Who Are We?
Samuel Erick Olson Branch
Sam Synopsis

12-1-83

A SHORT SYNOPSIS OF THE LIVES OF EMMA M. (DAHLCREN) AND SAMUEL E. OLSON

This is written as a tribute to the parents of Miriam, Joe, Anita, Donny and Dean Olson who live in Scottadale, AZ, Spokane, WA, Seattle, WA, Houston, TX And Williamsburg, VA respectively.

We lost our Daddy on October 8th, 1983, as the result of a massive heart attack. He was very strong, healthy and vital man, and although he was 87 years old last April; having had a good and long life; had the respect and admiration of many; a loving family in his youth and adulthood, along with a devoted wife for over 56 years, it was a great shock to lose him. This shock extended to many besides his immediate family, for he was a man who was interested in everybody and everything, and any life he touched, the person never forgot him. Our personal grief will take a long time to pass, as it did when we lost our Mother June 6th, 1981. By coincidence, our parents were married on the 13th, and both buried on the 13th.

Samuel Erick was born on 4-29-1896 in Ironwood, Michigan, the 6th of seven children. His parents, Blixt and Kristina Olson, were Swedish immigrants. When Sam was two years old, and his sister, Christena, only a baby, Blixt left for Spokane, WA, to meet his cousin, Andrew Erickson, who had written about the wonderful opportunity of free land about to be available - 160 acres each - when the government would open up part of the Colville Reservation for homesteading. Blixt had been ill with rheumatic fever from working in the mines and the doctor had advised him he needed to change his occupation and go to a drier climate. He was reluctant to leave Kristina with 7 children, but she urged him to go - that they would be fine in the comfortable home they had developed - she and the children would busy themselves preparing it for sale so they could Join him as soon as he had a home ready for them.

When Blixt and Andrew were about 100 miles from Spokane, they cut over the hill on the "Marcus Trail" to shorten the distance in reaching the land they homesteaded which Johnny St. Peters, their Indian guide, helped them locate on the South Fork of St. Peters Creek. (Today, by automobile, it is about a tour hour trip from Spokane to the homestead, going north and west of Spokane). Two years later, after they had completed their log cabins, Blixt sent for Kristina and the children.

Kriatina and the older children had worked hard to put their place in top shape to "command the highest price", as Kristina put it. She and the children arrived in Grand Forks, B.C. by train. Blixt and Henry Schenider, who owned a wagon and team of horses, met them and they began their journey to Blixt’s homestead. They rested the first night at Henry’s place. Not long later, Andrew’s parents sent a lovely girl named Lydia from Sweden who became Andrew’s bride, and their children numbered 3 - Alvar born September 28, 1905, and who now lives in Mesa, AZ, Inez (Brown), born 4-5-1907, lives in Republic, WA, and Audrey, born 8-8-1909 who died at age 23 of a heart attack. Kristina was the mid-wife for Lydia during all three births.

When Sam was 22 years old, he was inducted into the Army and assigned to the Medical Corps in Camp Kearney, California. This turned out to be a tragic time in his life since he contracted spinal meningitis, an illness still serious today, but generally fatal in those days as there was no treatment for it. It was a mark of Sam’s strength that he pulled through, along with the devotion of one of the nurses, Florence Johnson, and their friendship lasted until she died in her 70’s. The illness, though, took a severe toll in that it left Sam stone deaf with the nerves gone in both ears.

After being discharged from Camp Kearney, Sam went to lip reading school in Portland, Oregon, where he bought his first car, an Essex. He decided to stay in California for a while since he wanted to see some new country, a curiosity he has always had. He also entered a training school for creamery management, but in 1920, he decided to come back to Malo to start a new life. He returned to his parents homestead in style, driving his new Essex.

One day Sam renewed his friendship with Emma Dahlgren, a school teacher at the nearby St. Peters Creek School. He had first met her some years earlier when he saw her sitting on a stack of lumber near the Malo Store waiting for the stage to Republic. Always interested in pretty girls and new friends, he went over and struck up a conversation with her. Emma was attending her last year of high school while she supported herself as a domestic. Her brother, Henry, had purchased some of Blixt's land, and sometimes she got a week end off to visit him.

