Olaf Martin Olsen was born 17 February 1885 in Homer Township, Langford, South Dakota. He was christened 29 March 1885 at Brule Creek Lutheran Church in Elk Point, South Dakota.
His parents were Ole Andreas, a farmer (b. 5 September 1846, d. 1926), and Anna Jacobsdatter, (b. 10 August 1862 at Etne, Hordaland, and christened at Gjerde the same day). They had married 6 April 1883 at Gjerde, Hordaland's County, Norway. They had come to the USA in 1883, shortly after their marriage.
Ole M. was the oldest of nine children. His known siblings included Anna Julia, b. 28 September 1886, Joseph, b. June 1888, Martha Olena, b. 18 May 1890, Serena, b. 1 January 1893, Severen, b. 23 May 1895, Engebert Christian, b. 9 November 1898, Ander ''Andrew'' Ovid, b. 8 October 1900, and Myrtle Serine, b. 10 January 1905.
As an adult he moved northward to a homestead in Broderick, Saskatchewan, about 60 miles south of the Province's Capitol, Saskatoon and just eastof the Saskatchewan River. Ole would help with work at the local grain elevator in Broderick when not doing field work.
Following harvest, Ole used to spend the winter months with his family in Langford, South Dakota. However, 1911 was to be an exception. He decided to spend the winter visiting his grandmother, Anna Johannesen Birkenes and other relatives in the Sunnhordland region of Norway. Ole intended to be back in Canada in time to begin spring ploughing in April.
Olaf ''Ole'' had been to a visit in Skjarsvik, Sönhordaland, Norway and was returning to his home Langford, South Dakota (c/o Ole B. Olsen).
He boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a third class passenger (ticket no. 265302, £7 6s 3d).
He died in the sinking and his body, if recovered was never identified.
Comment and discuss
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There's no bio for Olsen currently in the pages. Here's his information as given by his grand-nephew: Ole Martin Olson was born in February, 1885 in rural Homer Township, Day County, Dakota Territory. His parents Ola (Ole) Birkenes Olson and Anna Jobsdotter Birkenes emigrated to America from Etne, Norway in 1883 and homesteaded in the Dakota Territory. Ole M. was the oldest of nine children. His siblings were Anna Julia, Joseph, Martha, Serena (Sena), Severen, Andrew (Ander), Engebert (Bert) and Myrtle. As an adult he moved northward to a homestead in Broderick, Saskatchewan, about 60 miles south of the Province's Capitol, Saskatoon and just east of the Saskatchewan River. Ole would help with work at the local grain elevator in Broderick when not doing field work. Following harvest, Ole used to spend the winter months with his family in Langford, South Dakota. However, 1911 was to be an exception. He decided to spend the winter visiting his grandmother, Anna Johannesen...
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Mr. Gowan, I saw you in the recent Saving the Titanic with Bob Ballard program and am contacting you to ask if you have information regarding my great great uncle Oly (Ollie) Olson. He was a steerage passenger en-route from Norway to Canada and perished during the sinking. If you have any information in your files, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Sheila Field
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Hi Sheila, Have you seen: TITANIC 31 Norwegian Destinies by Per Kristian Sebak?
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Hi Sheila, I believe your great uncle was incorrectly listed as Ole M. Olsen. (with an 'e' instead of an 'o' in Olson) There is a biography entry for Mr. Ole Martin Olson as well as a portrait and earlier family photo via the following link: I've come across this in my search for more information on my grate grate uncle who was a different Mr. Olson that was lost on the Titanic.
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Ole Martin Olson was my grandfather's first cousin. Born at Langford, South Dakota in 1885, he filed on his homestead north of Broderick, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1904, became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1907, and "proved up" on his homestead in 1908. By 1911 he had done well enough to purchase more land and to take a trip to Norway to visit relatives during the winter of 1911-12. Although Olson never married and had no direct descendants he still has relatives living in Saskatchewan (and elsewhere) today. Bryan Tastad Saskatoon, SK
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