Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-09-01
MADE HIS MARK.
Jonas Olson, Democratic Con.
gressional Nominee.
A SKETCH OF HIS CAREER

lion In the Eyes Of the Peop,e-wm
Make Strong Fight.
Hon. Jonas W. Olson, who was
nominated for congress by the Tenth
district democrats Thursday, is, as
heretofore stated, essentially a self.
made man. and the career which he
has moulded is one which the Swed-
ish people especially point to with
great pride.
He was born July7, 1S4S. in Sober
ala, Helsingland, Sweden, and is the
son OF Rev. Olof Olson. who settled
in Henry county. Illinois. rs early as
lS45, having been sent from Sweden
to America entrusted with the i'm
Portant duty Of selecting n location
for a colony Of LOO sturdy Swedcs
who contemplated emigration, and
who followed him only one year later
and settled upon the site which has
since become historic as the home of
the bishop Hill Colony
lie was indeed a pioneer and one
OF the early leaders of that mighty
tide OF Swedish emigration to this
country. which has since flooded the
fairest PARTON of Illinois and the en-
tire northwest with prosperous Swed-
ish homes and flourishing Swedish
settlements. which have grown and
expanded until it is estimated that
there are now over 9, 900, 900 Swedish
Americans and their descendants in
the great northwest. and over 200,-
900 in the state Of Illinois alone
His son, the subject of this sketch.
was sick at the time his father sailed
from Sweden, and was left in the
care of his grandmother and an aunt
One year later, however, when only s
years Of age, he was brought to
America by his relatives, with the
colony. His sickness had termi-
mated in partial paralysis of one of
his limbs. and his young life,
so unfortunate ut this tender age,
was only beginning to enter the ter
rible darkness of the sorrows soon to
befall him. On the day before his
arrival at Bishop Hill, with the coll
ony, his mother died. She was ac-
c)mpanied to her eternal home by his
brother, Olof. and his sister. Beat
rice. and shortly his grandmother
and his father also died. Jonas was
thus left an orphan and was taken
away from the colony by his aunt,
Christina Petronella Wilmina Skog-
lund, who married Peter Dahlgren
and removed to Galesburg. where
Jonas for sometime attended the pub
lie schools until Dahlgren moved
upon farm about five miles south
east of Victoria, where Jonas contin-
ued to live with his aunt, and so. de-
termined was he to obtain an educa-
ton that he walked a distance of two
miles to Center Prairie school house
to attend school, though compelled
to walk on crutches, often through
muddy roads, which for want OF
sidewalks, were almost impossible
for one in his condition.
Some years afterward Mr.. Dahl
gren was killed by the caving Of a
sandbank, and Jonas continued to
:. live with his aunt and attend school
until he was Is years of age, when it
became necessary for him to learn a
trade rs n means of subsistence and
to enable him to pursue his studies.
He was apprenticed to Ira c. Reed,
of LAFAYETTE, H., to whom he was
bound by written articles of appren-
ticeship to work for two years to
learn the trade of n shoemaker, for
only *25 year. which Was the first
money he had ever been able to earn.
He was fortunate, however, in being
bound to so good man, for Mr.. Reed
very kindly and generously paid him
twice the amount agreed upon; and
was also very liberal with the young
apprentice in allowing him time in
which to read the books Of well Sc.
lected library, in which he became
greatly interested.
He served his two years and then
worked at his trade one year by the
piece, earning enough money to at
tend the Galva High school. then
presided over by Prof. S. nj. Etter,
who afterwards became state school
superintendent. When his money
rave out he secured work at Galva
working mt his trade and attending
school alternately.
During this period OF his life he be.
came ambitious to enter the lega
profession, and while working ut his
trade during the day. his mornings
and evenings were spent in study
and reading law books. He subse
quently studied law with Hon. Johr
L. Bennett. who is now master IN
. chancery of the United States cour'
at Chicago.
Mr.. Olson was admitted to the bal
in 1869, and has since that time beer
an honorable and successful member
of his chosen profession.
Elected to the Legislature.
In 1870 he was elected to the house
of representatives. and served as ;
+ member of the Twenty-seventh gen
. eral assembly from the counties o
i Rock Island and Henry. and although
!; one of the youngest members OF tina
body. he took very active ana
:; prominent part on the floor OF thu