Kit Carson County, Colorado
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Kit Carson County Pioneers:

Mary Olston, 8 South 50 West


In 1900 Tama County, Iowa, Mary Olstin, born Feb 1856 in Pennsylvania, is a housekeeper for her brother Samuel Thompson, a physician, 57 born in Pennsylvania and his son Holton (Hollen) 22 born in Iowa.

"J. H. Hollen, one of the original Indiana company, who made the first settlement in Tama township, was born near Brownstown, Jackson county, of that State, December 8, 1820. His father, Andrew B. Hollen, was a native of Green Briar county, Virginia, and served in the War of 1812; his mother was born in Mercer county, Kentucky. He was reared on a farm and received but a limited education, it having been confined to the common schools of that day. In 1850, he made his first trip to Tama county, and two years later, settled on section 27 of Tama township, where he entered and purchased 200 acres of land, a greater part of which is now occupied by the thriving town of Tama City. Until May, 1882, Mr. Hollen was engaged in farming; since that time he has been extensively engaged in shipping stock to Colorado and Wyoming. He was the first postmaster of Toledo when that office was located in the present township of Tama, and was also one of the first Justices of the Peace of the county, having been elected in April of 1853, at which time he was obliged to go to Vinton, Benton county, to qualify. Mr. Hollen held the office of Justice of Tama City from 1873 until 1876. He was one of the first directors of the Tama School Board, and has always taken a deep interest in educational affairs. In politics, he is a Democrat first, last and always. He is a Master Mason and a member of Hiram of Tyre Lodge of Tama City; also a member of Dorio Chapter. Mr. Hollen has always taken an active interest in the building up of Tama City, owning at one time nearly all of the land upon which the town stands. He has spared neither pains nor expense to make it one of the leading towns of Central Iowa, and has ever been ready to give to any enterprise that would further the advancement of the place he has nourished with so much care. In 1843, he was joined in wedlock with Miss Eliza A. Graham, a native of Jackson county, Indiana, and together they have fought life's battles for forty years. Ten children have blessed their union, four of whom are now living: Addie, wife of Dr. S. Thompson of Toledo; Eva, wife of C. D. Terry, of Tama City; Katie, wife of F. R. Holmes of Wyoming Territory and Clarence."



In 1910 Kit Carson County, Mary Olston is farming, single, 53, she and parents born in Pennsylvania.


Mary claimed 320 acres in sections 10, 11, and 15, 8S 50W in 1913.

In 1920 Arriba, Colorado, Mary is 56, a maid in a hotel run by the Kennedy's

IF ANYONE HAS INFORMATION ON MARY BEFORE 1900 OR AFTER 1920, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

This page is maintained by M.D. Monk.