Mathias Olson came to Valley City in 1878 from Oslo, Norway. He was the first carpenter in Valley City. He built and owned the Academy of Music Building on Main St. He also built the Methodist Church in 1895 which is now remodeled and the Free Methodist Church. He had two sons, Thomas and Henry. When they came from Norway they took the name Wold. Henry worked in the Valley City Post Office. Thomas spent two years in a lumber camp in Washington before coming to Valley City. He took a homestead in Marsh Township six miles south of Valley City where he lived for a time in a one room lean-to which later became part of his house. He married Mary Olson in 1883. They had four children, Ida born 1885, Martin -, Anna, 1888 and Helga in 1890. Ida never married, but worked in the telephone office and later had a grocery store on East Main St. Martin lost in World War I; Anna married Milton Stemhagen. They had four children, Ethel, Grace, Jane and Marilyn, and lived on the Thomas Wold farm. Helga married George Burchill. They have three sons, Roy, Jay and Ray.

The children of this family have many fond memories. Beautiful times and some not so beautiful but all memorable in their lives in Marsh Township.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 185