Martin A. Olson is another
of the sterling citizens who has found in his native
county ample scope for successful achievement in
connection with the great basic industry of
agriculture, and he is one of the substantial and
progressive farmers of Wagner township, with secure
standing as one of the loyal and public-spirited
citizens of the county in which he was born and
reared and in which he stands as a popular
representative of an honored pioneer family.
Mr. Olson was born in Wagner
township, this county, on the 15th of October, 1878,
and is a son of Aslak and Gro Olson, both natives of
Norway. Aslak Olson was reared to manhood in his
native land and upon coming to the United States he
numbered himself among the pioneers of Iowa. In the
early '60s he settled near Postville, Clayton county,
where he continued his activities as a pioneer farmer
until about 1870, when he purchased and removed to a
farm in Section 34, Wagner township, where he gained
large and worthy success as one of the resourceful
and energetic farmers of the county and where he
continued to reside until his death, which occurred
in 1895. His widow survived him by a score of years
and was a venerable and loved pioneer woman of
Clayton county at the time of her death, on the 4th
of October, 1915. Of the children of this honored
pioneer couple the eldest is Sigre, who is the wife
of E. T. Sensegard, of Wagner township; Ole and Nels
A. are representative farmers of that township; Lars
is a resident of Decorah, Winneshiek county; Albert
maintains his home at Forest City, Winnebago county;
Martin, of this review, was the next in order of
birth; Julia is the wife of T. T. Loftogard, of
Marion township, this county; and Oscar is a
prosperous farmer in Wagner township. By a former
marriage Aslak Olson became the father of three
children—Gulik, who is now a resident of North
Dakota; and Astria and Sigre, who are deceased.
Martin A. Olson found the
period of his childhood and youth compassed by the
benignant influences and discipline of the home farm,
and his early educational advantages were those
afforded in the public schools of the locality and
period. While still a boy he began to give effective
assistance in the work of the home farm, and thus it
is but natural that he should have developed into one
of the most practical and resourceful of exponents of
agricultural industry in his native county. After the
death of his honored father he assumed charge of the
home farm, which he rented from his widowed mother
for one year. He then went to North Dakota and
entered claim to a homestead, to the improvement of
which he gave his attention for one year. He then
returned to Clayton county and again rented the old
homestead farm, in connection with which he also took
charge of an additional tract of one hundred and
sixty acres, which he had purchased prior to going to
North Dakota. His own farm, which is eligibly
situated in Section 26, Wagner township, is about one
mile distant from St. Olaf, which is his postoffice
address, and in 1914 he removed from his father's old
homestead to his own farm, upon which he had erected
an excellent modern house of two stories, besides
having made other improvements of the best order. He
devotes his attention successfully to diversified
agriculture and stock-growing, and has become known
also as somewhat of a specialist in the raising of
bees, as a practical and enthusiastic apiarist.
On the 4th of September,
1912, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Olson to
Miss Mabel Nestevy, who was born in the State of
Minnesota, and the three children of this union are:
Melvin Arthur, who was born August 17, 1913; Adella
Marguerite, who was born October 11, 1914, and Joel
Joseph, the baby, who was born April 30, 1916. Both
Mr. Olson and his wife are strict members of the
International Bible Association.
source: History of
Clayton County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical
Times Down to the Present; by Realto E. Price,
Vol. II; pg. 308-309
-OCR scanned by S. Ferrall
