(Originally posted on Monday, 25 May 1998)

UPDATED QUERY -- Looking for information on my ancestors from the Altoona area. Thomas OLSON was born in July 1866 in Juneau Co., WI. His parents, Ben Olson and Sarah THOMPSON, were reportedly born in Norway. On 28 July 1897 Thomas married Martha RIECK in Eau Claire. Martha was born in July 1864, in Columbus WI. Her parents were Wilhelm (William) Rieck and Louise SCHRODER of Germany. Thomas died between the 1900 Federal Census and the 1905 WI Census, presumably in Altoona. The State of WI has a death certificate for a Thomas Olson who died in Altoona in 1902, but this is not my Thomas (wrong birthdate, wrong parents, wrong spouse name, etc.) This other Thomas was not in the 1900 Federal Census in Altoona. Martha died in the 1940's and was buried in the Eau Claire area as was her father and oldest brother, August. August had a family in the Altoona area. Thomas and Martha had two sons, Elmer, b. July 1899, and Leonard Thomas, b. 2 January 1901 in Altoona. Leonard Thomas moved to Minnesota, via North Dakota. Elmer lived in the vicinity of Altoona all his life. His wife's name may have been Vera. Thank you for any info you might have.