Olson, Ernst William

Swedish-born American, 1870–1958. A native of Finja parish, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was five years old. They settled first in Nebraska and then moved to Texas. In 1891 he graduated from Augustana College in Illinois and thereafter worked as an editor for Swedish-language publications. He was a bilingual man of letters, noted not only for his contributions as an editor but as a writer and poet as well. In 1926 he received an honorary doctorate from Augustana College. He wrote a history of the Swedish settlers in Illinois and served as editor for various Lutheran hymnals. His translation of “Children of Our Heavenly Father” (no. 299 in our hymnbook) was first published in a Lutheran hymnbook in 1925.

Children of Our Heavenly Father, 299 (Translation)