Ole Swenson
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| Name at Enlist | Ole Swenson |
| Birth Name | |
| Other Names | Svendsen |
| Lived | 9 Sep 1836 – 15 Jun 1906 |
| Birth Place | Skien, Telemark |
| Birth Country | Norway |
| Resident of Muster-In | Norway Township, Racine County, WI |
| Company at Enlistment | C |
| Rank at Enlistment | Private |
| Muster Date | 2 Dec 1861 |
| Death Location | Cresco, Howard County, IA |
| Immigration | 1844 |
| Spouse | Almeda Sloan |
| Married On | 1866 |
Ole Swenson was born September 9, 1836 in Skien, Telemark, Norway. He immigrated in 1844. He joined the WI 15th Infantry, Company C. The men of the company called themselves the “Norway Bear Hunters,” but they were also known as the Color Company because the regimental Color Guard was attached to their company.
The army listed him as living in Norway Township, Racine County, WI, age 22(?), and unmarried. He enlisted for three years on November 6, 1861 at Waterford, WI, and mustered at Madison on December 2, 1861 as a Private (Menig). He was assigned as mechanic at Brigade headquarters from May 1 to June 1, 1863. On September 3, 1863, he was with the Division’s provision transport. He was sick in Chattanooga, TN on November 28, 1863. On May 21, 1864, he was a wagon maker with the Ambulance Corps, and a mechanic at the Division’s headquarters on May 24, 1864. He mustered out with Company C on January 1, 1865 at Chattanooga, TN. After the war, he began a jewelry business in Waterford, WI, in 1866. The next year moved that business to Cresco, IA.
He married Almeda Sloan in 1866 and had ten children. Their names were: Ettie (1869), Wesley (1871), Willie (1874), Ole (1877), Meda (1879), Mabel (1882), Winnie (1884), Freddie (1888), George (1890), and Emma (1892). He died on June 15, 1906 at Cresco.
Sources: Regimental muster and descriptive rolls, 1861-1865, Wisconsin; Adjutant General’s Office, vol.20, p.50; Det Femtende Regiment, Wisconsin Frivillige [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers] by Ole A. Buslett (Decorah, Iowa, 1894), p.430; Oberst Heg og hans gutter, Waldemar Ager, 1916, Fremad Pub. Co., Eau Claire, WI, p.300; Nordmaendene i Amerika, Martin Ulvestad, 1907, History Book Co., Minneapolis, MN, p.332; List of Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, living in Iowa, William L Alexander, Des Moines, IA 1886, p.705; Obituary, Howard County (Iowa) Times, supplied by Paul Larson, Cresco; 1880 Census, Roll: 344, Family History Film: 1254344, Page: 515D, Enumeration District: 250, Image: 0594; 1900 Census, Roll: 437, Page: 12A, Enumeration District: 0110, FHL microfilm: 1240437.