Title: John E. Olson Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1941-1974

Creator:

• Olson, John E., 1892-

Call Number: Stout Mss L

Quantity: 6.8 c.f.(17 boxes)

Repository:

Housed at the University Archives and Area Research Center, Library Learning Center, University of Wisconsin-Stout; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-Stout Library Learning Ctr. / Stout Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Business records of eight cooperatives in which Olson was an active member: Dairyland Power Cooperative, Wisconsin Electric Cooperative, Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association, Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives, Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives, Insurance Cooperative Agency, Badger Electric Cooperative, and Barron Electric Cooperative, spanning thirty-three years of cooperative development in Wisconsin. The records were collected by Olson during his term as an officer or director of the several cooperatives and consist mainly of board of director's minutes, committee minutes and reports, engineering reports, financial statements and annual and district meeting material. The records of Dairyland Power Cooperative dominate the collection with varying amounts of material from the other cooperatives and a very few biographical items primarily referring to Olson's successful 1949 campaign for the Wisconsin State Senate as a Democrat representing Barron, Polk and Dunn counties.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-stou000l

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John E. Olson, organizer and executive in several rural electric cooperatives and active in local and state politics, was born in the Town of Sioux Creek, Barron County, Wisconsin, 15 June 1892. Farming has been Olson's lifelong work but very early he became involved in public and cooperative service.

Olson's political career began in 1920 when he was elected director of the Barron County Farm Loan Association, a position he retained for twenty-two years. Later he helped organize, and served as chairman of, the Sioux Creek Town Board from 1928 to 1948. He also served on the Barron County Board of Supervisors from 1931 to 1948. In a special election in April 1949 Olson won a Wisconsin State Senate seat as a Democrat representing Barron, Polk and Dunn counties. In office until 1950, he was a member of the Agriculture Committee and the Legislative Council.

Olson's involvement with rural electric cooperatives began when the United States Congress passed legislation for the Rural Electrification Administration in 1936. Olson immediately began organizing the Barron County Electric Cooperative and served on its board of directors until 1948. In December 1941 he helped organize Dairyland Power Cooperative when Wisconsin Power Cooperative, of which he was a director, and Tri-State Power Cooperative merged. He was elected to Dairyland's first board of directors and in 1950 he was elected president of the cooperative, a position he held until his retirement in 1974. Olson thoroughly involved himself in the cooperative movement in Wisconsin. In addition to the above he served on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative and its offshoot the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association from 1937 until 1974; the Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives and its outgrowth the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives for eighteen years; the Insurance Cooperative Agency from 1952 to 1973 and as the secretary of the short-lived Badger Electric Cooperative from 1946 to 1957.

The Papers contain very little about John E. Olson's personal life other than a folder at the beginning of the collection with some biographical and personal material and another small series at the end of the collection containing material from his 1949 campaign as a Democrat for a Wisconsin State Senate seat. The major portion of the Papers are the records of eight cooperatives in which he was an active member: Dairyland Power Cooperative, Wisconsin Electric Cooperative, Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association, Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives, Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives, Insurance Cooperative Agency, Badger Electric Cooperative and Barron Electric Cooperative. The records were collected by Olson during his term as an officer or director of the several cooperatives and span thirty-three years of cooperative development in Wisconsin and adjoining states. John Olson played a pioneering role in the cooperative movement and because of this his records document the organization of cooperatives, the role of the federal government in supporting and regulating electric cooperatives, the relationship between rural electric cooperatives and urban public utilities and the development of electrical generation from hydro-electric power through coal and into the nuclear age with Dairyland's Genoa plant. Cooperative policy regarding these topics and the many aspects of operating electrical cooperatives on a daily basis is contained in the records of these organizations.

Board of Directors' minutes, committee minutes and reports, engineering reports, financial statements, special reports and district and annual meeting material make up the major portion of the records of each of the cooperatives represented in the collection. The records from each of the cooperatives are thus very similar. Correspondence is uniformly sparse throughout the collection. When correspondence is available, there are generally large gaps. In every case, the records reflect the activity within each organization with which Mr. Olson concerned himself either as a director or as a committee member.

The records of the various cooperatives vary in quantity and completeness. Those from Dairyland Power Cooperative are far more extensive than those of any other of the cooperatives from which Olson preserved records. They represent the many facets of an electric cooperative more effectively than the more limited material from Barron Electric Cooperative, Badger Electric Cooperative or the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives. Within the records of the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative are the plans for its division into the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association and the Rural Electric Supply Cooperative, and within the Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives records are the merger plans with the Wisconsin Council of Agriculture which resulted in the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives.

Acquisition Information

Presented by John E. Olson, Chetek, Wisconsin, 1969 and 1977.

Accession Number: M69-245; M69-293; M77-375.

Processing Information

Processed by Thomas F. Reitz and Joanne Hohler, December 1980.

