Biographical Sketches
OSCAR DAHL
The efficient and popular manager of the Kansas City Safe Deposit Company, is widely known in the social and business circles of the city. He is a native of Sweden, born November 10, 1849, the son of Christian F. and Henrietta (Roloff) Dahl, natives of Sweden, who lived, died and are buried in their native land. Both these families were among the most eminently respectable in Sweden and were prominent in the circles in which they moved. Of the 4 children born to Christian Dahl and wife, only Oscar, the youngest son, came to America.
He had good advantages in his youth for obtaining and education, the schools for his native land being very thorough and the standard of excellence quite equal to our own. He was of a studious nature, and, the power of concentration being largely developed in him at an early age, it was with considerable ease and dispatch that he learned readily and quickly whatever he applied his mind to. His school days over he became connected with his brother, Axel R., who lived in Stockholm, and was the head of the largest book-publishing concern in Sweden, and with whom he remained for several years, being greatly benefited by the valuable business experience he gleaned in this well conducted establishment.
He was 24 years of age when he decided to cast his lot in a foreign land. It was in 1873 that he bade adieu to his friends and relatives and sailed for our shores, which he first touched at New York city. Subsequently he made his way further westward, pulling up at Chicago, where he obtained lucrative employment in the wholesale jewelry house of W. B. Clapp & Company, in whose employ he remained until 1880, establishing himself the reputation of a careful, painstaking and absolutely reliable employee. From Chicago he went to Kansas City, which at that time gave abundant evidence of its future greatness and prosperity. It was a kind fate that directed him here, for he was fortunate in securing a good position in a large grocery house as bookkeeper, which he retained for a year, when, in 1882, he received the appointment of gauger n the United States internal revenue department, being the first Swedish-American to have the honor of holding a government position in the state of Missouri. In this work he remained a year, having creditably and efficiently discharged the exacting duties of the position in a highly satisfactory manner to his superiors in the service.
In 1883 he was tendered a position by the Kansas City Safe Deposit Company as bookkeeper, which he accepted and filled for 4 years; and in 1887 he was promoted to the management of the deposit department, where he has since remained. Mr. Dahl has good executive and administrative abilities, and since he has had charge of this department his management has proved highly satisfactory to the company and its numerous patrons.
In 1892 he was elected on the republican ticket to a seat in the upper house of the city council, being the only one of his party elected to this legislative branch of the city government in this election. In the fall of 1894 he was the candidate of his party for clerk of criminal court, and was unquestionable elected, but with the remainder of the republicans he was counted out by the opposition. Socially Mr. Dahl is prominent in the numerous circles of society, being connected with numerous orders and societies, among which are the Knights of Pythias, being quartermaster in the first regiment of the Uniform Rank of this order.
He was treasurer of the reception committee in 1892, during the conclave, and helped in the distribution of prizes, which aggregated $32,000. He is greatly interested in the Swedish-American people, and is at the head of several of their societies. Their welfare is a personal matter to him, and to their interests he devotes the same care that he does to his own personal affairs. He is held deservedly in high regard by all classes of respectable people, among whom are scores of warm personal friends who delight in doing him honor.
Mr. Dahl was married in 1882 to Miss Bergfeldt Ingrid, who bore him 6 children, 3 of whom are now living: H. A., E. E., and Oscar. Mrs. Dahl departed this life January 18, 1895, aged 33 years.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.