Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-13
OLDEST IN COUNTY
Christian Olsen, Pioneer of Nor.
wegians in Rock Island.
Passes Away.
LIVED HERE SINCE YEAR 1853
Veteran of Civil War-First Lived on
Site of the Old Harper's
Theater.

| Christian Olsen, believed to be the
Oldest native of Norway in Rock Is
land county, died at 4:30 this morning
at his home, 261S Seventh avenue OF
bronchitis and infirmities attendant
upon old age. He had been resident
of the county for over half a century.
His illness began last fall, but he had
been bedfast but a week.
Born in Christiania, Norway, in 1927,
Mr.. Olsen was married in his native
| land and came to America and direct
| to Rock Island with his wife in 1853.
| He first took up his residence on what
| was afterward the site of the old Har-
per's theater, now Clemann & Salz-
mann's furniture store. The family has
lived here ever since with the eXcep-
| ton of three years during which they
were at Lawrence Kan. The husband
| followed the trade of carpenter.
Mr.. Olsen enlisted from this city in
Company G. 43d Illinois Volunteers in
the civil war and fought throughout
| that struggle, taking part in many bat
| ties.
Surviving are the widow and two
sons. William a. Olsen, of Moline. and
John A. Olsen of this city The funer-
al will be held at the home Thursday
afternoon at 2:3O o'clock.
Canaan.
Mrs. Rebecca Taylor and Mrs. Eliza
Benn, of this city, have returned from
| Illinois City, where they attended the
|
nam, whose death occurred last week.
The funeral services were held from
| the Methodist Episcopal church at Hi
nois City, conducted by Rev. Mr. Shep-
pard Burial took place at the Illinois
| City cemetery. the remains being laid
by the side of those of Mrs. Canaan,
whose death occurred July &c, 1889
| The pallbearers were Thomas Vanatta
! Wyn France, Leonard McGinnis
James Johnson, George Ranch, and
Gideon Reed.
Mr. Canaan was the last of a family
of five children. He was born at
Huntington, England, Oct. II, 1927. be
| ing over IS years of age at the time OF
his death. In 1S4S. the year of his
marriage in England. he came to the
| United States, and for a time resided
at Lockport. y. Y. In 1854 he removed
to Milan. then Camden Mills. and re-
NAMED at the village until 1873, when
he removed TO a farm in Buffalo Prai-
RE township. In England Mr.. Can
nam was a member of the Lutheran
church, but on removing TO Milan he
became a member OF the Methodist
| EDiScOO9l church
| Besides his two daughters in Rock
Island he is survived by two sons.
John L. Canaan, of Illinois City, at
whose home he died. and William, of
| Milan. He leaves Is grandchildren.
and six great grandchildren.
Mrs. Josephine A. Swan.
Mrs. Josephine A. Swan died yester-
day afternoon at l O'Clock at the home
of her daughter Mrs. Harry Means, in
Rural She was nearly CA years OF
age, and had resided in Rock Island
county about % years. Death was due
to pneumonia.
Mrs. Swan was born in Pennsylva-
mia, coming TO this county from that
state. She is survived by five chill
dren: William, in Pennsylvania; Mrs.
jennie Cox, in Iowa; Mary and Bur
ton. in Wyoming, and Mrs. Harry
Means of Rural. She leaves also an
adopted daughter, Miss Irene Swan. of
Rural. Funeral services. will be held
tomorrow morning. Burial will take
place at the Chippiannock cemetery.