Individual Details

Olaus Olson Grove and Ragnhild Gilbertson, pioneer settlers of Pope County.
Olaus holds the distinction of being Pope County's first settler. He visited Pope County as early as 1859, and trapped in the vicinity in which he took homestead. In the year 1861, he squatted on Lot one Section 2 in the township of Barsness and has the official record of being Pope County's first pioneer.
from article on file at Pope County Historical Museum, Glenwood, MN.
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From "Builders of Pope County" by Daisy Ellen Hughes:
First Settlers of the County
Olaus Olson Grove, a trapper and hunter, living just outside the county, near the present site of Brooten, used the territory of Pope county as his game grounds as early as 1859. In the year 1861 he sqatted on lot 1, section 2 of what is now the present township of Barsness.
In the spring of 1862 Olaus Olson Grove was instrumental in bringing four of his friends with their families and helping locate them in what is now Lake Johanna township. These men were Ole Kittleson, Salve Oleson Gakkestad, Greger Halvorson and John Johnson Sandvig.

Barsness township, organized in 1869, was named in honor of the three Barsness brothers, Erik N., Ole N., and Nels who made settlement here in 1864.
The first homested in the township was located by Olaus Olson Grove in 1864.
Ole Gilbertson came to this township in 1865.
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Birth	15 Oct 1840	Kragera, Telemark, Norway
Marriage	Jul 1870	Glenwood, Pope, Minnesota, United States - Ragnild (Gudbrandstr) Gilbertson
Death	Oct 1894	Barsness Twp, Pope, Minnesota, United States
Burial

Spouse	Ragnild (Gudbrandstr) Gilbertson (1844 - 1917)
Child	Julius Olaus Grove (1872 - 1937)
Child	Lena Olava Grove (1880 - 1975)
Child	Edwin Odin Grove (1873 - 1903)

Notes