Fate leads their footsteps. He is a son of Andrew and Julie Ole Olson, and was born January 8, 1843. The family emigrated to America in 1854, locating in, Chicago, where they remained three years, after which the father moved to Minnesota, and then to Story County. When a ]ad of fourteen, Ole located in Wisconsin, attending school there, and came to Iowa in 1863, where he purchased land in Story County, and devoted his attention to farming. Mr. Olson has made quite a fortune, and that, too, by his own exertions. He married Miss Helen Hill, of Illinois, July 11, 1868. They have five children named, respectively, Christina Amelia, Julia Ann, Andrew Cornelius, Jane Matilda and Henrietta Mabel. Death has robbed them of three children. The family belong to the Lutheran Church.
Abel Olson. Many years ago in far-away Norway lived the parents of the subject of this sketch, who, at this time ranks high among Story's prominent men. After Death, with ruthless hand, had robbed her of her chosen life companion, Mrs. Olson braved the stormy ocean to discover the charms of the States. Though ninety-six years old, perhaps the oldest person who ever trusted themselves to Neptune's tender mercies, she made the voyage in safety, and after two years spent upon American soil, breathed her last in 1880. Abel is one of the members of a large family of children, all of whom reached mature years, and eight of whom became the heads of families. He grew to manhood on Norwegian soil, receiving an excellent education in the. language of that country. After reaching this land in 1855, he located in Chicago, sailing upon the lakes as a sailor, and for six years led the life of " a jolly tar." In the panic of 1859 Mr. Olson became financially embarrassed, and moved to Iowa in order to restore the fallen glory of his fortunes. Locating in Story County, he bought valuable land from time to time, until at the present writing he owns 700 acres of highly cultivated ground, from which he reaps an abundant income. A Republican in politics, he was for seventeen years justice of the peace in Howard Township. On March 12, 1859, Mr. Olson married Miss Jorene Olson, in Chicago. She was the daughter of Ole Olson, and a native of Norway. They raised four children: Ole, Carl, George and Andrew A. They are members of the Lutheran Church.
John O'Neil, well known in Story County, has been a resident of this section since 1855, at which time then a lad of ten years, he left his native State of Indiana and accompanied his father to the comparatively new State of Iowa, and soon after his arrival here engaged as a farm hand, working out by the month. At the age of eighteen, in the summer of 1863, he enlisted in Company I, Eighth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, in Capt. E. Shurtz' company of Marshalltown; was mustered into service with the regiment at Davenport, and soon afterward sent to the front and assigned to the First Brigade, First Division, Cavalry of the Cumberland, J. B. Croxton commanding the brigade. He was on the Atlanta campaign with Sherman's. army, and afterward on the Nashville campaign under Thomas, and was also on the Wilson raid. At the close of the war he was mustered out at Macon, Ga., and discharged with the regiment at Clinton, Iowa, in 1865, after which he returned to Story County and engaged in farming. In 1875 lie purchased 160 acres, which, together with 160 acres he has since bought, goes to make up his farm of 320 acres on which he is now living in Section 17, Sherman Township. He was married in 1867 to Miss Mary French, of this county, and their union has been blessed by the birth of three children: Philip S., Charity