Emma had left her parents homestead overlooking Driftwood Bay on Coeur d’ Alene Lake in Idaho when she was 14 years old, determined to get an education and improve her life. The first year she worked as a domestic in Coeur d' Alene for her room and board in order to start high school, the second year in Butte, Montana, and the third and final year, she completed her high school education in Republic, WA. Unable to afford suitable attire, she could not attend the graduation exercises and the principal gave her her diploma in his office. Emma wanted to be a teacher. Her brother, Henry, and another brother, Pete, who was a "lumber Jack" on the West Coast, lent her the money to go to "normal school" in order for her to get her teacher’s certificate. She then taught school for several years at various Washington towns, the last being St. Peters Creek School the year before she and Sam renewed their acquaintance. Emma had become quite independent, even buying her own car, which was a considerable accomplishment in that era, especially for a girl who had brought herself out of such poverty as she had known as a child, and during her teens.

When she started teaching in 1924 at the St. Peters Creek School, she lived with her brother, Henry. It was during that winter Sam began courting Emma. By Spring, they were serious about their relationship. Emma liked to tell Sam she had "oceans of love for him with a kiss on every wave".

The School Board asked Emma to renew her contract for the Fall of 1925, and she agreed. However, this meant she had to return to Cheney, WA for summer school. Emma, and her friend, Isabel Johnson, left Malo in Emma's car for the trip and drove along the San Poil River to Creston where they kicked up their heels at a community dance. Emma was very fond of dancing, and so was Sam who could keep time to the music through the vibrations he felt. The next day, Emma and Isabel drove on to Coeur d' Alene where Emma took Isabel on her first ride on the famous excursion boat that sailed the length of the lake and up the St. Joe River to St. Maries. But then the holiday was over and it was time to get down to the business at hand - continuing education at Cheney. Emma was pleased with her room mate - a girl named Helen Dodson who was from Republic, with a jolly personality.

By the end of June, Emma missedd Sam so much she sent him a message asking him if they could get together for the Salmon Day Celebration in Keller over the weekend. Both had cars, and Keller was conveniently located about half way between Malo and Cheney. Sam was eager to make the trip, and sent a message to Emma he would be there "with bells on!" He teased Emma, though, that if she didn’t keep her eye on him, he might chase some "Skokum Squaws". He also added to his message that he had a surprise for her. During that weekend, Emma learned Sam’s surprise. While sitting on the tamarack stump visiting, Sam proposed marriage, and Emma happily accepted.

When Emma went back to school that Monday, Sam drove to Spokane to meet his brother, Ernest. Together they shopped for a new car for Sam. He settled on a 6 cylinder Nash Chandler, 2 door sedan with balloon tires and 4 wheel brakes. The Nash turned out to be one of Emma's favorite cars because Sam liked the color - "blue like Emma's eyes", he would say. (Emma had the clear light blue eyes certain Norwegians inherit). But he also liked the car for its power. "It would jump right out from under you if you stepped on the gas", he would say. "Easy to be the boss of the road", he would add. "In Spokane it might not be much, but in Malo it is".

Sam's first long trip in his new car was made with his parents. Their plans were to drive to Seattle, then up to Vancouver Island to visit Sam's oldest brother, Charlie, his wife, Hilma and their two daughters, Florence and Mabel. He planned the route through Spokane and Cheney so he would have a chance to show Emma the new car. During that visit, Sam and Emma discussed their marriage plans while his parents visited with friends in Spokane. Both Sam and Emma had spent many hours thinking over the marriage because they did not want to rush into a commitment so important without being certain it was what they both wanted.

Even though Emma had a career in teaching well under way, she decided that life with Sam, and building their home and family together was what she wanted more than anything. Sam wanted to farm but he wanted to settle down somewhere other than Malo. During the trip to Vancouver Island, they passed through the Wenatchee-Chelan area, and he fell in love with the country. Later, he told Emma he wanted to take her on a trip there to see if she agreed with his opinion. He wanted to raise chickens, and thought it would be a good product since "everyone there was so busy raising fruit they couldn't seem to think of anything else."

