Sheriff Matt Olson, Barron County Sheriff's Department, Wisconsin

Sheriff Matt Olson

Barron County Sheriff's Department, Wisconsin

End of Watch Tuesday, January 25, 1916

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Matt Olson

Sheriff Matt Olson was shot and instantly killed by a farmer in rural Barron County while he was trying to repossess a horse at 11 am.

The farmer was later arrested by a posse and brought to the county seat to be held accountable for the murder. The suspect was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison on May 10, 1916. He applied for parole in 1923. The outcome is unknown.

Sheriff Olson had served as Sheriff for over a year with the Barron County Sheriff's Department. He was survived by his wife and three children.

He is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Prairie Farm, Wisconsin.

Bio

Age 46
Tour 1 year, 3 months
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Rifle
Offender Sentenced to 25 years

arrest attempt

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Since writing the reflection that I left on January 25, 2024, I have more information about Matt Olson's death. Formerly, all I knew was what was written in the newspapers at the time of the incident. Last fall, we hosted a murder mystery dinner which was loosely written around this event. When the public had "solved" the mystery, we were discussing this murder, as it was written in the papers. One of the participants got very excited and exclaimed that that was her g-g-grandfather! I asked if she meant Matt Olson, but she replied that it was the farmer! She said the family disowned him and his wife divorced him because of this, but that Sheriff Olson was in the wrong. It seems that the horse Sheriff Olson was trying to reposes was Sheriff Olson's own horse. Evidently, he had left it there to get bred, but refused to pay the stud fee.

Tammy Schutz
Exec. Director, Barron County Historical Society

July 7, 2025