Olaf Person Family
Olof Person was born on December 15th, 1853 at Gunarskog, Sweden. It 1876 he immigrated to America and lived in Goodhue County, Minnesota. He later came to Dakota and settled on the east shore of Lake John. Throughout his lifetime, He was very proud of that land. In 1880 Olaf wrote to his parents and brother Andrew and invited them to join him. Andrew also farmed in Hamlin County for over 60 years.
Olof married Emma Olson, daughter of Olof Christensen on November 21, 1881, at Watertown. She also was a Swedish immigrant born June 8th, 1857 at Iville, Bohuslan, Sweden. She immigrated to America in 1880 with her father and two sisters. Anna and Josephine. Her Mother had died in Sweden and the family came to America to join Emma’s Brothers.
Olof and Charlie Johnson would drive as much as 50 miles with horse and buggy to get a minister on occasions. The family would provide lodging and transportation for them.
The Person family suffered much tragedy in the Years 1903 to 1905, with the experience of 5 deaths. Fredolph, son of Olof died in 1903. In 1904 Andrew Person lost his wife Ophelia and baby daughter Edla. In 1905 Andrew and Olof’s mother Brita died in March and Olof’s wife Emma died the following day.
It was Olof Person’s dream to build a new building for the Old Swedish Covenant Church as soon as he arrived in the Dakota territory. If you believe that there is a Creator and also an evil one, or the devil you would almost have to think Olof was being tested in the early nineteen hundreds with family tragedies. The Bible talks about Job being tested, he did not waiver he did not lose his faith, neither did Olof Person.
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