Civil War Soldiers Record Database

Sven Olson was born in 1841 in Norway. He immigrated in about 1859. He joined the WI 15th Infantry, Company H. The men of the company called themselves “Heg’s Rifles” in honor of the 15th commander, Colonel Hans C. Heg. They were also known as the “Voss Company” because of a large number of them who were from the Voss region of Norway.

The army listed him as living in Elgin, Fayette County, IA, age 21, and unmarried. He enlisted for three years on February 3, 1862 at Elgin and mustered at Madison, WI on February 13, 1862 as a Private (Menig). He was sick in a hospital at Mississippi River No. 10 on June 11, 1862. Olson was discharged from the service for disability at Cincinnati, OH on October 6, 1862.

After the war, Olson married Sonnev in about 1864. They lived in IA for an unknown period of time. They had four children, including Ole who was born about 1864 in IA. By 1910, Sven, his wife, and Ole were living in Avon, Grand Forks County, ND. He was listed as a retired farmer. In 1925, they were living in Northwood in Grand Forks County. Sven died in 1928 and his wife in 1929. They are both buried in North Cemetery in Northwood.

Sources: Series 1200: Records of Civil War Regiments, 1861-1900, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, box 76-10; Regimental muster and descriptive rolls, 1861-1865, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, vol.20, p.118; Det Femtende Regiment, Wisconsin Frivillige [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers], Ole A. Buslett (Decorah, Iowa, 1894), p.570; Oberst Heg og hans gutter, Waldemar Ager, 1916, Fremad Pub. Co., Eau Claire, WI, p.310; Civil War Pension Index, Roll #T288_355; 1910 Census, Roll: T624_1142, Page: 2B, Enumeration District: 0089, FHL microfilm: 1375155; ND 1925 Census, Sheet #9, Family #106; findagrave.com.