Oscar was the owner of Packaged Furniture and Carpet Co., of St. Paul, Minnesota, approximately 49 years. He sold the business in October 1985.

Oscar was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Swen Holmen in Glenfield, North Dakota, along with eight brothers and sisters. His father, Swen, was a railroad section foreman.

After graduating from high school in 1933, he hitchhiked to Fargo and enlisted in the Army. After his discharge in 1936, he got a job shoveling coal at a St. Paul company that sold packaged fuel - large, paper-wrapped blocks of coal that sold seven for $1.00. Each block would burn up to three hours in a stove or furnace.

After rising to foreman and manager, he was drafted in 1944, and served in the Philippines during World War II. After the war he bought the company but saw it threatened by the growth of natural gas. So he began selling used appliances, then used carpet and finally new carpet and furniture. At its peak his company operated 10 stores, all in the Twin City area.

Oscar made his own commercials for his business and he appeared in them on television and became well known in the Twin City area. As was stated above, he sold his business in 1985, and lives in St. Paul at the present time.

  - Taken from the Minneapolis Star and Tribune.

Severe Droughts: 1886; 1889-1890, grain didn't germinate throughout the state; 1891; 1900, poor crop; 1901, fair crop; 1910, poorest crop of early years.

Source:  Glenfield History 1886 – 1987 Page 169