Robin Robinson is a great grandson of Ole and Polly Philena Oleson. Robin and his twin brother Roy were born at Good Samaritan Hospital in 1937. His sister was named Joyce. He lived in Garden Home as a young child and grew up in the Metzger area. He attended the Metzger Station School and graduated from Tigard High School. He and his wife Nancy live in Lake Oswego. Robin has three children: Michelle, John and Eric. Robin’s earliest memories of his great grandmother Polly Philena were that she carried a small “purse gun.” He recalls the central stairway at their large home, now on Ames Way, off of Oleson Rd. Robin’s parents were John Oregon Robinson who married Veola Alda Oleson (b. 5-17-1913), the daughter of Ole Oleson’s only son John Alden Oleson. Veola went by the nickname of Ve. She attended Raleigh Hills Grade School and Beaverton High School. Veola and John Oregon Robinson were divorced in 1941. Veola and the children went to live with her parents in the large two-story Oleson home now at 6732 SW Terri Court, at the southeast corner of Terri Court and Oleson Road. Veola married twice more and lived in Metzger.

John Alden Oleson, son of Ole, born Oct 1, 1879, married Dec 25, 1906, died Aug 8, 1966. Courtesy Robin Robinson. See John Alden and Elsie Berthe Schalk Oleson.

Elsie Bertha Schalk, born Dec 24, 1887, married Dec 25, 1906, died Oct 2, 1966 Courtesy Robin Robinson. See John Alden and Elsie Berthe Schalk Oleson.

Robin’s grandfather John Alden Oleson (10-1-1879 to 8-8-1966), married Elsie Bertha Schalk (12-24-1887 to 10-2-1966) on 12-25-1906 at Raleigh, Oregon. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on 12-25-1956. Their children were Alden Louis Oleson, Veola Alda  who married John Oregon Robinson,  Alden Ole Oleson (father of Donna Oleson Nylander), Robert Wesley Oleson, and Elsie Jean. John Alden and Elsie are buried at Crescent Grove Cemetery. Their property now on Terri Court had a small creek that drained into Fanno Creek.  They raised a few milk cows, chickens, pigs, vegetables on this 20 acre plot. John Alden Oleson would take a wagon over Sylvan hill and through the tunnel to sell seasonal vegetables and eggs to Portlanders. When their daughter Veola was divorced, she moved home with her three children for about five years. This home is a very large two-story home with about 3 acres still undeveloped.

John Alden Oleson home, Terri Court

In the summer, the grandchildren of John and Elsie would rotate among the various families. The cousins all looked forward to this. Robin said they felt really lucky if they got to stay with the grandparents.

50th Wedding Anniversary John Alden and Elsie Berthe Schalk Oleson

Crescent Grove Cemetery tombstone

December 2011, interview with Robin Robinson, Oleson album information by Elaine Shreve