Brothers Ole Olsen on the left, Olaf Olson on the right, taken in 1952

Olaf Ragnvald was married to Marie Johanson

Children:
Harold Olaf (Shirley)
Lilly

Thanks to Ken Olson for the following information:

Olaf Ragnvald married Marie Johanson, daughter of Johan Bryntesson and Sophia Bryntesson. Johan's parents were Brynte Andersson and Maja Olsdotter. Sophia's parents were Brynte Olsson and Kirstin Olsdotter. Jane Marie (granddaughter of Olaf) got her names from Marie, as did Vickie (her middle name is Marie).

Olaf Ragnvald was born June 4, 1888, according to stories, anyway, in Lier, outside of Christiania, now known as Oslo. He spent his youth outdoors, idolizing the explorers Nansen and Amundsen. He worked for a skimaker in Oslo, and even made skis that went to the South Pole with Amundsen. Although some of the skis were left at the pole, others are on display at the Holmenkollen Ski Jump/Museum. When we visited in 1967, we were unable to get permission on the spot to look at the skis, to find whether Olaf had left any distinguishing marks. Perhaps someday we will get another chance.

Olaf Ragnvald came to the US, although his original destination was Canada, in the early 1900s. He left behind a great many trophies and ribbons for his efforts in fencing, the biathalon (ski/shoot), gymnastics (especially the rings), and skiing. He even jumped at Holmenkolen (the early jump, not the present facility built for the Olympics) on a pair of skis he had fashioned out of barrel staves! His first employment in the US was with the Northland Ski Company in Minnesota. Working in the hot steam used to bend the wood for the skis gave him pneumonia, so he left the ski company and move out to North Dakota, to work for the railroad. Nearly every snow fence or snow shelter on the railroad from Fargo through Montana was built or repaired by Olaf and his crew. He met Marie at a boarding house in Jamestown and married her shortly after, claiming he'd stolen the best cook in Jamestown.

Marie had two brothers, Erick (Dave's middle name comes from him) and Harald (I'd guess Dad's name came from him), and four sisters, Ida, Anna, Lena, and Jennie. We had the pleasure of meeting Erick and Lena on our family visit in 1967, when we also met Olga and her husband Edmund Wickstrom and their daughter whose name is, I believe, Lillian. She was attached to the Norwegian Foreign Office (or whatever the correct name is for the group that sends ambassadors to the US and other countries). Mother may still be in contact with her.

Home