Gustaf Wilhelm Olson

Swedish American businessman (1876 - 1955)

Gustaf Wilhelm Olson

Photo taken by his son Goodwin Wendell Olson c. 1940

Born| (1876-04-07)7 April 1876

Härlunda Parish, Kronoberg County, Småland, Sweden

Died| 19 December 1955(1955-12-19) (aged 79)

Stockholm, Sweden

Nationality| Swedish

Gustaf Wilhelm Olson (7 April 1876 - 19 December 1955) was a Swedish American businessman, politician, hospital administrator and Consul for Sweden in America.

## Early Life

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Gustaf Wilhelm Olson was born 7 April 1876 to Sven and Sissa (Trulsdotter) Olson in the Härlunda Parish, Kronoberg County, Småland, Sweden.[1] In 1888, at age 12, he travelled to the United States with his father and brother where they settled in Vasa, Minnesota for a year and a half before moving to Minneapolis in the fall of 1889.[1] On 18 June 1898, at age 22, Olson was naturalized as a US citizen.[2]

## Career

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### Printing

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In the fall of 1894, in partnership with Albert Sjostrand, under the firm name of Olson & Sjostrand, Olson started a job printing office. In 1898 he bought out his partner's interest and continued the business alone. In 1899 Olson unfortunately had a severe illness, during which the business ran down to such an extent that he had to sell out the stock.[1]

Olson then entered the employ of Hahn & Harmon, printers, and remained as foreman of their jobbing office from 1899 until 1902, when he accepted a position as advertising manager with the Minnesota Stats Tidning, in St. Paul. but at the end of a year was offered a better position with Hahn & Harmon, with whom he was again associated, this time remaining from February, 1903, until January, 1904. Olson then started a business of his own as head of the firm of G. W. Olson & Company, and five months later, on May 1, 1904, his company became consolidated with the firm of Hahn & Harmon, and was incorporated under the name of "Hahn & Harmon Company," of which Mr. Olson was a member of the directorate and vice-president.[1]

In 1897 he was commissioned as correspondent for a leading printing trades journal at the Industrial Exposition at Stockholm.[1]

### Hospital Administration

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* Superintendent, Swedish Hospital at Minneapolis
* Superintendent, California Lutheren Hospital at Los Angeles
* Assistant Superintendent, Los Angeles County General Hospital
* Administrator, Queen's Hospital in Honolulu

## Politics

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G.W. Olson for Alderman Seventh Ward

In 1908 Olson was a candidate for the Republican nomination for alderman in Minneapolis from the Seventh ward, and at the primaries received a handsome majority of the votes cast, but was defeated at the polls by the small majority of fifteen votes.[1]

## Public Service

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* Vice Consul for Sweden at Los Angeles, California, 1931[2]
* Vice Consul for Sweden at Honolulu, Hawaii, 1941[2]
* Consul for Sweden at Honolulu, Hawaii, 1949[3]

## Awards

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On 29 August 1955, Gustaf was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class from Japan for his work during World War II in protecting Japanese interests in Hawaii.[4][5]

## Personal Life

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Gustaf married Tillie Olson in 1899[1] and together had 4 children. He became a widower after Tillie passed away 18 September 1931.[6]

Gustaf was later remarried to Anice Hummel on 6 December 1941 in Honolulu, HI, the evening before the attack on Pearl Harbor.[7]

## Death

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Gustaf and his wife left Honolulu, HI on 4 September 1955 to visit Sweden with the intention of staying for a year before returning back to Hawaii. Shortly after arriving to Sweden, Gustaf experienced health complications and passed away on 19 December 1955.[8]

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e f g Strand, A.E. (1910). A History of Swedish Americans in Minnesota Volume 3. Chicago, IL: Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 810–814.
2. ^ a b c Lawrence, Elizabeth (2023). "Americans All: Swedish Vice Consul Gustaf Olson and the Incarceration of Japanese Immigrants and Japanese Americans in World War II Hawai'i". Swedish-American Studies. 74 (1): 7–26. doi:10.1353/sas.2023.a933617.
3. ^ "Swedish Vice-Consul Olson Gets Promotion". The Honolulu Advertiser. 5 January 1949.
4. ^ "Japan to Honor Gustaf Olson". The Honolulu Advertiser. 5 August 1955.
5. ^ "Consul Olson Feted At Reception". The Honolulu Advertiser. 31 August 1955.
6. ^ "Notabelt dödsfall". Omaha Posten. 10 October 1931.
7. ^ "Marriage Licenses". The Honolulu Advertiser. 7 December 1941.
8. ^ "G.W. Olson Dies In Stockholm". Hawaii Tribune Herald. 20 December 1955.

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*[c.]: circa