Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 917 - 918

OLA MARTINSON, whose portrait is given on the opposite page, is a capitalist, and Vice President of the West Side National Bank, of Wichita. He is one of the substantial and influential citizens of Sedgwick County, where he has extensive business interests. He is a native of Southern Sweden, and was born Sept. 20, 1844. His parents were Martin and Kjersti (Olson) Hakanson. His father is extensively engaged in farming in his native land. His mother died there in 1847. They had four children, the subject of this sketch being the only one who ever came to America.

            Our subject worked on his father's farm and attended school until he was fifteen years old. He then left home for the capital of Sweden, Stockholm, where he learned the baker's trade, and engaged in it there for one year. He then returned home, and after remaining there eight months, went to Kristianstad to work in a bakery, remaining there four years. During that time he joined the volunteer sharp-shooters, and drilled with them evenings and Sundays after leaving the bakery. When he left his situation in Kristianstad he worked as a journeyman at his trade for six months, and then was taken ill with inflammatory rheumatism, and for some time thereafter was unable to work. After his recovery he received a small amount of money from his mother's estate, and established himself in business a few miles from his old home. At the expiration of a few months he sold out, and after settling up all his private affairs and paying farewell visits to his friends be embarked for America. He landed at Castle Garden, N. Y., July 3, 1866, and from there he went to Chicago. He was a young man of more than ordinary ability and intelligence, and ambitiously resolved to make for himself a place in this new country, and in order to achieve this he did not hesitate to perform what work came to hand. He worked as a common day laborer for three months, and then, as he could not find any employment in the winter season, he attended school to perfect his knowledge of the English language. In the following spring he found employment with S. B. Chase, of Lake View, Chicago, and remained with him for nineteen months, doing all kinds of work. He now looks back with grateful remembrance to the time he spent in the family of his employer as one of the happiest periods of his life in this country, as they were so kind to him who was a comparative stranger in a new land, and they made him feel while he was with them that their home was his home. He in return rewarded their thoughtful regard for his welfare by the faithful discharge of his duty, and a cheerful willingness to do all, and even more, than was required of him to perform. He attended school in the winter, besides doing the chores for Mr. Chase. When he left Lake View, Mr. Chase gave him a cordial letter of recommendation. Feeling the need of a better education he bought a life-membership in the Dyrenforth Commercial College, of Chicago, and attended the morning sessions of that institution, and in the afternoon did copying and other office work for J. V. LeMoyne.

            After a close application to office work and school for six months, Mr. Martinson had an attack of the Kansas fever, and made arrangements with an old friend, a fellow compatriot, to accompany him to Topeka, this State, to which city they proceeded by rail. There he was employed for a month at lathing. He then set out for Emporia, hoping to obtain work there, going a part of the way in a wagon and the remainder of the way on foot. In that city he worked at odd jobs of gardening and harvesting for three months, and then formed a partnership in the city with Mr. Cantrell in the bakery business. They were engaged together for nine months, and had built up quite a good trade, when Mr. Martinson was taken sick with inflammatory rheumatism and did not recover his health for some time, and was, therefore, obliged to discontinue business.

            In July, 1870, Mr. Martinson came with Mr. Keefer to Wichita, then a frontier trading village, and with that gentleman conducted a flour and feed business on Main street for a few months. Our subject then purchased an interest in a bakery with Mr. A. Wiesner, and continued to run it until the fall of 1873, when he sold out his share in the business and went to live on his Government claim, which he had taken up in 1871; it lies six and one-half miles from the city. He lived there two years, and partly improved it by building a house and by setting out fruit and ornamental trees. In the spring of 1876 he was again attacked by his ancient enemy, rheumatism, and came to Wichita for care and treatment. In that year Mr. Martinson took unto himself a wife to preside over his home, and to her zeal and devotion to his interests he is greatly indebted. Her maiden name was Sarah Knofflock, and Indiana was the place of her nativity. To them have been born three sons, namely: Ola E., William K. and Charles G.

            After his marriage our subject, with his newly made wife, returned to his ranch, and there continued farming until 1883. In that year he purchased 200 acres of land in West Wichita, paying therefor $12,000. He laid part of this out in city lots, and in 1885 made his first addition of eight acres, and now has eight additions, and has been engaged in buying and selling other property adjoining ever since, thus materially assisting in the growth of the city. He has also contributed largely to increase the buildings of the city. He built the Martinson Block in this city, which has a frontage of 125 feet and a depth of 80 feet, is three stories in height and has a full basement. It cost over $50,000. In 1887 he built the West Side Hotel, 40x100 feet and three stories in height. He also built the West Side drug store building, which is two stories in height and 20x60 feet. He has also erected stores and tenement houses in that part of the city, and owns the street car stables on that side. He built his present residence in 1887, at a cost of over $11,000. It is one of the best built and finest dwellings in the city of Wichita, and we take pleasure in giving a view of it in this volume. He is a stockholder in the street railway, and stockholder and Director in the watch factory, and also several other institutions of the city.

            Mr. Martinson is very public spirited, and has made large donations to the different institutions of the city. His kind-heartedness and benevolence are well known, and no charitable object appeals to him in vain for relief. In National politics our subject is identified with the Democratic party, though not a partisan in its strictest sense.

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