Olmsted, Alvin Soule, Sr. 1857 - 1918

OLMSTED, SMITH, BURROUGHS, INGELS

Posted By: Errin Wilker (email)
Date: 9/1/2009 at 21:15:47

Alvin Soule Olmsted Sr., was born at Monona, Iowa, Oct. 4, 1857, and died, one block from his birth place, September 17th, 1918, at the age of 60 years, 11 months and 13 days. When he was a young man he went east to the old home from when his people had come, for a brief residence. Here, August 29, 1883, he was married to Miss Nellie Smith, of Marlboro, New Hampshire. It was not long, however, until he returned to Monona, which place, with the exception of a brief residence at Waukon, has been his home ever since.

The wife, Mrs. Nellie Olmsted and four children, Mrs. John Burroughs, Church, Iowa, Mrs. Clarence Ingels, Arlington, Iowa, Alvin now in the aviation service and located at Middleton, Fla., and Harriet of Waterloo, Iowa, survive the husband and father.

Mr. Olmsted was made a member of Northern Light lodge 156, Independent Order of Odd Fellows April 29, 1893 and retained his membership in that fraternal organization until the time of his death.

Very few of the people who now reside in Monona remember the scenes which were familiar to Mr. Olmsted. One of the things he liked to visit about, was Monona as it used to be when he was a child. His family were among the very first of the white settlers who came into this vicinity, his grandparents having settled by Cold Springs when the Indians were still here. While he was Sexton at the cemetery he often made the remark that more of his friends were out there than in town.

For more than six years Mr. Olmsted has been an invalid. He could not understand why he should be laid aside so long in his helpless condition but would nearly always conclude his conversation on the subject by telling of someone more unfortunate than he. He has suffered long but the days of suffering are over and he is at rest.

Funeral services were held from the Methodist Episcopal church Friday afternoon, at 2 o'clock. Interment was made in the local cemetery in charge of the I.O.O.F.

Source: The Monona Leader, Monona, Iowa, September 1918