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O'BRIEN,
JAMES, farmer, P. O. Maiden Rock, was born
in county Kildare, Ireland, February 1, 1829. He attended school
until he was fourteen years of age, and at eighteen came with his
parents to Huron county, Canada, where they engaged in farming.
He was united in marriage April 14, 1856, with Miss Mary Ann,
daughter of William and Caroline (Smith) Jaques. William Jaques
was of English descent and was a sergeant in the Sixty-third
regiment, British light infantry. The Smith family were Irish. Mr.
and Mrs. O'Brien have been blessed with twelve children (six now
living): William Thomas, Robert Henry, Maggie, Caroline J. (Mrs.
W. Harbasan), Harriet E. (Mrs. H. Kaye), Willie, George William
and Ann Eliza (twins), James H., Mary Ann, John C. and Susanna M.
Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien came west
and stopped at Pepin, Wis. Mr. O'Brien began exploring the
country to the northward, and soon selected 160 acres of wild
land in Maiden Rock township, Pierce county, and built a log
house, which is still standing on the premises. Few brides of the
present day would wish to be introduced to a home like this, in
the midst of an unbroken wilderness, abounding in wild beasts and
bands of roving savages, but Mrs. O'Brien set to work with a will
to assist her husband in building a home, and all who visit their
present residence may bear witness to the success of their
undertaking. Neighbors soon began to settle near them, the earth
repaid their labors with abundant crops, the Indians, though
often annoying, were never actually hostile, and after receiving
one or two practical lessons in manners from Mr. O'Brien, ceased
to be a source of anxiety. On the whole, the outlook became
rapidly brighter, and with the exception of sickness, the family
continued to prosper. He has since increased his farm until he
now has 270 acres. In 1883 their dwelling burned down with most
of its contents, and the present residence took its place. Mr.
O'Brien makes a specialty of breeding horses. Politically he is a
firm believer in the principles of the democratic party, but has
always declined holding office. He is a member of the Episcopal
church and a highly repected citizen. --Taken from the "Historical
and Biographical Album of the Chippewa Valley Wisconsin.
OLSON, John P. , was born in Sweden in 1862,
son of Jonas and Mary (Peterson) Olson, the former of whom was
born in 1845 in Sweden and died in Maiden Rock township in 1900,
and the latter of whom was born in 1844 and passed away in 1904.
The father was a carpenter by trade, but devoted the last twenty
years of his life to farming. He settled at Red Wing, Minn., with
his family and later came to Maiden Rock Township. He was the
father of four sons and four daughters. John P. is the oldest.
Anne is in Minneapolis; Emma is married to C. E. Johnson, a
Chicago dentist; Alma died in 1908; Ruby married John M. Smith
and lives in Scobey, Mont.; Charles, an attorney, married Anna
Bulquist and lives in Chicago; Oscar lives in Scobey, Mont. John
P. attended the district schools and came to Wisconsin in 1866.
He now carries on general farming and stock raising on 120 acres
in section 16, Maiden Rock Township. Mr. Olson has a
distinguished record for public service. For fifteen years he has
been chairman of the township board, school clerk for ten years,
chairman of the county board three sessions and a member of the
Court House building committee. In all of these positions he has
given much satisfaction and his work has shown the great ability
of which he is possessed. Mr. Olson was married in 1901 to Louisa
Anderson, a resident at that time of Maiden Rock Township. By
this union there is one child, Mabel M., born in 1902. Reference:
Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published
in 1909
OSEN, Hogen, who resides
on section 26, Martell township, was born in Norway November 22,
1837, and came to America when six years old, in 1843, with his
parents, Olef and Mary Osen, who settled in Waukesha county,
Wisconsin, where his father engaged in farming until his death at
the age of fifty-seven. His wife also died there on the farm.
Hogen Osen lived in Waukesha county until 1860, when he came to
Pierce county and settled in Martell township, his present home.
