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"The decisive factor for Pastor Olsson to immigrate to Lindsborg, Kansas was of a missionary calling with possible work with the American Indians."
-- Lindquist's "Smoky Valley People"
Pastor Olsson
~ Founder of Lindsborg's Bethany Lutheran Church, 1869 - 1876
~ An account by Dr. Emory K. Lindquist
"The decisive factor for Pastor Olsson to immigrate to Lindsborg, Kansas was of a missionary calling with possible work with the American Indians."
-- Lindquist's "Smoky Valley People"
Pastor Olsson
~ Founder of Lindsborg's Bethany Lutheran Church, 1869 - 1876
~ An account by Dr. Emory K. Lindquist
Dr. Emory K. Lindquist, fourth Swedish American Bethany College President in his 1953 book, Smoky Valley People, A History of Lindsborg, Kansas, titles his fifth chapter, “Pastor Olof Olsson: Founder of the Community.” Here he gives a detailed description of the Lindsborg and Smoky Valley founder as he declares him to be, as a result of all his unselfish accomplishments completed within a short seven year period from June 27, 1869 to the time he departed in 1876, as an Augustana Synod recruit for teaching music and theology at the Augustana Theological Seminary in Rock Island, Illinois, which would find him becoming the third president of the Augustana College and the Seminary in 1891 lasting until 1899.
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Here is an excerpt from Dr. Lindquist's Smoky Valley People,
Chapter V, "Pastor Olof Olsson: Founder of the Community," pages 51 - 54:
Here is an excerpt from Dr. Lindquist's Smoky Valley People,
Chapter V, "Pastor Olof Olsson: Founder of the Community," pages 51 - 54:
Olof Olsson was twenty-eight years old when he came to the Smoky Valley late in June, 1869. He left Lindsborg seven years later to join the faculty of Augustana College and Theological Seminary, Rock Island, Illinois, and while he returned to the Smoky Valley for extended periods of time, he never lived there permanently again. The record of achievement in those seven years between 1869 and 1876 is remarkable. Pastor of a large congregation, missionary, county superintendent of public instruction, member of the Kansas House of Representatives, writer, editor, musician, choir director, and friend of the people, Olof Olsson gave himself unsparingly to the cause that was Lindsborg.
Olsson was a man of median build with somewhat delicate features. When Eric Norelius first saw Olsson in Sweden in June, 1868, he had a distinct impression of him while meeting many other people: “Yet none of these engrossed my attention as did a slender young pastor from Värmland, in whose wide open, jovial eyes there was a background of melancholy, the mark of all profound souls.” Olsson’s expression was that of a dreamer and it was good for Lindsborg that he possessed this quality.
More clearly established than the physical features of the young pastor, are remembrances of his fine personal qualities. He was kind and considerate. His contemporaries sensed in him a great love of mankind. Children adored him, responding to his intimate love for them. Olsson was a friend of the people, sharing their joys and sorrows. He also knew the impact of deep anguish. Some might call it moodiness, and at times he needed the consolation of family and friends, especially in sharing the great resources of Christian faith and life. His idealism found the nature of man and the world unintelligible at times, and occasionally a type of mysticism carried him over the stress of pressing anxiety. Olsson was surrounded, however, by great affection because he inspired confidence and love.
One of the sources of Pastor Olsson’s unique contribution to Lindsborg was his ability to identify himself with the people, while at the same time challenging them to a quality of life that would be meaningful to them. Every effort was made to meet the opportunities and responsibilities of the new situation. Olsson was first of all a pastor, a shepherd of a flock which was bewildered at times, though not lost. He recognized the great opportunities of his pastoral office in the daily life of his people. In summer and winter, he walked across the prairies or rode horseback to bring comfort and inspiration, returning home late at night after a long and tiring journey to a distant part of the valley.
C.R. Carlson, an intimate friend of Olsson in Sweden and his chief co-worker in Lindsborg until the atonement issue produced such wide differences of opinion, has written about the pioneer Lindsborg pastor. “He was simple, friendly and easy to approach; he was like a father to his children. He not only preached, but served as a counselor and adviser in all kinds of situations. He was in my home almost every day as we counseled together about the people’s problems which were many at the time.”
The situation of Olsson and the people is described by Francis Johnson, who shared the experiences of those difficult days: “Poor were we, and poor was our pastor. After some time he was short of clothes. He used to borrow a suit from Jon, his brother–in-law, but the trousers would be two inches short. In those days it was not so much a matter of thine and mine; we had to help one another in every way. When I came to the parsonage one day, Mrs. Olsson said, ‘I ought to ask you to stay for coffee, of course, but we have had no coffee for three days.’ Poor as we were, we never suffered outright want, for we had all become landed gentry, each with a farm of his own.”
Olsson was dearly beloved as the pastor and friend of his parishioners. One pioneer woman expressed a general opinion when she wrote: “Pastor Olsson was plain and unpretentious, always friendly and kind, a man of the people and a friend of the poor. He had great forbearance toward others and was never impersonal or critical. He was loved by all who knew him.”
