Butler County Genealogy Trails Kansas Clarence Frank Olin Bio

BUTLER COUNTY'S EIGHTY YEARS BIOS

CLARENCE FRANK OLIN

(Transcribed by Lori DeWinkler)

Clarence Frank Olin really belongs with the old-timers inEl Dorado andButler County. He was born in Franklin, Portage County, Ohio, July 29, 1867. He came toKansas with his parents in October, 1870, and localted in Dougalss County, near Lawrence, and though then a youth, he remembers many facts relating to the activities of the frontier and the early history of that part of Kansas. In April, 1877, his father and family moved toButler County, and located inFairview Township, on 80 acres in the northwest quarter of section 10. Here the father farmed, became a famous raiser of onions, made cheese and butter, and Clarence became an expert in all these branches. However the Fairview farm did not prove profitable and the family moved to El Dorado in 1891. In January 1892, they returned to the farm but came back to El Dorado in 1894. In November, 1897, they went back toLawrence where they remained until 1905 when they returned to El Dorado. The father, Nelson Olin, died December 29, 1908.

Clarence F. Olin and Harriet Fountain were married July 28, 1905, and began life together inEl Dorado. To them have been born four children, three boys and one girl. Frank Reginald, the eldest, is connected with Armour & Co., Chicago; Nelson W. is employed by the Pennsylvania Light & Power Company, of Shamokin, Pa.; Harold Arvin, is with the Skelly Oil Company in El Dorado and Rose, now Mrs. D. C. Parks, is inLawton, Okla., where her husband is connected with the Fairmount Creamery Company.

In July, 1897, Mr. and Mrs. Olin moved toDodge City, where Mr. Olin was engaged as a car repairer in the shops of the Santa Fe. In September, 1903, he was transferred toNewton, where he entered the train service as brakeman. He held this position until November, 1904, when he moved back to El Dorado, and has since resided here. For eleven years Mr. Olin was connected with the plumbing establishment of George K. Lewis and held that position at the time of Mr. Lewis’ death. Since that time he has been connected with the Western Distributing Company.

For years he has been a member of theUniversalist Church. He is a prominent member of El Dorado Lodge No. 74, I. O. O. F., and also a Mason. Mrs. Olin is an active member of Rebekah Lodge No. 10, and both stand high, not only in fraternal circles but in the community in general.

Nelson Olin, father of Clarence F. Olin, was a pioneer ofFairview Township. He was born Mary 26, 1827, in Perry, Wyoming County, New York. When he was seven, his parents moved to Franklin, Ohio, where he lived on a farm until he was 19 years of age, when he began teaching school, in which he was successful. When 21 years of age, he purchased 163 acres north of Franklin. On August 20, 1848, he married Harriet M. Holly, atRavenna, Ohio. They settled on the farm, remaining there four years, after which they sold it and moved to Clinton County, Iowa, where they bought 516 acres. In the summer of 1860, a tornado swept all buildings and fences from the farm. After that happened, Mr. Olin started April 5, 1861, toCalifornia, by way ofNew York and the Isthmus and spent four years inSacramento County. Because of his wife’s failing health, he returned toFranklin and for four years occupied his father’s farm. Mrs. Olin diedApril 6, 1866, and left four children. Nelson Elverton, born December 6, 1849, now living atKent, Ohio, came toButler County in the winter of 1871 and homesteaded the southwest quarter of Section 1, in Fairview Township, now owned by J. F. Ellis. He lives inKent, Ohio.

Oscar Eugene Olin, was born December 3, 1851, and died in February, 1933. While living on the farm in Douglas County, the father, Nelson Olin, inherited $1,000 from the estate of his father. Eugene had learned to make cheese and proposed to his father they invest the $1,000, mortgage the farm for more and erect and equip a building and start a cheese factory. The plan seemed feasible. They canvassed the county and secured signed contracts from farmers assuring them milk from 500 cows and the building was completed. However, before they started, the grasshoppers came and devoured everything green. The farmers had nothing left to feed the cows and had to sell them; the milk supply was soon exhausted. Before this, however,Eugene had homesteaded the claim inFairview Township, but had sold half of it. The 80 acres left he at once deeded to his father, to help him retrieve his losses in the creamery project. Eugene made a record as a school teacher. His first school was inComstock, Michigan. Following this, two winters were spent in teaching inOhio and then he came toKansas. He was principal of the schools in Baldwin, three years, for two years teacher in the grammar school in El Dorado, three years principal inAugusta schools, and then became superintendent of El Dorado schools two years. In the meantime his vacations were spent in conducting normal institutes throughout the state, until in 1855 he was elected professor of English in Kansas State Agricultural College at Manhattan, which position he held with some modifications until about 1893.

Arvin S. Olin, third son of Nelson and Harriet Olin, was born in Eden Township, Clinton County, Iowa, October 19, 1855. He was but five years old when his parents moved to California and in all the changes made he remained with his father until he located in Kansas. He was educated in the common schools,Ottawa University andUniversity of Kansas. He did not continue college beyond the sophomore year. He began teaching at the age of 17 years. He taught five years in country schools. In 1880, he began work as principal of the Peabody schools. In September of 1880 he became principal of the Vermont Street school inLawrence and continued there two years. He was then chosen as instructor of Latin and mathematics in Lawrence High School where he remained one year. In 1883, he was called to the chair of English and didactics in Ottawa University. In May, 1889, he was elected superintendent of the schools inKansas City,Kansas. Besides his work in the different schools in the state he served as instructor or conductor of 22 normal institutes inKansas. He is now a resident of Palo Alto, Calif.

Walter Herbert Olin, the youngest son of Nelson and Harriet Olin, was born in Sacramento County, California, Augusta 7, 1862. The foundation of his education was laid in the common schools and finished in El Dorado High School from which he graduated in the class of 1884 and later was graduated from the State Agricultural College in the class of 1889. He taught in the Guinty district inFairmount Township, two terms in a school nearLeon and one term inCole Creek district. From there he went as principal ofOttawa High School and from there as head of Iowa State College. Later he was an instructor in the state college at Fort Collins, Colorado. In 1891 he was principal of the schools at Waverly,Coffey County. He died in Denver, Colo., June 21, 1933.

On July 11, 1866 Nelson Olin was married to Hannah C. McKelvy at Ravenna, Ohio. She readily assumed charge of the four motherless boys. Besides these, eight children were born to them. Of these Clarence Frank is the eldest. James Victor diedMarch 16, 1885 on the claim inFairview; Alvin H., born January 11, 1871, died December, 1896; Gertrude A., born April 19, 1873, died October 10, 1874; Leora Pearl, born October 16, 1875; Mary R., born on the claim, November 17, 1877; Anson C., born on the claim, June 17, 1880, for 27 years a resident of Alaska; Floy L. Olin, the youngest born on the claim July 19, 1883.

Mary R. married Will E. Dillenbeck, died March 2, 1924. Mrs. Hannah Olin, mother of Clarence and these others, died May 4, 1917.