Box   1 Folder   1	Series: Biographical and Personal Material
	Series: Cooperatives	⇧
	Dairyland Power Cooperative,
Box   1 Folder   2	Twenty Year History, 1961.
Box   1 Folder   3	Bylaws, 1964, 1971, 1972, n.d.; Organization and Operations, , 1943.
Box   1 Folder   4	Members and Officers, 1941-1951, 1966.
	Board of Directors Minutes,
Box   1 Folder   5	[1942-1971]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   2 Folder   1	1972-1974.
Box   2 Folder   2-3	General Correspondence, 1942-1973.
Box   2 Folder   5	Auditors' Reports, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1972.
	REA Loan Fund Aduits, 1963, 1967.
Box   2 Folder   6	Financial Statements, 1943-1974.
Box   3 Folder   1	Disbursements, [1943, 1962, 1965-1967].
Box   3 Folder   2	Revenue Requirement Study, 1971; Member Cooperatives Financial Ratios, , 1965.
Box   3 Folder   3	Capital Credits, 1969, 1971, 1973.
Box   3 Folder   4	Application for REA Loan, 1964.
	Deferred Compensation,
Box   3 Folder   5	Committee, Plans, Agreements, 1961-1965.
Box   3 Folder   6	Trust Agreement, 1966-1972.
Box   3 Folder   7	Fund Statements, 1962-1974.
Box   3 Folder   8	Tax Statements, 1966-1967.
	Operating Budgets,
Box   3 Folder   9	1961, 1963-1964.
Box   4 Folder   1-2	1965-1967, 1971-1974.
	Monthly Operating Budgets,
Box   4 Folder   3-5	[Jan. 1960-April 1963]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   5 Folder   1-4	[May 1963-Jan. 1968]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   6	[1971-March 1974]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   7	Annual Reports, 1946-1963, 1965-1974.
Box   7 Folder   5	Committee Organization and Committee on Service, Operation, and Special Construction, 1942.
Box   7 Folder   6	Contract Committee, [1960-1969]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   7 Folder   7	Engineering Dept.: Turbine and Boiler Tests, Genoa Plant, 1942; Planning Report, , 1946.
Box   7 Folder   8	Engineering Dept., Studies and Reports, 1956-1974.
Box   7 Folder   9	Public Relations Memoranda, 1956-1966.
	Annual Meetings,
Box   8 Folder   1-10	1945, 1949-1959, 1961-1974.
Box   8 Folder   11	Appeals to PSC Decisions, 1946.
Box   9 Folder   1	Directory of Employees, 1957; Employees Insurance Plans, , 1950, 1964; Labor Agreement, , 1966-1967, n.d.
Box   9 Folder   2	Genoa Nuclear Reactor, 1963-1964.
Box   9 Folder   3	North Central Area Generation and Transmission Manager's Conference, 1963.
Box   9 Folder   4	Power Pooling Policy and MAPP, 1964, 1969.
Box   9 Folder   5	Reserve Investment Fund for Cooperatives, 1961-1970.
Box   9 Folder   6	Dedication Speeches, Cassville and Ladysmith, 1951.
Box   9 Folder   7	Speeches, 1953-1973, n.d.
Box   9 Folder   8	Miscellany.
	National Rural Electrical Cooperative Association (NRECA),
	Annual Meetings,
Box   9 Folder   9	1958, 1960, 1963-1965, 1967, 1969.
Box   10 Folder   1	1971-1974.
Box   10 Folder   2	Region V Meetings, 1963-1966, 1970-1973.
Box   10 Folder   3	Regional Meetings, 1965-1969.
Box   10 Folder   4	Dues Formula and Proposed Changes, 1965.
Box   10 Folder   5	FPC Show-Cause Order, 1963.
Box   10 Folder   6	Employee Insurance Plans, 1962, 1971.
Box   10 Folder   7	Miscellany.
	National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (NRUCFC),
Box   10 Folder   8	Annual Meetings, 1972-1974.
Box   10 Folder   9	District 5 Meetings, 1972-1973.
Box   10 Folder   10	Cooperative Bank Proposal, 1969-1970.
Box   10 Folder   11	Miscellany.
	Rural Electrification Administration,
Box   10 Folder   12	Bulletins, 1964-1972.
Box   11 Folder   1	Miscellany, 1945-1974, n.d.
Box   11 Folder   2	Minnkota Special Report: Wage, Salary and Organizational Survey, 1960.
Box   11 Folder   3	Rural Electric Generating Conferences, 1960, 1965.
Box   11 Folder   4	Upper Great Lakes Regional Commission: Power and Energy Supply, 1970.
Box   11 Folder   5	Who Is My Neighbor?, 1962.
	Wisconsin Electric Cooperative,
Box   11 Folder   6	Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws.
Box   11 Folder   7	Operating Policies, 1960-1967, n.d.
Box   11 Folder   8	Members and Personnel, 1962-1971, n.d.
Box   11 Folder   9	Board of Directors Minutes, [1962, 1965-1969, 1971] . Note: Incomplete file.
Box   12 Folder   1	General Correspondence, 1942-1971, n.d.
Box   12 Folder   2	Audit Reports, 1953, 1962-1973.
Box   12 Folder   3	Disbursement Reports, [1962, 1964-1966, 1968-1969, 1974]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   12 Folder   4	Employee Expenses and Salaries, [1963-1971]. Note: Incomplete file.
	Financial Statements,
Box   12 Folder   5-6	[1942, 1945-1947, 1958, 1960-1962, 1964-1965], 1966-1967. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   13 Folder   1	1968-1974.
Box   13 Folder   2	Miscellaneous Financial Statements, 1961-1974.
