Olzon Line
Jim Robertus has created the Olzon Family website at the link www.olzonfamily.com. It begins with Alfred and Anna (Nelson) Olzon and follows through with their children and grandchildren. The Olzon line follows Alfred back as far as I have been able to obtain information to date.
JOHAN FREDERICK OLZON AND CHRISTINA ELIZABETH SVENSDOTTER.
It is to be noted that Christina was the mistress of Johan. The name of Johan's legal wife is unknown to me.
Johan Fredrick Ollson (spelling later changed to Olzon) was born September 21. 1816, at Skovde Parish Sweden and died May 23, 1872, at Mariestad Sweden.
Christina Elizabeth Svensdotter was born November 15, 1822, in Bergan Parish Sweden and died May 23, 1905, in Helvey, Nebraska.
Christina left her parents in her early teens and moved to Maristad Sweden and became the housekeeper in the home of Johan Frederick. She
was buried in the Powell Cemetery with no headstone. At a gathering of the Olzon cousins in 1982, it was decided that a headstone
should be provided. Donations were taken, the headstone was purchased and placed on the grave.
One son was born to Johan and his legal wife, Wilhelm Olzon He was born February 5, 1844, at Mariestad Sweden. Date of death unknown. For reasons unknown, Wilhelm changed his name from Olzon to Danelius.
Two children were born to Johan and Christina.
- Alfred Olzon was born October 12, 1855, in Stockholm Sweden and died October 31, 1929.
- Fredrick Olzon was born January 4, 1850, in Mariestad Sweden and died June 13, 1914, in Bay City, Texas.
Little is known of Fredrick's and Alfred's early years. It has been assumed they attended primary school in Mariestad and later attended school in Stockholm where they both studied painting and sketching. I understand there were sketchbooks and paintings attesting to their artistic talent. The snake game we played when I was a child was a game devised and drawn by Alfred. In my grandmother's autograph book is a note with a lovely sketch and signed by Fred.
Alfred married Anna Nelson. More information contained in the Olzon Family Website
FREDRICK OLZON AND INGRID LISA (LIZZIE) (NELSON) OLZON
Fredrick married Ingrid Lisa (Lizzie) Nelson. Lizzie was the sister of Anna (Nelson) Olzon. Fred and Lizzie had four children.
- OLIVE OLZON was born July 28, 1881, in Helvey, Nebraska; died in September 1933 in Mill Valley, California. She married JOHN ALFRED MODIN. John Alfred was born 11/26/1869 in Moheda Parish Sweden and died in 1939.
- EDNA OLZON was born July 28, 1885, in Helvey, Nebraska; died June 29, 1945, in Sacramento, California. She married WILLIAM AXEL MODIN. William was born 12/25/1871 in Moheda Parish Sweden; died 2/15/1942 in Mill Valley, California.
- IVA - no other information
- FREDRICK OLZON - Fred was born in 1896 and died in 1961. Fred was frequently called "Little Fred."
Lizzie died in 1897, a short time after the birth of Little Fred. Lizzie's sister Anna raised Little Fred for several years. It is not known the reason but Mae Sickert reports, "I'm afraid there were some hard feelings when Edna took little Fred away and left to live with her older sister Olive and her husband John Modin in Texas."
Fred married Eleanor Gibson. One child was born to Fred and Eleanor in 1936, Theda Lou (Olzon) Hasty. Fred and Eleanor were divorced. Eleanor remarried and the new husband adopted Thada. His last name was Nielson. Later Fred met Bernice (last name unknown) who agreed to marry him if he gave up the alcohol. They married and had ten years together; no children.
NILS PETER BRUN MODIN AND CATHARINA (JOHANASDOTTER) MODIN
The following information connects the OLZON, NELSON, MODIN line.
Nils Peter Brun Modin was born 5/3/1835 in Moheda Parish Sweden; died 3/22/1921 in Bryon, California. Nils married Catharina Jonasdotter born 9/2/1835, in Moheda Parish Sweden and died 7/19/1881 in Jefferson County, Nebraska. Nils and Catharina had three children.
- John Alfred Modin born 11/26/1869 in Moheda Parish Sweden; died in 1939. John Alfred married Olive OLZON
- William Axel Modin born 12/25/1871 in Moheda Parish Sweden; died 2/15/1942 in Mill Valley California. William married Edna OLZON.
- Carl Axel Modin born 10/8/1874; died 8/24/1969.
Edna Olzon and William Axel Modin had four children:
MAE (MODIN) SICKERT
Mae spent countless hours researching the Olzon and Nelson lineage including contacts in Sweden and a trip to Sweden. She sent many letters to my mother containing the information about the Fred Olzon lineage.
One of her contacts in Sweden was Bror AKE Modin who was born in Stockholm. He provided the following information. The name Brun translated is Brown. As I studied the family tree chart provided by Mae Sickert, one name was confusing. The name "Brun" would have "Modin" added. Modin in Swedish is a derivative of Moheda, the place of birth listed for a majority of the children. Perhaps they added the name Modin when they immigrated to America.
Under the patronymic system in general use in Sweden until the late 19th century, sons in a family derived their surname by adding "son" to their father's name. Daughters added "dotter" to their father's given name. The name "Olzon" is a derivative of the patronymic Olofsson.
