US Navy. Residence: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Born 4 May 1837 at Stavanger, Norway. Said to have come to America to Keokuk, Iowa, in 1851, with an aunt and uncle, and to have run away to Phialdelphia to serve on a ship. Civil War: Age 21. Black eyes, brown hair, fair complexion, 5’6½”. Enlisted for three years on Aug 1858 at Philadelphia. Occupation: Seaman. Served aboard the “Princeton”. Re-enlisted 19 Jul 1861. Served on the “Seminole”, the “North Carolina”, and the “Wachusette”. Discharged from the service 19 Dec 1864 at Boston, Massachusetts. Post war: He assumed the name “Oliver Lawson”. Married 15 Jun 1869 at Magnolia, New Jersey, to Susanna Harley. She died 7 Oct 1880. Three children, Edward, Frank and Oliver. Married 12 Jun 1883 to Catharine L. Beecher. Four children, George, Kendall, Carl and Raymond. Lived most of his life in Philadelphia. At the time of his death, 30 Sep 1923. Larsen was receiving a pension of $50 a month. He is buried at Hedding M. E. Church cemetery in Bell Mawr, New Jersey. Sources: (Navy Department papers and other material furnished by Beatrice Lawson Phillips, Easton, Maryland) “Lawson, Oliver” “Larson, Oliver”
