Olaf C. Olsen (February 26, 1899 - April 5, 1976) [1] was a Socialist legislator from Milwaukee. He was a law student at Marquette University Law School in 1922 when he was elected to the first of his two terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly representing the 11th Milwaukee County district (11th and 24th wards of the City of Milwaukee).
Olsen was born February 26, 1899, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He graduated from South Division High School. He worked for the City of Milwaukee repairing traffic signals (a job on which he was injured, while working without safety devices). [2] As of the 1923 opening of the legislature, he was attending the law school of Marquette University.
He had never held a public office before being elected to the assembly in November, 1922, receiving 3,643 votes to 887 for Democrat Alex J. Roselik (portions of this district had been represented by William E. Jordan and portions by Stephen Stolowski prior to reapportionment; both were Socialists). The youngest member of the legislature (he was just 22) he was appointed to the Assembly's standing committee on the judiciary. [3]
In June 1924, he graduated from Marquette's law school, and was working as acting assistant chief examiner for the City of Milwaukee civil service commission. [4] He was re-elected in November 1924, with 3817 votes to 3051 for Republican B. J. Adamkiewicz; by this time, his occupation was listed as "secretary". [5]
He did not run for re-election in 1926, and was succeeded by fellow Socialist Elmer Baumann.
On July 28, 1923, he married Olive Wilson, an employee of the state tax commission. [6] Olsen would die April 5, 1976. Olive died March 28, 1985. [7]
William F. Quick, Sr., was an American machinist, lawyer, and Socialist politician in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the Socialist Party nominee for Governor of Wisconsin in 1924 and served one term (1923–1926) in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing the Milwaukee-based 7th District. After leaving the senate, he served as a civil court judge and city attorney in Milwaukee.
Otto A. Kehrein was an American carpenter from Milwaukee who served two terms (1929–1932) as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly representing the 9th district of Milwaukee County, and also served on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.
Frank Raguse was a German American laborer and Socialist politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was elected to represent Milwaukee in the Wisconsin State Senate, but was expelled after four months due to controversy over comments deemed "unpatriotic".
Carl Minkley was an interior decorator, housepainter, labor movement activist and Socialist Party of America politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who served two terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Alex C. Ruffing was an American machinist and Socialist from Milwaukee who served four terms (1919–1926) as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and one shortened term in Wisconsin State Senate representing Milwaukee County-based districts
Albert Frank Woller was a German American immigrant, machinist, auto mechanic, and Socialist politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served three terms as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the northwest corner of the city of Milwaukee.
Elmer H. Baumann was an American electrician from Milwaukee who served one term (1927–1928) as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly representing Milwaukee County's 11th Assembly district.
Stephen S. Stolowski was a printer from Milwaukee who served one term as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly for the 14th Milwaukee County district.
William E. Jordan was a stenographer and bricklayer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who served three terms as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly representing the 11th Milwaukee County district.
Herman G. Tucker was a machinist and politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who served one term as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Martin Gorecki was a brewery worker, ethnic Polish leader and politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who served one term as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Edwin W. Knappe was an American machinist from Milwaukee who became a lawyer, and who served one term as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
William J. Alldridge was an American machinist from Milwaukee who served two terms as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly representing the 5th Milwaukee County district. He later became a member of the Milwaukee Common Council, attended law school, and became a lawyer.
Charles Edward Estabrook was an American educator, lawyer, eugenicist, and Republican politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He was the 14th Attorney General of Wisconsin and served 14 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing first Manitowoc and later Milwaukee. As a young man, he was an enlisted volunteer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Later, he founded the Wisconsin Historical Commission and published several volumes of history of the Civil War for the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Richard Elsner was an American attorney and judge from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who served one term as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Walter Polakowski was an American upholsterer, trade union activist, and small business owner from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who served as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and Wisconsin State Senate for a total of 14 years. He was the older brother of John Polakowski, who succeeded him in the Assembly in 1922.
David V. Jennings was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1912 to 1914 and the Wisconsin State Senate from 1914 to 1921.
Arthur J. Balzer was an American merchant and lecturer from West Allis, Wisconsin, who served several terms as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from Milwaukee County, first in the 1930s and again for a single term in the 1950s.
John W. Eber was an American lawyer, businessman, and Progressive Republican politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the 51st speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly (1927–1928), and served ten years in the Assembly, representing the west side of the city of Milwaukee.
Valentin Johann Knœll [sometimes spelled Valentine; sometimes Knoell, Knoel or Knoll] was an American farmer from Franklin, Wisconsin who served three one-year terms as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly between the 1850s and the 1870s.