Box   13 Folder   3	Proposed Budgets, 1961, 1966, 1971-1972.
Box   13 Folder   4	Public Relations Budget and Formulas, 1962-1970.
Box   13 Folder   5	General Managers Reports, 1960-1971.
Box   13 Folder   6	Public Relations Department Reports, 1960-1967.
Box   13 Folder   7	Executive Committee Minutes, [1960-1967]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   13 Folder   8	Merchandising Committee Minutes, [1967-1971]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   13 Folder   9	Operating Committee Minutes, [1965-1966]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   13 Folder   10	Policy Committee Minutes, May 12, 1966.
Box   13 Folder   11	Public Relations Committee, Committee Minutes, [1960-1969]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   13 Folder   12	Statewide Committee Minutes, [1967-1971]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   13 Folder   13	Study Committee Reports, 1969-1970.
Box   14 Folder   1-2	Annual Meetings, 1945, 1947, 1958, 1962-1965, 1966-1969, 1970-1972
Box   14 Folder   3	Employees Retirement Plans, 1951, 1967.
Box   14 Folder   4	Plans for Division into WECA and RESCO, 1971-1972.
Box   14 Folder   5	Public Relations/Legislative Affairs, 1961-1971, n.d.
Box   14 Folder   6	Public Relations Material, 1961-1969, n.d.
Box   14 Folder   7	Speeches, c. 1950-1969.
Box   14 Folder   8	Youth Seminar, 1964.
Box   14 Folder   9	Miscellany.
	Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association,
Box   15 Folder   1	Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, 1972-1973.
Box   15 Folder   2	Policy Statements, c. 1971-1974.
Box   15 Folder   3	Board of Directors Minutes, [1971-1974]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   15 Folder   4	Board of Directors Correspondence, 1972-1974.
Box   15 Folder   5	Financial Statements, 1972-1974.
Box   15 Folder   6	Committees and Committee Members, c. 1973.
Box   15 Folder   7	Membership Formula and Dues Committees, [1973-1974]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   15 Folder   8	Operations Committee, [1972-1974]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   15 Folder   9	District Meeting Minutes, 1973.
Box   15 Folder   10	Annual Meetings, 1972-1974.
Box   15 Folder   11	“Condenser,” [1973-1974]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   15 Folder   12	Employment Salaries and Agreements, 1971-1972.
Box   15 Folder   13	Miscellany.
Box   15 Folder   14	Rural Electric Supply Cooperative.
	Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives,
Box   15 Folder   15	Board of Directors Minutes, [1957-1969]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   15 Folder   16	Membership and Dues Lists, 1955, 1962-1964.
Box   15 Folder   17	General Correspondence, 1955-1974.
Box   16 Folder   1	Financial Statements, 1955-1956, 1962-1969.
Box   16 Folder   2	Executive Board, 1964, 1966.
Box   16 Folder   3	Annual Reports, 1963-1968.
Box   16 Folder   4	District Conferences, 1962-1963, 1965.
Box   16 Folder   5	Annual Meetings, 1955-1956, 1962-1966, 1968.
Box   16 Folder   6	“Bulletin,” [1958-1968]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   16 Folder   7	History, 1968.
Box   16 Folder   8	Plans for Cooperative Dairy Marketing, 1956.
Box   16 Folder   9	Public Relations Material, 1955, 1966, n.d.
Box   16 Folder   10	Miscellany.
Box   16 Folder   11	WAC/WCA Merger, 1961-1969.
	Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives,
Box   16 Folder   12	Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws; Correspondence; Annual Meeting, 1970; Newsletters, , 1970-1974.
	Insurance Cooperative Agency,
Box   16 Folder   13	Policy Statements, Objectives and Function, 1971, n.d.
Box   16 Folder   14	Board of Directors Minutes, [1972]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   16 Folder   15	General Correspondence, 1958-1972.
Box   16 Folder   16	Financial Statements, 1957-1971.
Box   16 Folder   17	Quarterly Meetings, [1963, 1968, 1970]. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   16 Folder   18	Annual Meetings, 1965, 1971-1972.
Box   16 Folder   19	Miscellany.
Box   17 Folder   1	Badger Electric Cooperative
	Barron Electric Cooperative,
Box   17 Folder   2	Board Meeting, 1944; Annual Meeting Material, , 1944, 1946-1947, c. 1949; Speeches to Annual Meeting, , [1960-1973], n.d. Note: Incomplete file.
Box   17 Folder   3	General Correspondence, 1941-1949; “The Lamplighter,” , 1950, 1951.
Box   17 Folder   4	Financial Statements, 1943-1973, n.d.
	Series: Political Material	⇧
Box   17 Folder   5	State Senate Campaign Materials, 1949-1950; County Board of Supervisors Nomination Material, , 1966.
Box   17 Folder   6	Constituent Correspondence, 1949.
Box   17 Folder   7	Democratic Organizing Committee of Wisconsin, 1949-1950.