He has good buildings on the place and his farm is one of the
model ones in the county. He was one of the earliest threshers in
the neighborhood. He has always engaged in general farming and
stock raising. Republican in politics, he was side supervisor of
the township for several years, clerk of the school board for
three years and school director for some years. Mr. Osen was
married in 1862 to Sarah Stensrud, who was born in Norway and
immigrated to the United States when a child with her parents,
Arne and Bertha Stensrud, who settled in Martell township and
lived there until their death. The wife of our subject died
January 10, 1903, and is buried in the United Lutheran church
cemetery, Ellsworth Township. She was fifty-seven years old,
being born October 4, 1845. She was the mother of ten children,
five of whom are living. All born on the homestead in Martell
township. The living ones are: Henry, at Wright, Minn. Olef
resides at Beldenville, Trim Belle township, Wisconsin, on a farm.
He married Lena Peterson and they have three children to wit:
Clifford, Esther, and Wilbur. Marshall resides on the home place
with his wife and three children. Hiram Perry, Stella Evelyn and
Ines. He married Ida Peterson, born in Dakota. Anna is the wife
of Christopher Olson, of Minneapolis, Minn., a merchant, and they
have one child, Harold. Herman is the fifth living child. He is a
carpenter by trade and resides at home, but has a frm in North
Dakota. The deceased children are: Peter A., age twenty-six;
Bertha M., age twenty-nine; Nels was killed at the age of twenty-four
while running the threshing machine; George E., age twenty-four;
Olef, age two. These children are all buried in the Lutheran
cemetery of Ellsworth Township. Mr. Osen has made his own way by
industry and perseverance and is one of the men who has done his
full duty. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley",
published in 1909)
Otis, A. S. (Civil War), was born in Essex county, New York,
in 1838, son of Joseph and Juda Otis. He received his education
in the public schools and upon starting out in life for himself
at the age of twenty-one years, worked at coaling and farming,
then in 1862 enlisted in the Union Army, serving for the
remainder of the conflict, in Companys A and M, Second New York
Harris Light Cavalry. From his first fight at Brand Station to
the final windup at Appomattox, he participated in many important
engagements, including Fredericksburg, at Chancellorsville,
Gettysburg, Winchester, the Wilderness, and many others. Mr. Otis
received an honorable discharge at the close of the war, and in
1866 settled in Maiden Rock township, Pierce county, on section 5,
where he is now engaged in farming and stock raising, owning 120
acres of good land. He is well thought of by his neighbors and
has been a hard working, industrious man all his life. A
Republican in politics, he was president of the village of Maiden
Rock for a number of years, chairman of the town board, assessor,
justice of the peace, county soldiers' commissioner, and
pastmaster A. F. & A. M., which latter two positions he still
holds. In all of these offices he has given faithful service,
which has been much appreciated by his fellow citizens. Mr. Otis
was married in 1861 to Susan Torrance, a native of New York. By
this union two children have been born: Alta, born in 1869,
married W. C. Owen, of Maiden Rock village. William A., who
married Margaret Tostevin, resides in Seattle, Wash., where he is
connected with a magazine at present. Reference: Taken from
"History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
OWEN, W.C., Senator, state senator from this
district, is a man of marked ability, both as a law practitioner
and a lawmaker, his voice being ever raised for that which tends
to the betterment of the state and the interests of his
constituents. He is also president of the village of Maiden Rock,
has been town supervisor and village attorney, and has served his
fellow citizens in various other positions of trust and honor. He
is a Republican in politics, and being still comparatively a
young man is believed by his friends to have a very bright future
ahead of him. He is a man of genial personality and ready wit, a
wise counselor, a true friend, and a loyal companion. His
services at Madison are too well known to need comment, the
newspapers already having given his work extended notice at
various times. He was born September 26, 1868 in the town of
Trenton, Pierce County, son of Bradley and Ellen (Johnson) Owen.
The former was born in New York in 1834 and died May 29, 1901, in
the town of Trenton; the latter was born in 1838 and died in 1876,
in Pierce County. W. C. was raised on his father's farm of 240
acres, section 35 and section 2, Trenton township, and obtained
his preliminary education in the district schools. He then taught
school and later entered the law department of the University of
Wisconsin, at Madison, graduating in 1891. He practiced his
profession for seven years at Superior, Wis., being in
partnership with two other Pierce county boys. Since 1898 he has
been engaged in the practice of law in Maiden Rock with
considerable success. In 1901 he was married to Alta L. Otis, a
young woman of many accomplishments, at that time residing in
Maiden Rock village. Reference: Taken from "History of the
St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
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