Olsen, Ole Andres (O. A.), 1845-1915
Person
Dates
- Existence: July 28, 1845 to January 29, 1915
Ole Andres Olsen (1845-1915) was an administrator and General Conference president. He was born at Skogen, near Christiania, Norway. When he was 5 years old his parents immigrated to the United States and settled on a farm in Oakland Township, Wisconsin. He was baptized in 1858. When he became an adult he worked for the Scandinavians in the upper Midwest. On June 2, 1873, he was ordained, and in 1874 he was elected president of the Wisconsin Conference. After two years he was released from the presidency to resume his work for the Scandinavians. Later he served as president of the Wisconsin (1880-1881), Dakota (1882-1883), Minnesota (1883-1885), and Iowa (1884-1885) conferences. During the spring of 1886 the General Conference sent him to the Scandinavian countries of Europe to supervise the growing work there.
While busy at his post in Europe, Olsen received word that he had been elected president of the General Conference during the session held in Minneapolis in 1888. This post he held for nine years. During his administration, progress was reported in expanding, organizing, and developing the Seventh-day Adventist cause throughout the world field. Olsen first advocated the formation of union conferences. The first union, the Australian, was organized during his visit there and with his cooperation. After laying down his General Conference responsibilities, he worked for a year in South Africa, giving special attention to work for the Africans. After this he spent about two years shepherding the work on the European continent. In 1901 he was asked to head the work in Great Britain. Under his supervision the field was organized into a union conference and a training school was established. In 1905 he went to Australia, where he served as president of the union for four years. In 1909 he was made secretary of the North American Foreign Department of the General Conference, and in 1913 was elected vice president of the North American Division, posts he filled until stricken with a heart attack on January 29, 1915.
While busy at his post in Europe, Olsen received word that he had been elected president of the General Conference during the session held in Minneapolis in 1888. This post he held for nine years. During his administration, progress was reported in expanding, organizing, and developing the Seventh-day Adventist cause throughout the world field. Olsen first advocated the formation of union conferences. The first union, the Australian, was organized during his visit there and with his cooperation. After laying down his General Conference responsibilities, he worked for a year in South Africa, giving special attention to work for the Africans. After this he spent about two years shepherding the work on the European continent. In 1901 he was asked to head the work in Great Britain. Under his supervision the field was organized into a union conference and a training school was established. In 1905 he went to Australia, where he served as president of the union for four years. In 1909 he was made secretary of the North American Foreign Department of the General Conference, and in 1913 was elected vice president of the North American Division, posts he filled until stricken with a heart attack on January 29, 1915.
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
O. A. Olsen Collection
Collection
Identifier: Collection 230
Content Description
Correspondence by O. A. Olsen mainly to Ellen G. White and W. C. White. Other recipients are W. W. Prescott, John H. Kellogg, Mary Scott, J. M. Cole, and J. Edson White.
Dates:
1890 - 1897