My Genealogy Hound

ANDREAS OLESON is next to the oldest settler now living on “the divide” in Phelps county. He was born in Sweden, June 24, 1842, and his parents, Ole and Anna Oleson, were both natives also of that country, the former being born in the year 1814, and the latter a year later. These were the parents of eleven children, five boys and six girls. Andreas was reared in his native place and lived there to the age of twenty-eight. He received a good common-school education and spent his youth working on his father’s farm, and during the winter months in the copper mines near by. He came to America in June, 1870, and lived successively in Houston county, Minn.; Trumbull county, Wis., and Delta county, Mich., working on a farm, in the pineries and along Lake Superior in the copper furnaces. He came to Nebraska in June, 1876, and settled in Phelps county, taking a homestead in section 4, township 6, and range 14 west, where he still lives. The country was wild and unsettled and bore but little resemblance to what it is now. Mr. Oleson began active operations as a Nebraska farmer by erecting a sod house, 14 by 22, breaking out some land and making other improvements. He had the usual amount of hardships, but has succeeded through all and is now recognized as one of the most prosperous farmers of his locality. He married, April 14, 1870, Miss Sarah Erickson, who is a native of Sweden, and was born in 1842. To this union have been born nine children, only two of whom are now living. These are Emily, born February 10, 1883, and Willie, born March 16, 1885. Mr. and Mrs. Oleson are both members of the Lutheran church.