Johan Olsen (pastor)

Johan Olsen was an American pioneer Lutheran minister and church leader. Olsen served as the second president of the Conference of the Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.[1][2]

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Biography
Johan Olsen

Johan Olsen was born in Helgeland, Norway on July 3, 1834.[3] Olsen was the only son of Ole and Anne Jacobson. He graduated from Tromsø Seminary in 1854, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Christiania.[3][4]

Johan Olsen married Rakel Johanna Rodli on August 15, 1858. Together they had eleven children.[5][4]

In 1866, Olsen immigrated to the United States. He moved to Paxton, Illinois, where he became a teacher at Augustana College.[3] In 1867, Olsen was ordained, and became a pastor at Lutheran churches in Neenah and Fort Howard, Wisconsin.[3] On April 19, 1867, Olsen began serving the Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Denmark, Wisconsin.[6]

In 1870, Olsen became the first vice-president of the Conference of the Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.[3] In 1872, he became the second president of the Conference serving until 1881.[4] In 1873, Olsen moved to St. Ansgar, Iowa, and began serving First Lutheran Church.[5] During this time, Olsen also served as vice-president and trustee of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. In 1883, Olsen became the editor of the Norwegian Lutheran church newspaper, Lutheraneren of Mission-Blaldet.[5][1]

Olsen died on September 11, 1911, and was buried in the cemetery of First Lutheran Church.[1]

References
  1. History of Mitchell County, Iowa, 1883. Mason City, Iowa: Klipto Print Company. 1883. p. 498.
  2. Clifford E. Nelson and Eugene L. Fevold (1960). The Lutheran Church among Norwegian-Americans: a history of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House.
  3. J.F. Clyde and H.A. Dwelle (1918). History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company.
  4. Standard Historical Atlas of Mitchell County, 1911. Chicago: Anderson Publishing Company. 1911.
  5. First Lutheran Church Sesquicentennial. St. Ansgar, Iowa: First Lutheran Church. 2003.
  6. Our Savior's Lutheran Church: 100 Years of Lutheran Heritage. Denmark, Wisconsin: Our Savior's Lutheran Church. 1980. p. 5.


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