The pioneer pastor brought new born infants into the Kingdom of God through baptism. He joined happy couples in the marriage ceremony as new homes were formed. He entered the family circle when sorrow came and brought comfort from the Word of God. He was counselor and adviser, friend and confidant, a tireless worker, a faithful ambassador of Jesus Christ on the Kansas prairies. European University graduate as he was, Olsson brought the gospel message in a small dugout or preach on the text for the Sunday in the sod and stone church. Dr. Eric Norelius, pioneer leader in the Augustana Synod, has written: “Olof Olsson was a good preacher and folktalare (people’s speaker) and what he said came from the heart, moreover, he was a good singer and a great enthusiast. Here (in Kansas) he could go barefoot, if he wished, dressed in a simple linen suit and with a hat on his head through which several strands of hair stood in the wind, and dressed in this manner, he could wander around and preach the gospel for the poor in the sod houses.” There was deep fellow-feeling in Olsson’s nature, and the great love of a compassionate Christ created a personality that understood man’s need and God’s grace. His attitude brought a genuine response, and to this day, the pioneer pastor is not only an historical person but almost a legendary figure as his qualities are passed on by word of mouth from generation to generation.
The missionary impulse was a decisive factor in the decision of Olsson to come to Kansas, and his activities demonstrate conclusively that this meaningful interest was dear to him. Olsson’s parish went beyond the boundaries of the Smoky Valley. The baptismal records for the period 1869 to 1876 show the wide area included in his pastoral services. In this seven-year period Pastor Olsson baptized 440 children. The parents of 159 of these infants were members of the Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg, while the parents of 281 did not hold such membership . . .
The baptismal record provides interesting information as to the wide area involved in Olsson’s pastoral services. In 1869 he held baptisms in Salina, Irving, Junction City, and Mariadahl in Pottawatomie County. In 1871 he visited Topeka, Mariadahl, Humboldt, Americus, Junction City, Kansas, and Bucklin, Missouri where he baptized seven children of individuals who had left Sweden in his party but who never came to Lindsborg. In the following year he carried out pastoral responsibilities in Denver, Georgetown, and Golden City, Colorado, as well as in various parts of Kansas. In 1874 he baptized infants in Bucklin, Missouri, on two different occasions.
Olsson was a man of median build with somewhat delicate features. When Eric Norelius first saw Olsson in Sweden in June, 1868, he had a distinct impression of him while meeting many other people: “Yet none of these engrossed my attention as did a slender young pastor from Värmland, in whose wide open, jovial eyes there was a background of melancholy, the mark of all profound souls.” Olsson’s expression was that of a dreamer and it was good for Lindsborg that he possessed this quality.
More clearly established than the physical features of the young pastor, are remembrances of his fine personal qualities. He was kind and considerate. His contemporaries sensed in him a great love of mankind. Children adored him, responding to his intimate love for them. Olsson was a friend of the people, sharing their joys and sorrows. He also knew the impact of deep anguish. Some might call it moodiness, and at times he needed the consolation of family and friends, especially in sharing the great resources of Christian faith and life. His idealism found the nature of man and the world unintelligible at times, and occasionally a type of mysticism carried him over the stress of pressing anxiety. Olsson was surrounded, however, by great affection because he inspired confidence and love.
One of the sources of Pastor Olsson’s unique contribution to Lindsborg was his ability to identify himself with the people, while at the same time challenging them to a quality of life that would be meaningful to them. Every effort was made to meet the opportunities and responsibilities of the new situation. Olsson was first of all a pastor, a shepherd of a flock which was bewildered at times, though not lost. He recognized the great opportunities of his pastoral office in the daily life of his people. In summer and winter, he walked across the prairies or rode horseback to bring comfort and inspiration, returning home late at night after a long and tiring journey to a distant part of the valley.
C.R. Carlson, an intimate friend of Olsson in Sweden and his chief co-worker in Lindsborg until the atonement issue produced such wide differences of opinion, has written about the pioneer Lindsborg pastor. “He was simple, friendly and easy to approach; he was like a father to his children. He not only preached, but served as a counselor and adviser in all kinds of situations. He was in my home almost every day as we counseled together about the people’s problems which were many at the time.”
The situation of Olsson and the people is described by Francis Johnson, who shared the experiences of those difficult days: “Poor were we, and poor was our pastor. After some time he was short of clothes. He used to borrow a suit from Jon, his brother–in-law, but the trousers would be two inches short. In those days it was not so much a matter of thine and mine; we had to help one another in every way. When I came to the parsonage one day, Mrs. Olsson said, ‘I ought to ask you to stay for coffee, of course, but we have had no coffee for three days.’ Poor as we were, we never suffered outright want, for we had all become landed gentry, each with a farm of his own.”
