served as its first fire chief. He held the position until his son Earl took over in 1922.
Charles was the Sturgeon Lake postmaster for 34 years and also owned and operated the Olson Mercantile Store. He was instrumental in the establishing of Rural Free Delivery in the Sturgeon Lake area. It was largely through his efforts and leadership that approval for the service was obtained. Postal Department regulations required a route had to be a minimum of 24 miles in length and the domicile of 100 or more persons. Roads were required to be passable throughout the year and all fordable streams bridged. On the first inspection they were not, but Mr. Olson went to work, immediately without pay and improved the roads of the suggested route. When the inspector returned in the fall of the year, he was so impressed that he approved Route No. 1. Route No. 2 was approved later.
Charles had been in the mercantile business since he came to Sturgeon Lake, first with the Cunningham Mercantile. Then he started his own business on April 1, 1930 in partnership with sons Glenn and Earl. They also owned and operated a feed mill in conjunction with the mercantile store. He was active in the mercantile business until about 2 weeks before his death.
Charles was a member of Solomon's Lodge No. 286 AF & AM of Moose Lake, was a member of the Modern Woodman of America Lodge, and served as voluntary member of the Pine County draft board for 7 years. He continued to meet with the members of Co. C., 14th MN Infantry on a regular basis.
Charles died on December 18, 1959 at the age of 83 at the Moose Lake Hospital after a short illness. He was buried at the Sturgeon Lake Village Cemetery next to his infant son, George. Later, his wife Olga and daughter Alice were buried there and his son Earl and his wife Violet were buried nearby.
Charles Oscar Olson was born November 1, 1876 in Lake City, MN to Erick and Netta (Olson) Olson. It would appear his family moved to Zumbrota, Red Wing, and then Duluth, MN. He went to school in Duluth. He never went to high school. He first managed a store in Duluth, which he helped build with his father. When the Spanish American War broke out, he enlisted in the army as a sergeant on April 28, 1898 in Duluth, MN. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Co. C, 14th MN Infantry on September 1, 1898, and served until November 18, 1898, when he was mustered out in St. Paul, MN. While he was in the army, he was engaged in an expedition against the Leech Lake Indians at Bemidji, MN from October 10 to 22, 1898. When he was on his way to Cuba, they pulled his tooth without Novocaine. He didn't get to Cuba before the war was over. While he was gone on military service, he lost his store in Duluth, MN.
It appears that he met Olga Alice Wallgren while they were both in Duluth, MN. After he left the army, he moved to Sturgeon Lake, MN. He ran his own store in Sturgeon Lake in 1900. He then moved to the Cunningham store in 1909.
He married Olga Alice Wallgren on August 8, 1900, at the home of his father in Island Lake, MN. Information on his father says the family moved to Willow River in 1906, but he must have been in the area before that. He and Olga rented a house for a short time and then moved into their own family home, which was built by his father, who was a carpenter. That house was owned by Alice Olson after Olga had to leave the house and go to a nursing home. After Alice's death, the house was sold and moved to 68513 Old Highway 61. Lillian remembers that there was a wooden sidewalk in front of their house that they used to go to the store, Post Office, etc. Charles planted a pretty hedge close to the sidewalk.
Charles and Olga had 9 children, 8 of whom lived to adulthood. All were born at home without a doctor or midwife.
Charles helped organize the fire department for Sturgeon Lake, MN in 1901 and served as its first fire chief. He held the position until his son Earl took over in 1922.
Charles was the Sturgeon Lake postmaster for 34 years and also owned and operated the Olson Mercantile Store. He was instrumental in the establishing of Rural Free Delivery in the Sturgeon Lake area. It was largely through his efforts and leadership that approval for the service was obtained. Postal Department regulations required a route had to be a minimum of 24 miles in length and the domicile of 100 or more persons. Roads were required to be passable throughout the year and all fordable streams bridged. On the first inspection they were not, but Mr. Olson went to work, immediately without pay and improved the roads of the suggested route. When the inspector returned in the fall of the year, he was so impressed that he approved Route No. 1. Route No. 2 was approved later.
Charles had been in the mercantile business since he came to Sturgeon Lake, first with the Cunningham Mercantile. Then he started his own business on April 1, 1930 in partnership with sons Glenn and Earl. They also owned and operated a feed mill in conjunction with the mercantile store. He was active in the mercantile business until about 2 weeks before his death.
Charles was a member of Solomon's Lodge No. 286 AF & AM of Moose Lake, was a member of the Modern Woodman of America Lodge, and served as voluntary member of the Pine County draft board for 7 years. He continued to meet with the members of Co. C., 14th MN Infantry on a regular basis.
Charles died on December 18, 1959 at the age of 83 at the Moose Lake Hospital after a short illness. He was buried at the Sturgeon Lake Village Cemetery next to his infant son, George. Later, his wife Olga and daughter Alice were buried there and his son Earl and his wife Violet were buried nearby.
It appears that he met Olga Alice Wallgren while they were both in Duluth, MN. After he left the army, he moved to Sturgeon Lake, MN. He ran his own store in Sturgeon Lake in 1900. He then moved to the Cunningham store in 1909.
He married Olga Alice Wallgren on August 8, 1900, at the home of his father in Island Lake, MN. Information on his father says the family moved to Willow River in 1906, but he must have been in the area before that. He and Olga rented a house for a short time and then moved into their own family home, which was built by his father, who was a carpenter. That house was owned by Alice Olson after Olga had to leave the house and go to a nursing home. After Alice's death, the house was sold and moved to 68513 Old Highway 61. Lillian remembers that there was a wooden sidewalk in front of their house that they used to go to the store, Post Office, etc. Charles planted a pretty hedge close to the sidewalk.
Charles and Olga had 9 children, 8 of whom lived to adulthood. All were born at home without a doctor or midwife.
Charles helped organize the fire department for Sturgeon Lake, MN in 1901 and served as its first fire chief. He held the position until his son Earl took over in 1922.
Charles was the Sturgeon Lake postmaster for 34 years and also owned and operated the Olson Mercantile Store. He was instrumental in the establishing of Rural Free Delivery in the Sturgeon Lake area. It was largely through his efforts and leadership that approval for the service was obtained. Postal Department regulations required a route had to be a minimum of 24 miles in length and the domicile of 100 or more persons. Roads were required to be passable throughout the year and all fordable streams bridged. On the first inspection they were not, but Mr. Olson went to work, immediately without pay and improved the roads of the suggested route. When the inspector returned in the fall of the year, he was so impressed that he approved Route No. 1. Route No. 2 was approved later.
Charles had been in the mercantile business since he came to Sturgeon Lake, first with the Cunningham Mercantile. Then he started his own business on April 1, 1930 in partnership with sons Glenn and Earl. They also owned and operated a feed mill in conjunction with the mercantile store. He was active in the mercantile business until about 2 weeks before his death.
Charles was a member of Solomon's Lodge No. 286 AF & AM of Moose Lake, was a member of the Modern Woodman of America Lodge, and served as voluntary member of the Pine County draft board for 7 years. He continued to meet with the members of Co. C., 14th MN Infantry on a regular basis.
Charles died on December 18, 1959 at the age of 83 at the Moose Lake Hospital after a short illness. He was buried at the Sturgeon Lake Village Cemetery next to his infant son, George. Later, his wife Olga and daughter Alice were buried there and his son Earl and his wife Violet were buried nearby.
Inscription
MN 2 LT, Co C MN INF Spanish American War
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
