AMANDA OLSON by Louraine Noreen -

Amanda Marie Olson was born October 16th, 1881 on the farm owned by her parents. She was the third child of the family and no doubt was delivered by a midwife as was the custom in those days. Her life was like so many young women of her time, as growing up in a large family meant long hours and hard work. Her mother needed help with the garden, household duties and the younger children that followed. Often, she took on difficult work which she did not have the strength to do.

She received some education at the Kost school but it is not known how many years she attended. In those days, there was no requirement to finish a certain amount of grades. Children were kept out for many reasons and when the winters were cold few attended.

Amanda, as well as the other children, was raised a Methodist, and again meetings were held in the school house. A visiting minister would come from Lindstrom usually on Sunday afternoon. Sometimes the family would attend the Lindstrom church riding in their horse and buggy.

Amanda worked in a hotel in Center City at least one summer. Her day would start about 5:00 a.m. when she would drive a horse and cart to a nearby pasture to milk several cows. Later that day, she would work in the kitchen or any other work that was required. When she was older, she worked in the Mat H Kaehn Bakery in Minneapolis, as a clerk. Though the bakery boasted the union label, the hours were long. Men would stop in to buy baked goods on their way to work to supplement their lunch pails.

It is not known when or how she met Hugo Anderson, but on January 5, 1905 they were married at her parents' home. The attendants were Ed and Fred, her brothers, Jane, her sister and Hilma Olson, her sister-in-law. Since it was January, the new fallen snow was tracked into the freshly cleaned house. Amanda was dressed in a taffeta brocade dress tightly gathered at the waist with full, puffed, long sleeves. Her veil was fastened to her hair with flowers. Hugo wore a dark suit, white gloves and shirt and looked very sheik.

For several years, the couple lived with Hugo's parents east of North Branch trying as best they could to make a living. It was here that Ethel was born. Later they bought land in Lent township and while Hugo and others built the house and barn, they lived in a small house just south of the farm. Evelyn was born in this house.
Some of the land may have been cleared by an earlier owner but, Hugo cleared much of the acreage. No doubt a great deal of the trees were made into rough lumber for building purposes.

The barn did not hold many cows, at most six and some young calves. However, Amanda always helped with the milking and when the separating was done, she would wash the bowl and discs. For years she made butter and sold it in Carlson's store in Lindstrom. There was always a great demand for her sweet butter. She tended a flock of chickens and at one time sold the eggs to the Reilly Hatchery in Chisago City.

For many years, the cash crop was potatoes. The long rows were hoed by the children but in the fall everyone turned out to pick the potatoes. Some years the school had potato vacation so the children wouldn't miss school.

As I write about these early years of my mother and dad, I'm reminded of so many things during our childhood on the farm. Mother was a good cook and we always had three big meals a day with tasty food. She baked bread twice a week, one time rye bread, usually on Wednesday and on Saturday it was white bread, rolls and biscuits. Every Sunday was a special roast or chicken dinner with usually a lot of company.

Mother made all of the clothes for the girls until we were old enough to handle the sewing machine ourselves. She knitted mittens, scarfs and stockings for everyone. Her knitting and sewing was done after the children went to bed at night. She subscribed to the Minneapolis Tribune and always kept abreast of the news.

She had a large garden and although we helped pull the weeds, she did the hoeing and preserving of the vegetables. She always helped with the milking, haying and stacking grain. She never hesitated to carry heavy pails of slop to the pigs, butcher chickens or clean the chicken house. For many years she hatched her own chickens in an incubator.

Life on the farm was rather quiet. There was a routine to follow each day. Sometimes the day would be spiced up by company, the Watkins dealer or just a bum coming through the area. Mother always invited everyone to eat with us.

One of the highlights of the summer was to visit Jane Nyman's at Luck, Wisconsin or an evening at Charley Anderson's was a treat. We were nine children, but by the time I was growing up my three older sisters were working in Minneapolis.

When her parents got old, Mother would clean their house and take home their washing to do with hers. This was usually done outside with wash board, two tubs and a boiler full of hot water.

When Fred got sick, she spent a considerable amount of time taking care of him. Later she took care of Grandma Anderson for at least ten years in our home. Grandma was an invalid and had to be waited on - usually she was confined to her room.

Our parents celebrated their 55th Wedding Anniversary, January 1960 and after that Mother's health failed. She spent her last years in Green Acres Nursing Home. She died April 9, 1973 at the age of 91 years, 5 months 23 days. She was buried in Kost Cemetery close to her parents and brother Fred.

She was a true pioneer woman.

The children born to this marriage were: Ethel, Evelyn, Lou, Morris, Louraine, Edwin, Doris, Gloria and Gerald. Doris passed away in 1967 and Evelyn in 1978.