Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-Jonas Olson
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
JONAS OLSON. The Swedish element of
Clay County, deserves great credit for the
manner in which it has assisted in the development
of her best resources, and the
subject of this notice occupies a place in the front
rank among his countrymen in this section. He is
now the owner of a good farm in Garfield Township,
finely located on section 35, and which at all
points indicates in a marked degree the thrift and
industry of the proprietor.
Mr. Olson was born on a farm about five miles
from Falnn, in the North of Sweden, in a neighborhood
known as Ofrvanmyn, and was reared in the
doctrines of the Lutheran Church, receiving his
education in the common school. His parents were
Olaf Samuelson and Anna Olson, the former of
whom died in his native Sweden. The mother
later came to America and died in Garfield Township,
Clay Co., Kan., in 1883; her remains were
laid to rest in the Lutheran cemetery. The
family for generations has been connected with the
Lutheran Church, and was of pure Swedish stock.
Mr. Olson learned the painter's trade in his
native place, and in May, 1870, sailed for America,
landing in New York City after a voyage of about
twelve days. Thence he came directly to Manhattan,
Kan., in company with five friends, and they,
hiring a team at Manhattan, came to Garfield
Township, and Mr. Olson homesteaded 160 acres of
land in the fall of that year. For this he paid $14
and had $2 left out of a capital of $16. His first
dwelling was a dugout, in which he kept bachelor's
hall about seven years, when he put up a frame
house 12x16 feet in dimensions, preparatory to his
marriage. He was wedded in March, 1879, to
Miss Mary, daughter of Lars Carlson, and the
young couple began housekeeping in the new residence.
Mrs. Olson was born in Sweden and came to
America with her parents in 1869. The latter are
living in Garfield Township. Of this union there
have been born three children, namely: Sophy,
Victor and Amel. When coming to this section
Mr. Olson found simply an open prairie, where he
has since planted two acres of timber, which is
now valuable. After locating his homestead he
went into Southern Kansas and worked on a railroad
until he had earned $200, receiving $1.75 to
$2 per day. He at times was almost discouraged,
and concluded he would abandon his homestead
claim, but his job being completed, he returned
and bought a cow and calf, which he traded for a
pair of yearling steers, which he broke to the yoke
the following spring and with them commenced
plowing. He had a long hunt for work, first going
into Nebraska and finding none, and from there he
walked to the southern part of this State. He was
accompanied by a friend, Mr. S. S. Johnson, who
subsequently settled here and who later built the
mill at Morganville. Mr. Johnson finally returned
to his native country, where he still remains. He
was a very kind and benevolent man and assisted
the people around him in various ways, doing all
in his power to procure work for them and encourage
them to make a home for themselves. Mr.
Olson has seen the time when he almost went hungry,
being out of money and unable to find work.
He is now one of the prominent and successful
farmers of his township and has a sufficiency of
this world's goods to insure him against want in his
old age. He and his family belong to the Lutheran
Church.