Upon returning home from their lengthy trip, which included a few days in Seattle where Blixt attended a Baptist conference, Sam heard that a rumor was spreading to the effect that he and Emma had gotten married - Sam would neither admit nor deny it - not even to his parents. He thought it was a good joke that only he and Emma knew the real truth. In view of their decision to marry in August 1925, Emma notified the School Board she could not return to St. Peter's Creek School that Fall. On August 11th, after her final exam at Cheney, Emma came out of the school with a full picnic basket to Sam waiting in his new car, and they drove away to a local lake area to enjoy the beautiful summer day. The following Thursday, August 13th, 1925, they were married by a Lutheran minister in Davenport, WA. They spent their honeymoon in the Carlisle Hotel in Spokane.

Then, because of her feeling of obligation to her sister, Esther, Emma went on to Coeur d' Alene to break the news of her marriage to her and the rest of her family. Also, Esther had a vacation coming up, and since she seldom took one, Emma wanted to be sure she did this year and got a much needed rest. Esther was not pleased to hear the news. She refused to believe that Emma had given up her hard earned career for marriage. She was not convinced until Emma presented her with the marriage certificate and showed her ring There were also 5 brothers in their family, and out of the 7 children, Emma, and her brother, Edwin, were the only 2 to ever marry. It was evident marriage was not a very popular idea among the Dahlgren children. (Esther never did marry, but gave great devotion to Miriam and Joe for many summers from the time they were each 6 years old and stayed with her. Esther also had a hard earned career, but as a bookkeeper). Emma had been with Esther about ten days when she received a letter from Sam Asking her to come to Malo as soon as possible. He missed her very much, and, in addition, gossip was traveling around the county speculating on why Sam and Emma were seperated so soon after marrying.

Sam and Emma moved in with Blixt and Kristina by their invatation. In a few months, it became clear their first child was on the way, and they decided to rent a place near Lake Chelan to look the country over while they waited for the babay. But the land proved to be too expensive, and after Miriam was born July 2nd, they returned to the Malo area to look around for a farm. In late January 1927, Tom Anderson up the North Fork about 4 miles from Malo, put his place up for sale. The "Anderson boys" were horse traders. The buildings included a two story sturdy log house which did not have the second floor in it or any partitions. In addition, there was a very large barn with open sides, and some other out buildings. Although the buildings were more than 30 years old when Sam ~ Emma took over the place, they stand just as sturdy today even though they are probably close to 90 years old. Of course, Sam and Emma made many improvements to the buildings in the years they lived there. The timber on the place helped pay for a good part of the purchase price. Sam bought all of his Pa's cattle, as well as 16 steers, which did not prove profitable since the depression hit, and after 3 years of feeding the steers, he was forced to sell them for only $5.00 a head above the cost. Sam decided to raise purebred registered polled Shorthorn breeding cattle, perhaps on the theory the only people left to buy anything were the very wealthy who survived, and the expensive breeding stock would be very marketable. So he began to build his herd.

The first few years were tough ones. In addition to the depression, a drought came which dried up the wells on the farm. Hauling water from the creek a few miles away was a short term solution, but Sam wanted a better and long term solution. One morning when he was reading the newspaper, he saw something that sparked an idea. A piece of land up on the mountain above the farm was for sale for back taxes, and Sam knew it had a prolific spring on it. Sam had a dream, and that dream was about all the things he could do with the power of that spring if he could pipe the water down to the farm. Not only would they have ample water to irrigate the land, but they could power a generator and make electricity for lights and many other conveniences. This was a number of years before there was electricity available in that part of the country.

