History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

1406

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

He 'is a member of the Detroit Bar Association, the Michigan State
Bar Association, and the American Bar Association, is a Knights Templar Mason, and a member of the Detroit, the Yondotega, the Country and
University Clubs.
RAYMOND G. OLSON, M. D. A representative of one of the old families in western Michigan, Dr. Olson has practiced medicine at Muskegon
Heights since 1900. His professional standing is of the very highest, and
he has utilized all his opportunities to make himself a valuable factor of
social service in a profession which concerns human well being more intimately than any other.
Raymond G. Olson was born in Muskegon, June 24, 1871, a son of
Ole and Julia (Thorstenson) Olson. The grandfather was Ole Olson,
born February 24, I8IO, in Norway, who moved later in life to Muskegon,
where he met death by drowning in I868. The maternal grandfather,
Halverson Thorstenson, was born in Norway, in 1793, came to the United
States and died in Wisconsin in I868. Ole Olson, the father was born at
Flekejorel, Norway, July 7, 1834, and died May 13, I906. He came to the
United States in 1854, and someyears later married Miss Thorstenson,
who was born in Norway, February I2, 1836, and died April 27, 1901.
The occupation of the father was a sailor, and after coming to the United
States, his work was on the great lakes. For a time he followed the occupation of fisherman, and then ran a boat as captain for some time. The
last years of his life were spent as a lumber inspector, and he was regarded as the most expert in the inspection of lumber in the vicinity of
Lake Michigan. There were eleven children, of whom Dr. Olson was the
seventh, and the seven still living are mentioned as follows: Ida, who
married A. T. Berg, who is now deceased; Sophia, who married A. Nelson,
a foundry-man of Chicago; Hannah, who married Hogan Bee, and lives
in Muskegon; Otto, of Muskegon; Dr. Raymond; Emma, wife of Joseph
Stewart of Battle Creek; and Clara, wife of Henry Thompson, of Muskegon. The parents were both members of the Norwegian Lutheran
church, the father was affiliated with the Masonic Order and the Maccabees, and as a Republican took considerable interest in local politics.
Dr. Raymond G. Olson is a graduate of the Muskegon high school in
the class of i888, and a number of years were spent by him in practical
business pursuits, before he was ready to take up the profession of medicine. Three years were spent as exchange clerk in the Lumbermen's
Bank of Muskegon, then, he was employed a time by the Taylor Spice
Company of Chicago, and worked as time-keeper with the McCormick
Harvester Works. In the meantime he had taken up the study of medicine, was a student of anatomy under Professor W. T. Eckley of Chicago,
and in I900 was graduated in medicine from the Jenner Medical College
of Chicago. With a license from the state board of Illinois, he began
practice in Chicago in I899, and was the first surgeon in the Emergency
hospital conducted at the plant of the McCormick Harvester Company.
In i900 Dr. Olson returned to his home city of Muskegon, and in the
following year took up active practice. Four months were spent at Fruitport, Michigan, and since then his home and practice have been at
Muskegon Heights. He enjoys a large practice of the better class, and
has membership in the county and state medical societies, and the American Medical Association. For some time, Dr. Olson has served as
health officer at Muskegon Heights, but outside of this his interest in
public affairs is only nominal and all his time and energies are devoted to
his chosen profession.
Dr. Raymond Olson was married December 6, I905, to Charlotte
Edna Burke, daughter of William Burke, a contractor of Muskegon. The