Oluf T. Hansen & Company, est. 1899 in Clear Lake by Oluf Hansen and Matt Olson, the business was first named Olson & Hanson. In 1950, Mrs. Ferne Hansen Boyle, Olufs daughter, took over operation of the store as its owner. Oluf emigrated from Denmark in 1889. The 1930 US Census lists his address as 229 S. Third St. His wife’s name was Susie (born in Iowa); daughters Genevieve and Ferne. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 56th Anniversary – Aug. 17, 1955 Globe Gazette: The mercantile store is one of the oldest stores in the county. In 1899, Martin Olson, father of Mrs. Hansen, bought it from C.B. Christian. His son, Matt (postmaster in Clear Lake for many years) and his son-in-law, Oluf T. Hansen, operated it for him. In 1902, Hansen bought the Olson interest in the firm and became the sole owner. In the first record books appear the names of J.C. Davenport, Rudy Cain, Sam Kennedy, Sever (?) Nelson, Nate Miller, Charles Crane, Fred Hill and others. Among the early shoe and grocery clerks were Elmer Spangler, Clifford Spangler, Alfred Brown, John Smith, Earl Ashland, Don Foster and Henry Jacobson, Miss Ella Brown, and Mrs. Perry Bailey; Susie Williams, Mrs. Charles Hansen and Mrs. Agnes O’Neill were among those who worked in the dry goods and ready-to-wear department. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Globe Gazette Aug. 4, 1960: Sixty-one years ago, Aug. 5, the Oluf T. Hansen Co. opened its doors for business. The company this week is celebrating its anniversary. The company was started by Matt Olson and Oluf T. Hansen as partners in 1899. After a few years, Olson left the firm and later the interest was purchased by Chris Axelsen. This partnership continued until about 1910 when Oluf Hansen purchased the Axelsen interest. After Hansen’s death in 1941, Mrs. Hansen and her daughters, Mrs. Herman (Fern) Boyle, Chicago, and Mrs. Irving (Genevieve) Morgan, formed a partnership. The store, managed by Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, has operated continuously in the same location and is the oldest Main Street business in Clear Lake. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Obituary, Jan. 8, 1941 Globe Gazette: Funeral services for Oluf T. Hansen, 69, who died at a Mason City hospital early Wednesday morning following a long illness, will be held at the home, 229 South Third Street at 1:30 o’clock Friday afternoon and at the Zion United Lutheran church at 2 o’clock. Mr. Hansen was born near Copenhagen, Denmark, Dec. 13, 1871, and immigrated to America as a boy of 17, the first of his family to arrive. He came to the vicinity of Clear Lake at once and worked on farms for John McGuiness, Harry White and Russell Lambert. He attended school to learn English and later worked in the Halvorson store, saving his money to attend a business college in Minneapolis. In August, 1899, he entered a partnership with Matt Olson and opened for business in what is now the grocery department of Oluf T. Hansen and company store. After a number of years he formed a partnership with L.P. Axelson whom he later bought out. The business has been enlarged to include a double store with general merchandise. Jan. 10, 1900, he was married to Miss Susie Olson, Clear Lake, and to them were born two daughters, Miss Genevieve, at home, and Mrs. Hermann Boyle, Chicago. Besides his widow and daughters, Mr. Hansen is survived by two brothers, Clarence and James, Clear Lake, and a sister, Mrs. Caroline Kjeldsen, in Denmark. March 13, 1919, Mr. Hansen became a member of Verity lodge No. 250, A.F. and A.M. He later became a Royal Arch Mason and a member of Park chapter No. 35, O.E.S. He was a member of the Zion United Lutheran church and acted on the committee when the present edifice was built. He also belonged to Danish Brotherhood Lodge No. 219 and to the Clear Lake Commercial club. He was a member of the Clear Lake Rotary club and of Chivalric (?) Lodge No. 82, Knights of Pythias until failing health forced him to give up many of his associations. Mr. Hansen has been in poor health for several years, being unable to be in his place of business for weeks at a time.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:34:57 +0000
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