YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY MINNESOTA
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Submitted to the Minnesota Biographies Project by:
Name: LaNaye Hennen
Email: henfarms@clarkfield.ruralink.com
Date: 29 June 2000
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"A History of Yellow Medicine County" by Arthur P. Rose,published in 1914


ANDREW OLSON (1887)

Andrew Olson is the junior member of the firm of Johnson & Olson, dealers in
general merchandise, Echo.

He was born in Norway October 10, 1857.  He lived with his parents on a farm
until eighteen years of age, when he started for himself; for a number of
years he traveled over the country trading and buying country produce.  In
1887 he came to the United States, stopped a few weeks in Echo, visiting
acquaintances, and then went to Great Falls, Montana, where for the next six
years he worked as a carpenter for the Great Northern railway with a bridge
and depot building crew.

In company with Andrew Johnson, who later became his partner in business,
Mr. Olson returned to the old home in Norway for a visit.  Returning to the
United States, he and Mr. Johnson located in Echo, put up a building, and
engaged in the general merchandise business under the firm name of Johnson &
Olson.  The firm is the oldest in Echo and handles groceries, dry goods,
shoes, hats, furnishing goods, notions, etc.

Mr. Olson is a director in the First State Bank of Echo.  He has been on the
Republican county central committee the past half dozen years.  He owns a
good home.

Mr. Olson was married in Echo in September, 1893, to Bertha Saure, a native
of Norway.  They have three children: Laura, Bertina, and Palmer.

Andrew Olson is a son of Ole Skysted and Laurina (Froland) Skysted, natives
of Norway and both deceased.  There were seven children in the family, three
of whom are still living; Johanna, of Norway; Steffen (Mrs. Ole Kvestad), of
Yellow Medicine county; and the subject of this sketch.

Mr. Olson is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and of the A. O. U.
W. lodge.  In addition to his other enterprises, he is engaged in the
implement business with Philip Melcher as a member of the firm Melcher &
Olson.