#29: Irving and Clifford Olsen - The Original Olsen Twins

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2020-28)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of July 12 is "Multiple" so let me introduce you to the Original Olsen Twins - Irving and Clifford Olsen.

An undated picture of Clifford (l) and Irving Olsen (r) as babies.
Digital image from the collection of ©Virginia Summers Olsen. 

Irving and Clifford were born on August 5, 1922, to Ludvig Amandus Olsen (1887-1930) and Gulborg Kristine Gulbrandsen (1890-1968).  They were born in Brooklyn, New York, and Irving was the first twin born.  They were the fourth and fifth of six children.  The other children were Arthur (1912-1972), Gertrude (1914-2002), Stanley (1919-1921), and Ethel (1924-2001).

Clifford (l) and Irving (r) with younger sister Ethel in an undated photo.
Digital image from the collection of ©Virginia Summers Olsen 

Sadly, Ludvig died as the result of a work accident in 1930.  I detailed that incident in this post.  Sometime after Ludvig's death, Gulborg placed Irving and Clifford in an orphanage in Brooklyn.  They would have been roughly between 8 and 10 when this happened.  We do not know the exact dates.  Not only was Gulborg grieving her husband's death, but the country was in the midst of the Great Depression, so taking care of the young children as a poor, immigrant widow was likely very difficult.  When their oldest sister, Gertrude, was of the proper age, she was able to retrieve the boys and take care of her younger siblings.

Despite a rough early childhood, losing their father at an early age, and having their mother come in and out of their young lives, Irving and Clifford led wonderful lives.

Gulborg (third from left) with her children (L-R) Arthur, Irving, Clifford, Ethel, and Gertrude Olsen in an undated photo in the collection of ©Virginia Summers Olsen.

Irving married Catherine (Kaye) Sontag in 1946 and they had two sons.

Clifford married Emma Dorothy Hillenband in 1943 and had four sons.

Clifford died on August 28, 1966, and Irving died on January 2, 1987.

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How I'm related to Clifford Olsen:

                          Clifford Olsen = Emma Hillenbrand Olsen

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                                                   Dad = Mom

                                                            |

                                                          Me