Oscar L. Olson

Oscar L. Olson was born December 2, 1889 in a rude sod shanty on a farm on the NW corner of Section 12, Addie Township.  His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert P. Olson.  Oscar was the oldest of their four children when his mother passed away.  He was taken to a close-by neighbor, Mr. and Mrs. John Paulson, and had over two miles to a schoolhouse with no roads or paths to follow.  School terms were from four to six months, mostly in the fall and winter months.

When Mr. Olson was eighteen years old he decided to get some more education.  He went to St. Olaf College in 1909 - 1910 and next year to Aaker Business College at Fargo, North Dakota, and later to Minnesota College at Minneapolis, in 1914 -1915.

Mr. Olson was married June 16, 1915 to Mabel Olsen at Warren, North Dakota.  she passed away suddenly in 1937.  He was left with a daughter, Eunice Stella Olson.  She was married to Elmer R. Johnson.  He passed away in 1966.  Surviving was his wife, Eunice and son, Eldred Johnson and two grandchildren.  Eldred is Oscar's only grandson, and his children are Oscar's only great -grandchildren.  Eunice remarried Steve Kluzak, and they all live at Bemidji, Minnesota

Mr. Olson was a confirmed member of West Prairie Church, was its secretary for some years and also a trustee with C. P. Dahl and Harris Aslakson until the fall of 1942 when he moved to Portland, Oregon where he worked at the Kaiser Swan Island Shipyard, and 15 years at Esco Corporation.

Oscar Olson was Township clerk and treasurer for Addie Township and a member of the school board for many years.  He also served as a Committeeman for the Griggs County Agricultural  Adjustment Administration.

In 1912 Mr. Olson was the first owner of an automobile in Addie Township, a Studebaker Flanders Twenty Runabout.

Indians traveled on an old road called Government road about one mile west of his home place, between Section 2 and 3.  He saw them many times traveling in long caravans.  Many times they stopped and came over to their house and asked for something to eat and to reload their muzzle-loaders.  They camped at Sibley and Jessie lakes before going north.  In 1900 when Binford was started they changed their routes.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 page 187