So Sam bought the land. He ordered 6,562 feet of pipe from the Alaska Junk Company in Seattle for $871.00 in the Spring of 1933. The price included delivery to the Olson farm. With the help of Bob and Tom Sparks who had the neighboring farm, and his nephew, Lee Olson, who spent much time with his favorite Uncle Sam on the farm, they dug a ditch l l/4th miles long and laid the pipe. There was such force from the water, some outlet had to be left on at all times or a pipe would burst. So the Sam Olson place had the first electricity and irrigation in the area, including a kitchen and bathroom with hot and cold water, years before it was usual in the County; an accomplishment Sam took great pride in recalling all through his life. The same system is still working today for the McClellans 50 years later.

Sam and Emma grew weary of the struggle with the "mountainside" farming on their Malo farm and the long distancee Sam had to travel to show his prize cattle in order for his herd to be recognized among the Shorthorn Cattle Breeders. In 1944, Sam decided to sell the farm and cattle in Deer Park, Wa. where he had found fertile farmland that was flat, and his prlze winning cattle would be more readily available to prospective buyers since Spokane, with an airport, was only about 35 miles away.

In 1942, Miriam had graduated from high school at 16 years old and gone to work in the shipyards in Portland, OR. In 1944, Joe at 17, Anita 11, Donny 9 and Dean 7, were still at home. Sam had hoped his sons would become farmers but they had other ideas. His disappointment, however, turned to pride when all 3 boys managed to get themselves through college by working at various jobs to finance their education along with scholarships they earned through scholastic ability.

Joe became a CPA, later a partner in his own firm, retired from that in his middle 50’s and concentrated on developing computer services business which is now the largest in the Inland Empire - Spokane Computer Services, which he, and his son, Dan, also a CPA, operate successfully.

Don became a research scientist and met his wife, Hanne, in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she was a student at the University Don was attending on a grant from NATO to do research. He has worked in research for Shell Oil Company for many years, the last several years in Houston, TX, and is a Senior Staff Chemist.

Dean earned his degree in journalism, taught at the Univ. of Alaska, and has been the Director of Public Relations for William and Mary College in Williamsburg, VA for a number of years. His wife Annelise, is also from Copenhagen.

Now, it's the girls turn! Anita devoted many years of her working life as "right hand man" to her husband, Frank, in his building business, taking care of all the mountains of paper work - blueprints, financing packages, permits, government rules and regulations, the accounting, etc. - involved in a successful contracting business. Frank not only built custom homes, but also apartment buildings from four plexes to large complexes, including government approved multiple dwelling units. A few years ago, Anita decided to resign, and take on a new challenge. She went to college, got her degree in interior design and opened the Village Frame Shop and Art Gallery in Seattle ulth a friend and partner who is an architect - also named Anita their shop is large enough to accommodate design layouts and present ideas their customers can visualize in redoing their homes - and if they need a builder, the girls can supply that, too! The Frame Shop and Art Gallery gets the customers in, and the location of the shop is in an affluent area that can afford to follow through with new ideas in their homes. Anita also has her real estate broker's license, which she used for several years.

Miriam spent a number of years in the real estate business in Seattle, WA. After a 3 year "internship" working for others, she bought a corner property she believed had a profitable future, and converted the 2 bedroom house on it into an office so she could open a real estate office of her own on 1-1-1959, with 2 children to support. She hired 5 men and trained them in the real estate business, later taking one in as a partner. Together, they developed 3 offices in the Burien, Maple Valley and Federal Way areas. Her motto was "Everything in Real Estate", and they worked accordingly, putting together projects such as shopping centers and FHA approved sub-divisions for builders, down to the smallest "nothing down" residential sale where the buyer hardly had the closing costs. Everyone got the same red carpet treatment - "When the kids were raised", Miriam and Charlie, who had known each other for about 5 years, started dating and married a year later. They moved to Camano Island (N and W of Seattle 80 miles) where they lived 4 years and Charlie built custom homes. In Dec 1971, they decided to move out of the rain into the sun and headed for Arizona. Charlie specializes in cabinet building, wood carving and gardening. Miriam has worked in the Trust Division of First Interstate Bank of Arizona for 12 years and is an Administrative Assistant in the Scottsdale Branch Office.