Olsson was dearly beloved as the pastor and friend of his parishioners. One pioneer woman expressed a general opinion when she wrote: “Pastor Olsson was plain and unpretentious, always friendly and kind, a man of the people and a friend of the poor. He had great forbearance toward others and was never impersonal or critical. He was loved by all who knew him.”
The pioneer pastor brought new born infants into the Kingdom of God through baptism. He joined happy couples in the marriage ceremony as new homes were formed. He entered the family circle when sorrow came and brought comfort from the Word of God. He was counselor and adviser, friend and confidant, a tireless worker, a faithful ambassador of Jesus Christ on the Kansas prairies. European University graduate as he was, Olsson brought the gospel message in a small dugout or preach on the text for the Sunday in the sod and stone church. Dr. Eric Norelius, pioneer leader in the Augustana Synod, has written: “Olof Olsson was a good preacher and folktalare (people’s speaker) and what he said came from the heart, moreover, he was a good singer and a great enthusiast. Here (in Kansas) he could go barefoot, if he wished, dressed in a simple linen suit and with a hat on his head through which several strands of hair stood in the wind, and dressed in this manner, he could wander around and preach the gospel for the poor in the sod houses.” There was deep fellow-feeling in Olsson’s nature, and the great love of a compassionate Christ created a personality that understood man’s need and God’s grace. His attitude brought a genuine response, and to this day, the pioneer pastor is not only an historical person but almost a legendary figure as his qualities are passed on by word of mouth from generation to generation.
The missionary impulse was a decisive factor in the decision of Olsson to come to Kansas, and his activities demonstrate conclusively that this meaningful interest was dear to him. Olsson’s parish went beyond the boundaries of the Smoky Valley. The baptismal records for the period 1869 to 1876 show the wide area included in his pastoral services. In this seven-year period Pastor Olsson baptized 440 children. The parents of 159 of these infants were members of the Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg, while the parents of 281 did not hold such membership . . .
The baptismal record provides interesting information as to the wide area involved in Olsson’s pastoral services. In 1869 he held baptisms in Salina, Irving, Junction City, and Mariadahl in Pottawatomie County. In 1871 he visited Topeka, Mariadahl, Humboldt, Americus, Junction City, Kansas, and Bucklin, Missouri where he baptized seven children of individuals who had left Sweden in his party but who never came to Lindsborg. In the following year he carried out pastoral responsibilities in Denver, Georgetown, and Golden City, Colorado, as well as in various parts of Kansas. In 1874 he baptized infants in Bucklin, Missouri, on two different occasions.
- Lindsborg, Kansas nine years after Pastor Olof Olsson arrived! from Värmland, Sweden -
Interest in missionary work among the American Indians was an important factor in the decision of Olsson to come to Kansas. At various local meetings and at sessions of the Augustana Lutheran Synod, Olsson urged his associates to consider missionary work, especially among the Delaware Indians in Kansas. In May, 1876, he visited Chief Charles Journeycake of the Delaware tribe, whose residence was reached only by a forty-five mile journey over rough roads from Chetopah [Kansas]. The chief, who was a Baptist, entertained Olsson May 26-27. An organ was owned by the chief, whose daughter played it well. It is a fascinating scene to think of Olsson, European trained clergyman and musician, sitting at the reed organ on this Indian reservation on the Kansas prairies, playing and singing to these Indians and furnishing accompaniment for their hymns. When Olsson was ready to leave the following morning, the old chief conducted devotions by reading the Holy Scriptures in English and offering prayer in his native tongue.
- Pastor Olsson's Christian Indian friend, Pastor Chief Charles Journeycake of the Delaware Tribe -
Source: "Find A Grave Memorial"
When Olsson reported to the Augustana Synod, he brought with him a letter from Chief Journeycake requesting the Lutherans to open a mission station among the Delaware tribe. Olsson had also investigated possibilities of missionary work among the Seminoles and Pawnees. His efforts produced a decision by the Mission Board to begin a mission among the Pawnees when suitable men could be found. A survey of the field was made by the Rev. John Tellen, but no work was inaugurated.
Source: Historian Author Elizabeth Jaderborg
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End of excerpt from Dr. Lindquist’s Smoky Valley People,
Chapter V, "Pastor Olof Olsson: Founder of the Community," pages 51 - 54.
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End of excerpt from Dr. Lindquist’s Smoky Valley People,
Chapter V, "Pastor Olof Olsson: Founder of the Community," pages 51 - 54.
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Go HERE for Their 1869 "Bethany Lutheran Church" ~ Accounts by Dr. Emory K. Lindquist and Mr. Bill Carlson
Go HERE for 2001 "He Gave God Glory" - "The Story of Olof Olsson" ~ Alf Brorson's condensed version of his father's, Rev. Bror Carlsson's, 1955 manuscript, "Jag Sökte Icke Mitt," "I Did Not Seek My Own."
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"Let Us Celebrate Them"
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Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
"Let Us Celebrate Them"
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
