Saline County Bios
"Portrait and Biographical Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion Counties," 1893
OLOF FORSSE. All the beauties of a rich
Scandinavian literature are brought to mind
at the name which heads this sketch, and
indeed Mr. Forsse is a true son of the land of
poetic legend. Holding the office of Postmaster at
Falun, Saline County, he is also ex-Sheriff, and
during his term of office in the last-named capacity
was a terror to the law-breakers and criminals who
ventured within his province.
Mr. Forsse was born in Dalarne, Sweden, July 8,
1842. When he was a lad of eight years of age he
came to America with his parents. The journey
over was made in a sailing-vessel, and after a tedious voyage they landed in New Orleans, whence
they went to Galesburg, Ill. The Forsses made
Galesburg their home only three months, and then
removed to Knoxville, also in Illinois, where they
spent another three months. They then sojourned
in Moline tor six months, and from that point removed to Bishop Hill, Henry County, where the
lad who is the subject of this sketch grew to
manhood. He received but a common-school education, having been reared on a farm and the
family exchequer requiring the additional help of
his small efforts.
He of whom we write lived with his parents until 1864, when, in the month of
February, he enlisted in Company D, of the Fifty-seventh Illinois
Infantry, serving until July, 1865, when he was
discharged at Louisville, Ky. From that point he
returned to Henry County, Ill., and remained there
until 1869, during which time he devoted himself
to farming.
June 13, 1868, our subject was married in Henry
County, Ill., to Miss Segrid Naslund, like himself a
native of Sweden. The following year the young
couple came to Kansas and settled in Falun Township on land which his father had purchased in
1868. Since locating here, Mr. Forsse has given
his attention almost entirely to his legitimate calling, which is that of farming, but in January,
1884, he assumed the management of the office to
which he had been elected the previous fall, that
of Sheriff of Saline County. He served for two
years, and then for the succeeding two years acted
as Under Sheriff and Jailor. For one term he has
been County Commissioner and for several years
has been Township Trustee, Local and political
affairs have the fascination for our subject that they
have for most loyal citizens. He believes the
public interests and good to be also individual interests, and works with that view. He is a People's
party man in politics, and a strict adherent of all
the principles as held by his party.
Mr. Forsse is a member of Post No. 127, G. A. R., of Salina. He is also associated with
the Knights of Pythias and the Redmen, and is
identified with the Farmers Alliance. He owns
one hundred and fifty seven acres of good land in
Falun Township. He was appointed to the position of Postmaster in
August of 1891. Our subject's father, Eric Forsse, was a veteran in the late
war. He was commissioned a Captain and was
later promoted to be Major. He served in the State
Legislature during the session of 1874. The father
of our subject was the originator of a scheme to
bring a colony to this State. In his company
were forty-two adult persons. In 1869, he chartered a train and brought them to Salina, and they
at once came to Falun Township and have been
instrumental in bringing the county to what it is
to-day. He died in Topeka, Kan., in the spring of
1888. His wife passed away in Salina in the spring
of 1887. Of the six children that were born to them
our subject is the eldest.
Since coming from Salina to Falun, Mr. Forsse
has engaged in the grain and coal business in addition to his other interests. He and his estimable
wife have reared four children: Ida M., Jane A.,
Gustaf A. and Ella I.
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This website created June 15, 2011 by Sheryl McClure.
� 2011 Kansas History and Heritage Project
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