Peder Matthias Olsen (1849-1896)

Peder Matthias Olsen (1849-1896) died on August 11, 1896 of heat stroke during the 1896 Eastern North America heat wave. (b. May 3, 1849; Farsund, Norway - d. August 11, 1896; Chicago, Illinois)

Parents

 * Ole Mattias Pedersen (1822-1914) of Klungeland who was a baker
 * Thea Johanne Torstensdatter (1825-1864)

Birth
He was born on February 6, 1849 in Farsund, Norway

Baptism
He was baptized on March 3, 1849 in Farsund parish in Farsund, Norway.

Siblings

 * Sofie Marie Pedersen (1852-1924) married Sigvard Nilsen (1852-1906). Their son, Sigvart Høgh-Nilsen (1880-?) was a concert pianist.
 * Teodor Johan Olsen (1852-?) aka Theodore Johan Olsen.
 * Josette Teresia Olsdatter (1855-?) aka Josetta Theresa Olsdatter, who was born on November 9, 1855. She was recorded in the 1865 Norway Census.
 * Otto Olson (1858-1921) aka Ottan Olesen, emigrated to Chicago, Illinois and married Hannah E. Hansen (1864-1936) aka Hannah Admundsen. He worked as a barber.
 * Lena Elaine Olson (1860-1938) was born under the name Hannah Lina Olsdatter, and emigrated to Chicago, Illinois and married Andrew Havig Jensen (1861-1930).
 * Salmine Sophia Severine Pedersen (1862-1914) aka Salmine Sopie Olsdatter, married John Edward Winblad I (1856-1914) and emigrated to Manhattan in New York City and then moved to Jersey City, New Jersey and then moved to the Isle of Pines in Cuba and then died while visiting her family in Farsund, Norway.
 * Adolph Martin Ludvig Olsen (1864) who died in childbirth when his mother died.

Emigration
He emigrated between 1875 and 1880 and may appear in the 1880 United States Census.

Marriage
He married Anne Marie Jensen (1854-1896) around 1880, their first child was born in 1881. Anne's brother, Andrew Havig Jensen (1861-1930), was married to Peter's sister, Lena Elaine Olson (1860-1938) on May 12, 1883. It is not known if they maried in Farsund, Norway or Chicago, Illinois. There is a marriage of a "Peter M. Olsen" to a "Anna Marie Hansen" on June 13, 1877, but this date seems earlier than expected. It is possible he arrived fist, but since he did not live long enough to appear in the 1900 United States Census, we do not know much about him.

Children

 * Jennie Marie Olsen (1881-1966) who was born in May of 1881 and married Paul Henry Henning I (1881-1973) and moved to Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She died on April 3, 1966.
 * Osborne Theomun Olsen (1883-1971) aka Asbjorn T. Olsen, aka Ossie Olsen, owner of Osborne Art Studios in Chicago who married Augusta Schmidt (1883-1974) aka Gussie Schmidt.
 * Perry Maranius Olsen (1885-1972) who moved to Oakland, California and married Dorothy Frances Penfield (1887-1976).
 * Harriet Theodora Olsen (1889-?) who was born in March of 1889.

Death
He died on August 11, 1896 of heat exhaustion during the 1896 Eastern North America heat wave. His occupation is difficult to read but appears to be "Marne Japannis", which must be Japanning of laquerware. His son would go one to become a china decorator.

Burial
He was buried in Mount Olive Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois. By the 1900 United States Census his children were living with his sister-in-law.

Timeline

 * 1849 Birth in Farsund, Norway
 * 1880 (circa) Emigration to Chicago, Illinois
 * 1880 (circa) Marriage to Anne Marie Jensen (1854-c1895) in Chicago, Illinois
 * 1896 Death in Chicago, Illinois from heat exhaustion
 * 1900 Orphaned children living with their aunt

Research on Peter Olsen (1844-1892)
Else Egeland (1960- ) writes: "I have checked emigrant-lists etc. here in Norway. Anne (Ane) M. Jensen, Farsund, was daughter of Jens Jakob Hansen and Ane Marie Gabrielsdatter, lived in Farsund 1865 (census, mother was widow in 1865). Born 19 June 1854 in Farsund, and according to the church protocol her name was Ane Marie Jensen. Ane's (Anne's) siblings are Hans Kristian, Hans Gabriel, Anton, Juliane, Johanne, Jens, Andreas and Johan. In the emigration lists I so far can find only one that can match; Ane Malene Olsen, married to Peder Olsen b. 1844, left Kristiansand, Norway for Chicago 28 February 1874. But if that is her, Malene and Marie is mixed, and her birth year in the protocols is 1841 ... I can not find a marriage record. I believe this couple may be Peder and his sister, and that Peder and Anne Jensen married in Chicago. The local history books from Herad near Farsund says that Peder Olsen Egeland born 1844 emigrated to Chicago in the 1870s. There is also a Peder Olsen going in 1883 (married, lives in America, the same?) and one in 1885 (unmarried), both born 1844. Do you have any information on their arrival to America?"

Rediscovery

 * Richard ARthur Norton (1958- ) writes on March 13, 2012: "It was on February 2, 2012 that I noticed that Lisa Harper had migrated the death notice for Ole Mattias Pedersen (1822-1914) of Klungeland to her database in Ancestry.com and I wrote her and asked her if she was a descendant. I wrote: "Have we talked before? Are we both related to Ole Mathias Pedersen of Klungland?" She responded on February 8, 2012: "I'm not sure if we've before spoken or not! I stumbled across Ole Mathias Pedersen strictly through Ancestry connections -- unfortunately, I have no documentation of my own to add. When my mother investigated that line back in the 60's, she hit a dead end: the family church burned down in Norway. Lisa." I looked at her tree and noticed that we were related through the Jensens and thinking the connection to Ole was a mistake I asked her to break the link. She then sent a scan of a letter that showed the double connection between the Jensens and the Olsens and it showed that she was correct. Everyone in the letter was known to me. The information disproved the theory of Else Egeland (1960- ) that our Peder Olsen was the same as her Peder Olsen from Farsund. He also migrated to Chicago. Prior to my contact with Lisa Harper I had assumed that Peder had stayed in Farsund and died in Farsund. He was not mentioned in any of the family letters and was not mentioned by any of the current family in Illinois. That must be because he and his wife died so young. My grandmother, Maria Elisabeth Winblad (1895-1987) and her brother Otto Perry Winblad (1902-1977) knew of him because they visited his son, Osborne Theomun Olsen (1883-1971), in Chicago in 1929. By the time Osborne Theomun Olsen (1883-1971) died in 1971 no one remembered who his parents were to fill them in on his death certificate.