Edwin N. Olson

Edwin was born at the farm in Sharon on October 21, 1893. It is myopinion that he is the baby in the baptismal dress in the picture from the Dragland webb site. Signe is the little girland Otelius Nikolai the little boy who died November 25, 1893. The1900 census for Steel County, Westfield Townshipnotes that Edwin is 7 years old. He attended Westfield School located three miles from the farm. He is in the second rowof the class picture taken in 1905 and listed as a pupil for the schoolyear October 15, 1906 to May 17, 1907. He wasconfirmed at Hoff Lutheran Church in 1907. In 1919 he married EllenCornelius and they were divorced in 1931.
Edwin lost an eye in an accident and wore a glass eye. He worked for atime as operator of a steam engine in a flour mill and attended the NorthDakota State University, Fargo, ND for four years. He returned to Sharonand took a job as operator of the town's electrical generating system.He also became the town constable, jailer and road commissioner. He wasan elder in the Lutheran Church and a member of the school board [Dennis'records]. During the time he worked in Sharon, he perfected a processfor manufacturing batteries and formed the Olson Electric Company. In1927 he moved to Minot, ND where he started a battery factory and hiscompany turned out thousands of storage batteries that were distributedthroughout North Dakota, Montana, and Canada. He sold the company in1934 and formed the E. N. Olson Electric Works, a business that focusedon the rewinding, repair and sale of electric motors. The businessexpanded into the rural electrification program. He retired in 1964 andsold his interest in the company to P & C Electric.
Edwin ran for mayor of Minot, ND in 1942. He was active in the EaglesLodge and was named to the Eagles Hall of Fame in 1968. He was alsoactive in the Sons of Norway and the American Association of RetiredPersons and was a member of the Minot Senior Citizens.
Edwin died September 2, 1983 in a Minot hospital. Noren Melandrepresented the Meland family at his funeral held at Thomas FuneralChapel on September 6, 1983 and served as a pallbearer with Elwin, Dennisand Robert. "If you ever should visit Minot, please go to the SunsetMemorial Gardens and visit Ed's grave site. The cemetery is just a fewmiles north of the airport on the west side of highway 83. Ed was laidto rest in a place of High Honor just at the foot of a very largebeautiful marble monument that was built by the Minot Eagles on the Northedge of the cemetery. Indeed, dear Uncle Ed will be long remembered byhis many friends and those he served." Noren Meland