Walter James Olson (1877-1941)

Walter James (James Walter in the family Bible) was born in San Francisco on July 18, 1877 - the sixth child of Lewis and Delia Olson. He grew up in San Francisco, attending grammar school and Commercial High School.

On June 26, 1913 Walter married Agnes May Collison, daughter of James and Margaret Laurie Collison who came to California from Scotland. Agnes was also born in San Francisco.

Walter and Agnes had two children - both born in San Francisco. Walter James, Jr. was born January 4, 1916; Ruth Alice on November 14, 1921.

Walter had taken bookkeeping in high school and started working for a ship chandlery at the age of sixteen. It was only natural that he would follow his father and older brother William by going to sea. Walter made first mate sailing with his brother William who was by then a captain. The lure of Alaska was very strong in Walter's early life. He made six trips to this beautiful area with the Alaska packers. Walter was in the San Francisco Fire Department until 1920. Sadly, because of a heart condition, he left the fire department of which his brother Edward was also a member. In 1923 Walter and family moved to San Pedro as a port captain for the Olson Steamship Company, owned by his brother Oliver. During those days the company was operating five ships engaged in carrying freight in the coastal trade. Walter changed positions when the ships no longer came into San Pedro, becoming the head of the newly formed state agency named the Fish Exchange. This was an appointee position by the then Governor of California, James Rolph, Jr. The Rolph family and Olson family were neighbors on Twenty-First Street in San Francisco for many years. In 1934 Walter with his family returned to San Francisco, where semi-retired because of his health, he worked at various government positions until his death in 1941.

Walter was an avid traveller in his younger days, taking two trips around the world. During the Spanish-American War he was on a Navy Transport for a year.

Walter was very fond of swimming, training in New York with Captain Tom Riley who swam the English Channel. In 1907 Walter accepted a challenge to swim from San Francisco to Oakland against some of the best long distance swimmers of the day.

Walter died in San Francisco on February 2, 1941 at the age of 63, survived by his wife, Agnes, who lived until August 28, 1976.

-Ruth Olson Boyd
daughter of Walter Olson