Getting back to Sam and Emma, in 1961, they sold their farm in Deer Park; and their herd of prize cattle to persons Sam carefully interviewed to be sure each of his "pride and joy" would be accorded the same attentive care he had given them. In fact, the family was beginning to wonder if any buyer would be approved, for Sam turned many of them away. Finally, he completed the distribution of his herd, and he and Emma retired to live in Spokane near Joe and his wife, Joan.

In the Fall of 1973, while on a visit with Miriam and Charlie in Scottsdale, Sam and Emma decided they liked the sunshine and climate. They bought a home in a nice development a few miles from Turf Paradise, a well known race track. All of the family had wondered what Sam would do to occupy his time in retirement since being deaf limited him somewhat as to hobbies. Everyone was surprised when he decided on horse racing, knowing his thrifty ways, but he spent many hours studying every aspect of each horse and the Jockey before he decided on his betting. It proved to be an exciting pastime for him which he began after they had moved to Spokane. The move to Arizona proved a wise choice since the weather permitted them lots of freedom to drive wherever they wanted to go, and they took several trips over the years to Texas and Virginia.

In early March 1981, Emma suffered what was thought to be a mild heart attack. She spent a week in the hospital, came home to good care, but suffered congestive heart failure, followed by several strokes, and in the end, was in a coma for almost a week when she died on 6-6-81 with Miriam and Joe by her bedside. She had a very hard death. Sam had also been by her bedside for days. He was stunned losing his partner of over 56 years. Emma was buried on June 13th, 1981, in The Pines Cemetery in Spokane, WA. That summer Sam spent mostly with Anita in Seattle. Knowing the winter rains would begin, the family began to be concerned about Sam's future. He was still an independent person, interested in doing things and needed someone compatible with time to share his interests. Perhaps Emma was watching over him, for out of the blue, he got a letter from Jessie (Sparks) Albright (remember Bob Sparks - that was her father) saying she would like to be a companion and get out of Spokane after 42 years living there. She had lost her husband a few years earlier. Jessie had grown up as our neighbor, and was like another daughter to Sam. This proved to be a very good arrangement for both of them, as they enjoyed traveling and took in many trips during their time together. Jessie spent the first winter (1981/82) in Phoenix with Sam and the following summer in Washington, with more traveling. The Fall of 1982, Sam's granddaughter, Christine, her husband, Gordy; Sundriya (14) and Nathan (7) moved from Seattle to live with Grandpa at his invitation, so Gordy could go to De Vry Institute of Technology which gave Grandpa the loving care of family at the same time.

Sam was a great family person and carried on a voluminous correspondence with all of his 5 children, 9 grandchildren and even some of his 11 great grandchildren; numerous nieces nephews; great nieces and nephews, and lots of friends. So he was well known in a wide circle. Many of his family, including his grandchildren, wrote to him for advice. He had a knack for getting to the root of a problem. All of his younger descendants reported their school grades to him for they knew there would be a financial reward, along with praise, by return mail if they were on the honor roll. When Sam's hands began cramping, he bought a typewriter and learned a new skill to keep his correspondence going. Little children made a beeline for him - related or otherwise. He had a great deal of charm and humor. On the other hand, he was a very disciplined and highly principled person who expected the same out of all of his family. Family honor was probably the top of his list of priorities. This was a trait handed down by Blixt and Kristina through their children on to future generations.

