Quick Facts
Biography
Ole Amundsen Buslett (May 28, 1855 – June 5, 1924) was a Norwegian-born American author, newspaperman, and politician.
Background
Ole Amundsen Buslett was born in Gausdal, Oppland, Norway. Buslett was the oldest of eight children born to Amund Halvorsen Buslett and Netta (Kalstad) Ringsrud. He migrated to the United States with his family in 1868 and settled in the town of Iola, in Waupaca County, Wisconsin.
Career
In 1888, Buslett opened a country store and post office in Northland, Wisconsin. He served as postmaster, justice of the peace, and town clerk. In 1893, he became editor and part owner of Varden then later served as editor of Folkevennen. Both publications were Norwegian-language newspapers published in La Crosse, Wisconsin. In August, 1894, he became editor of Normannen in Stoughton, Wisconsin. In March, 1896, the publication was sold to Chicago-based Amerika. He held political offices in Waupaca County and was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1909 until 1910.
Buslett wrote in the Norwegian language. His writings included novels, stories, poems, and plays. His works primarily portrayed the lives of Norwegian immigrants in Wisconsin. He also wrote a history of the 15th Wisconsin Volunteer Regiment. Det Femtende Regiment Wisconsin Frivillige was published in 1894. It was translated into English and published as The Fifteenth Wisconsin during 1999.
Selected works
- Fram (1882)
- Leilighets digte (1882)
- Skaars skjæbne (1882)
- Øistein og Nora (1884)
- De to veivisere, et dramatisk digt i seks handlinger (1885)
- Snip-Snap-Snude (1889)
- Et dødens døgn, sørgespill (1890)
- Rolf Hagen ( 1893)
- Torstein i nybygden (1897)
- Sagastolen, fortælling fra det norske Amerika (1908)
- I Parnassets lunde (1911)
- Amerika-Paul (1913)
- Veien til Golden Gate (1915)
- Benediktus og Jacobus (1920)
Primary sources
- Øverland, Orm The Western Home : A Literary History of Norwegian America (Chapter 10, Ole Amundsen Buslett, Romantic Idealist. Norwegian American Historic Association. 1996)
- Hustvedt, Lloyd Ole Amundsen Buslett, 1855-1924 (from “Makers of an American Immigrant Legacy: Essays in Honor of Kenneth O. Bjork”, Odd S. Lovoll, editor, Norwegian-American Historical Association, 2001)