Individual Record 8

Name}   Olson, Hans Family History} Olson                  
  Title}   Race} White Sex} Male
Birth:   Date} Fam 8 Aug 1832 Place} Christiana, Norway
Marr.: Date} Exa 11 Apr 1875 Place} Santa Clara, Washington, Utah   (Link)
Death: Date} Exa 23 Jan 1921    C Place} 30 North Third Street, Alhambra, Los Angeles, Calif.
Burial: Date} Exa 25 Jan 1921 Place} San Gabriel Cemetery, San Gabriel, Los Angeles, Calif.
  Grave Marker} Yes
Source 1}    9 = Geog history
Source 2}   10 = Geog history
Source 3} 240 = Passenger ls
Source 4} 239 = 1860 USA cen
Source 5} 722 = Marriage rec
Source 6}   27 = 1880 USA cen
Source 7} 466 = Newspaper
Source 8} 1469=Voter record
Source 9} 915 = Citizenship
Source 10}  16 = 1900 USA cen
Source 11}1141=Newspaper
Source 12}  40 = 1910 USA cen
Source 13}322 = Business dir
Source 14}468 = 1920 USA cen
Source 15}1232=Obituary
Source 16}139 = Death certif
Source 17}  19 = Cemetery rec
Source 18}324 = Phone book
Source 19}162 = Letter
Source 20}181 = Interview
Source 21}888 = Letter
Source 22}213 = Photograph
Source 23}671 = Photograph
Source 24}834 = Photograph
Source 25}1136=Photograph
Parents: } Ole Pedersen and Ingeborg Pedersdatter
   Relationship No.} 8
1st Household No.} 21 = Spring Valley, Lincoln, Nevada
      Occupation 1} Farmer
       Occupation 2} Miner
  Religion/Church} Presbyterian
Spouses:   Prime} Staheli, Mary
 Total Number of} 1
Notes:  Hans was born in Norway in 1831.  He probably emmigrated from Kristiansund, Norway about 26 October 1850.  He probably first settled with family members in Minnesota, but attracted by the discovery of gold in California, he crossed the plains in a covered wagon in 1853.

According to naturalization records, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen on 1 Mar 1898.  His wife Mary stood up for him.

There are other references to Hans Olson, that may or may not be our Hans.  A Hans Olson was already a registered voter in the California Great Registers, for the years 1884, 1888, 1890 and 1892 in Alhambra, Los Angeles.  He was described as 5'9½", light complexion, blue eyes and white hair.  According to the Great Registers, he was naturalized "Mch. 8.'58, Kerbyville, Or., Dist." While he did live in Alhambra during those years, he became a citizen in 1898.  And according to family sources, Hans was probably prospecting or panning for gold near Gold Beach, Oregon, at the mouth of the Rogue River, between 1852 and 1856.  This was during the time of skirmishes with Indians, which culminated in the Rogue Indian war, 1855-1856.  This naturalization record places him in Kerbyville, Josephine County, Oregon in Mar 1858.
The 1860 U.S. census lists a Hans Olson, age 26, living by himself as a farm laborer, in Redwood Township, Santa Clara, California.  Although this Hans is from Norway, there is a two year age discrepancy, and no family stories to back up this source.

As told by his grandson Donald Olson, Hans could never stay in one place for a long time.  He traveled, mining in Nevada, California and Oregon.  On March 26, 1872, he was camped alongside Owens Lake, California, when the hugh magnitude 8.0 Owens Valley earthquake struck.  Hans said that the lake just disappeared into the ground, refilling itself shortly.

According to Source No. 722, Hans married Mary (Maria) Staheli 11 Apr 1875.  Although the place of the marriage is not given, Santa Clara, Washington, Utah, is listed as the residence for both.

By the 1880 U.S. census, Hans and his family were living in Spring Valley, Lincoln, Nevada.  The mining town of nearby Pioche was the center of the silver boom of the seventies.  Spring Valley is now a Nevada State Park.  The 1880 U.S. census lists Hans as being a farmer.  There were three children, Josephine, Ida, and Henry.  Living next to them were Frank C. Walker and his wife Elizabeth, and five children.  Elizabeth, and Barbara Staheli (who was listed as a servant) were sisters of Mary.

The family traveled by wagon to Oregon, where Hans was mining or farming.  George was born here in 1882, and the family departed shortly thereafter for California.  Frank was born in 1885 in California.

Alhambra was just a small hamlet when Hans and his family arrived in 1882.  Hans planted oranges and grapes on his ranch, at the southern edge of town.  When Garfield Avenue was cut through to the south, Hans planted the ornamental camphor trees on that thoroughfare from the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks to the Ocean Highway.  His son Henry had to help by carrying water to keep these trees alive.

Click to enlarge In the 1900 U.S. census, the family was living in Alhambra, the San Gabriel Township, Los Angeles County.  The last of their children, Lilly and Mabel, had now been born.  Hans was listed as a farmer.  In 1905 he assisted his son Henry in establishing the Alhambra Planning Mill.  In the photograph to the right, Hans is shown in front of the family home at 316 Wilson Avenue, now Atlantic Avenue, taking his grandsons, Donald Olson and Lewis Lawyer, for a wheelbarrow ride in 1908.  In the 1910 U.S. census, Hans and Mary were living alone in the family's residence.  Hans was listed as having his own income.  In the 1920 U.S. census, their daughter Mabel Ferrell, her husband Thomas, and boys Frederick and Clifford, were living with them.

Hans was a member of the Masonic order, and served on the school board for many years.

Although Hans married the daughter of a Mormon family, he did not like the Mormons.  According to Donald Olson, when his wife's sister sent a Mormon Bible, he threw it into the fire.  On any visits from the Mormon side of the family, he would leave the house.

Hans died 23 Jan 1921 at the age of 89.  The cause of death was Erysipelas.  He is buried in the Olson family plot in the San Gabriel Cemetery, San Gabriel, California.
Time of Birth}   Time of Death}   Fraternal/Social}  
Baptism Date}   Place}   Click to enlarge Click to enlarge
Confirm. Date}   Photos} Hans in 1870 and 1916
Immigr'n Date} 1850 Port} New York
Education: Grade}                               or Top 2 Degrees}  
Military: Service}                                    for the State of}  
Health Condition}  
 Cause of Death}  
Last Updated
by} Karen Hancock
Date Updated} 30 Dec 2022
Date Created}  31 Mar 1992
Copyright © 2006 - 2014, 2022 by Karen L. Hancock.  All Rights Reserved.

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