In the Spring (1983), Sam returned to Washington and Jessie. Home base was an apartment in one of Joe's complexes in Spokane, Jessie and Sam also took a trip to Williamsburg to be on hand for the Summit Meeting - part of great history, and another trip to Hawaii. Labor Day Week End, the 3rd Olson family reunion was held at Twin Lakes Village near Spokane, with 120 relatives gathering from Eastern and Western Canada/United States. These festivities were real high lights in Sam's life. The prior one had been in Colorado, August 1977, with one relative even coming from Sweden. The first one was in Phoenix for Sam and Emma 50th wedding anniversary in 1975. Sam enjoyed every minute at Twin Lakes but his hip was really troubling him. It had bothered him for more than a year, but being a person who steered clear of doctors and medications, still having escaped even a dentist in 87 years, he kept going. However, he did always agree in later years to an annual physical - he had had one the prior May and the doctor told him again he had the heart, lungs and blood pressure of a 60 year old man, and the doctor had given him every possible test. Samuel knew his hip was going to get him down, and being a person who was interested in everything, he couldn't be satisfied with the restraint his hip would subject him to. He made up his mind that September after the reunion to have a hip replacement by the same Phoenix doctor who did Emma’s with great success in early 1978. His children were not in favor of his decision, considering his age. In looking back, we believe he had given the matter careful thought, figured the "odds were good", and he wanted "all or nothing". So he insisted on the arrangements being made for him. He returned to Phoenix Oct. 1st, went into the hospital Oct. 4th, had surgery Oct. 5th and came through with flying colors. That evening he joked over the phone with Joe, telling him he had better trade places with him and rest up for a few days. Miriam spent Monday night with him, Christine and family at Sam’s house, Tuesday and Wednesday with him at the hospital. Anita arrived that night and stayed with him at the hospital so he always had family with him. He was doing great - had gotten out of bed to sit for a few minutes in a wheelchair Thursday - again Friday after lunch - but this was extended to having him stand with a walker and try to take a few steps. A blood clot let loose and caused a massive heart attack. They let Anita go to intensive care with him, and together though the afternoon they watched the ball game on TV. (People usually equate "massive heart attack" with falling over dead - it doesn't always work that way). The doctor had told Anita it was "a little heart attack" after work, Miriam went to be with Anita and together they stayed with Sam. His condition had rapidly worsened and he died at 4:30 A.M. peacefully in his sleep. He didn't complain of a lot of pain. He did not know he had had a heart attack. Everyone who knew him would understand the prayers of his children that when his time would come "please, God, make it quick and easy", for he was a man who could not cope with incapacity. But we thought of him as indestructible, however irrational that may sound, and we couldn't believe he was gone. The blood clot could happen at any age. The surgeon told Miriam he didn't see how Sam had walked on that leg. He said all the cartilage was gone in the hip, bone was grating on bone and there were even bone chips in there. He had had to replace everything. It was obvious Sam could not have enjoyed an active life without the surgery. We believe it was his time, and this was God’s way to give him easy passage out of this world to the next. Many relatives and friends gathered together October 13th in Spokane to pay their respects to Samuel. Three of the pall bearers had known him most of their lives - his nephew, Lee Olson, who was more like a son; Bert Edwards and Craig Cody who had both worked on the farm with Sam beginning in their early teens. When Bert rode into the area on his horse at about 14 years, hungry in the snow and looking for work, Lee's parents fed him at the store and directed him to Sam's farm. He worked for Sam for several years, and at first one of his chores was to give Miriam a daily "airing" in her carriage - years later he told her at dance at the Malo Grange Hall he was tempted many times to push the carriage right over the hill - if he had, it would have landed in the Sparks fields. Craig came to work for Sam when he was 13 years old. He said he learned a great deal from him, one being hard work. Craig hit on one idea that usually worked for some R and R - he would tell Sam he had heard they caught a 4 pound bass in the lake, and, after awhile, Sam would say, "Well, let's hurry up and finish this so we can go fishing for a while".

Six good men carried Sam safely to rest beside his Emma at The Pines Cemetery. There's a powerful image in my mind of Samuel and Emma young again together, meeting at the fork of St. Peters Creek road, laughing together over some shared joke - enjoying the sunshine and the fragrance of the pine trees - walking along the nearby creek without many cares, watching the minnows dart about in the water - sometimes quiet, each with their own thoughts about the other - and then one day, both sure they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, which they did; and we feel certain now they are together again forever… still intertwined in the lives of their descendants we can feel their presence among us still, and feel we have their blessing.

THE END

Miriam M. (Olson) Lee

(There are 7 pages to this story, one for each branch of the Blixt and Kristina families. May the story stay safe for future generations to remember the past, and be proud of their heritage.)

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