Olmsted County MINNESOTA Biographies.....Ole Stevenson January 1 1833 - 
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File contributed for Minnesota Biographies Project by:
Mike Oiseth MOISETH@mn.rr.com March 10, 2005, 10:53 am

Author: Joseph Leonard, History of Olmsted County, Minnesota

OLE STEVENSON, deceased, was born in Norway on January 1, 1833. Together
with his parents he came to America and in 1844 located in La Salle
county, Illinois. In 1849 he went to California in company with a
caravan of Illinois men to seek gold. They crossed the plains with ox
teams and were six months in making the trip. They were in almost
constant danger from Indian attacks and thrilling adventures were of
almost daily occurrence. They finally reached the Sacramento valley,
which was their destination. Mr. Stevenson remained there four years.
Upon his return he took a vessel at San Francisco, sailed to the
Isthmus of Panama, crossed that fever-stricken neck of land on foot, and
then sailed to New York city and came West to his Illinois home. In 1856
Ole Stevenson came to Olmsted county, Minnesota, and, pre-empting 160
acres from the government in section twenty-nine, Salem township, built
him a cabin and began clearing and improving the land. The date of his
location here was two years after the first settlement was made in the
township, at a time when everything was wild and unimproved. Mr.
Stevenson was one of the best men in Salem township. He worked hard
that he might establish a home for himself, wife and children, and in
all his actions he was regarded as a good neighbor, honest in all his
dealings, charitable and a conscientious, God-fearing man. He was one of
the organizers of St. Olaf's church, of which he continued a member
until his death in 1873. In the year 1856 he was united in marriage with
Esther Saettre, whose parents were among the pioneers of this locality
and appropriate mention of whom is included in this publication. To
their union these children were born: Severt, in March, 1858; Anna, in
January, 1860; Louis, in June, 1862, now married and the father of three
children; Inger, in 1865; Martha, in July, 1868, now Mrs. Benedict, of
Stewartville, and the mother of four children; and Olena, born in 1872
and died in infancy. The old home farm of 240 acres is now, as it always
has been, in the possession of the family. Inheriting the integrity,
thrift and economical traits of their parents, the children of Mr. and
Mrs. Stevenson have prospered and are a credit to Olmsted county.

Additional Comments:
Joseph Leonard, History of Olmsted County, Minnesota: together with sketches of many
of its pioneers, 
citizens, families, and institutions. Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association,
1910.

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