Gunder Olson (September 8, 1852 – December 11, 1948) was a

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

public servant and politician with the Republican Party.

Biography

Gunder Olson was born in the county of

Telemark Telemark is a traditional region, a former county, and a current electoral district in southern Norway. In 2020, Telemark merged with the former county of Vestfold to form the county of Vestfold og Telemark. Telemark borders the traditional ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

. He came to America with his parents when he was only one year old, and his family located in

Winneshiek County, Iowa Winneshiek County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,070. The county seat is Decorah. History A largely rural and agricultural county, Winneshiek County has a rich cultural history from ...

. He came to North Dakota in 1881 and worked as a merchant. He served as the sheriff of

Walsh County, North Dakota Walsh County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,563. Its county seat is Grafton. History The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on May 2, 1881, with areas partitioned from ...

from 1884 to 1888. He also served as the president of the North Dakota Board of the Blind Asylum in

Bathgate Bathgate ( sco, Bathket or , gd, Both Chèit) is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, west of Livingston and adjacent to the M8 motorway. Nearby towns are Armadale, Blackburn, Linlithgow, Livingston, West Calder and Whitburn. Situated sout ...

, now th
North Dakota School for the Blind
in

Grand Forks, North Dakota Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota (after Fargo and Bismarck) and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city o ...

. Olson was elected as the

North Dakota State Treasurer The North Dakota State Treasurer is a political office in North Dakota. The treasurer's duty is to assure sound financial oversight and absolute safety of all public funds collected, managed, and disbursed. The Office of the State Treasurer is sepa ...

in 1910 and served until 1914. He did not seek re-election to another term since Treasurers were not permitted to serve more than two consecutive terms.

Personal life

Gunder Olson was married and had two daughters. Olson died at the age of 96 in 1948. He is buried in the Grafton Lutheran Cemetery in

Grafton, North Dakota Grafton is a city in the State of North Dakota and is the county seat of Walsh County. As of the 2020 Census, the city of Grafton had a population of 4,170, making it the fifteenth largest city in North Dakota. Grafton was founded in 1881. Hi ...

References

1852 births 1948 deaths People from Telemark Norwegian emigrants to the United States North Dakota Republicans State treasurers of North Dakota Gunder Olson {{NorthDakota-politician-stub

Biography

Personal life

See also

References