Life History of
Delmer Lehi Olson
And Velda Baird Olson
~1976 by Delmer
I was born
April 3, 1913 in the same house that I now own and live in. Dr. Allen R. Cutler attended my birth. I was the third son and eighth child for
Gustaf E and Elizabeth Marie Peterson Olson.
(One brother died at birth.)
Our home is
located on Station Creek, a tributary to Bear River. The creek received its name from a rest of
supply station used in the early days to feed and change horses for the
Franklin, Idaho to Caribou, Montana stage lines.
My health
wasn’t the best. Perhaps too strenuous
activity kept my weight down, for when I was a junior in high school I weighed
but 90 pounds and was among the shorter kids in class. As a senior, I had reached my present height
of 6 feet and weighed 145 lobs. I have
averaged 150 lbs. to a maximum of 175 lbs.
throughout my life.
I used to
tag behind my father’s grain binder and was fascinated by the bundles which
were mechanically tied by this machine (a marvel for its age). My mother who was in the hospital much of the
time said that was why I was so small. I
thoroughly enjoy the outdoors—climbing hills and watching the natural things
about. I know of no place better than
ours to get close to nature.
My closest
neighbor was ½ mile away. Nephi Hansen
was my age, then his father Andrew, married a widow named Emma Coburn. She had a son, Lorin, who was also my
age. We played stick horses, kick the
can, run sheep run, hopscotch, etc. We
dammed small streams and went swimming in the nude. One time a rattlesnake attacked their
dog. Without fear, Lorin killed the
snake. How well I remember running in
the nude through a stubble patch to help him!
Later in
life, and especially after my marriage, Russell Westerberg and Vernon
Westerberg became my closest associates.
Ours was an
LDS home. We had family prayer and
attended all meetings in the small ward of Glencoe. The Church came first for worship and social
life.
The farm
produced abundantly. We had grains, hay,
cows, beef, hogs and chickens. Being a
farm family, all of us children were expected to and did help in its
operation. In spite of a very good
production, we had to skimp—one pair of shoes (cleaned for Sunday), overalls
and a shirt for everyday, and knee pants and long socks for Sunday, was all we
had. Money was scarce and a trip to town
was a luxury. I remember very well the
Crystal Candy Kitchen in Preston and the time Father bought me a Coney Island,
an ice cream dish. How enticeing were
the overhead fans and the general cleanliness of the place on West Oneida.
We ate the
staples of a farm family. In the days of
no refrigeration, they consisted of vegetables and fruit from the garden in
summer and dried or canned goods in the winter.
I would help dry fruit—apples, plums, prunes, chokecherries, corn,
etc. This was done on the roof of the
old shanty with clean white cloth underneath and mosquito barb as a covering so
the flies would not contaminate the produce.
Everything
from a pig was saved but the squeal. We
had home-salted bacon, ham, head cheese, even pickled pigs feet, and cured
sausage made with the cleaned intestines as the casings. In Swedish, it was called “pulse”. Our potatoes and carrots were pitted in the
ground. Father was careful that we kids
didn’t disturb the new fallen snow as that would case the frost to penetrate
deeper.
Fresh meat
was always available at harvest time.
Mother (and later, my wife) fed thresher manpower three meals per
day. Meat had to be included in each
meal. During horsepower threshing days
until about 1920 there were from 14 to 20 men to be fed at lunch and supper and
the skeleton crew of 4 for breakfast.
Junius Larsen, one of the power threshing crew always used to say, “If
there is anything better than Velda’s chicken soup, it is more chicken soup.”
I attended
school for 7 years having skipped the seventh grade in Glencoe District 23
located where the Jepsen sawmill now stands.
There were four grades in each of the two frame rooms with windows on
two sides and a pot bellied stove in the cornere. One of these buildings is now the Willow Way
Mercantile, the other is the Dayton Country Store. My teachers were Grace Jepsen, Della Schow,
Melba Obray who later became my aunt through marriage, Naomi Forsgren, Wallace
Jense, Norm Steele, and Jennie Palmer.
It seems odd to me that my contact with the latter was as an eighth
grade student, yet 47 years later, I spoke at her funeral services. In order to attend high school, we had to
rent rooms and “batch it” in Preson. One
year I stayed at my sister Selma Fellows’ place. Another year I milked cows for Wayne Evans
for board and road the Riverdale school bus.
My fourth year, I stayed at Bill and Geneva’s place and rode the Mink
Creek school bus which Melvin Seamons Drove.
I graduated for Preston High School in the class of 1933.
I attended
and received instruction in Religion Classes, Seminary, Primary , Sunday
School, MIA, Genealogical classes, etc.
I have
always loved sports, even though I excelled in none of them. I especially enjoy hunting and fishing. There is no greater thrill than to be on top
of some pass in our hills and to hear the crack of a rifle or maybe to see deer
and fire the first round. The hunt is
on!
I was
always self-conscious especially where women were concerned. Of course, I attended the usual social
functions but was afraid to get out on the dance floor until Flora Erickson, a
young lady older than I, in fact a distant cousin, asked me to be her partner
in an MIA contest dance. I accepted,
even practice in the field while I rested the horses. We took second place in Oneida Stake. This incident probably did more for me
socially than any one incident. No
longer did I feel as a misfit.
I was
called to serve in the Spanish-American mission in March, 1937. It was there that I met her. She was among sixteen missionaries of the
California and Spanish-American missionaries who met us in Los Angeles. I was to spend the day there before
proceeding to Tucson, Arizona. We sat
together on the bus uptown. All I
remember is that we discussed common acquaintances. I knew of her because of our mission
publication. Two and a half years later,
I met her again in the Persianna Dance Hall at Preston. She called me one day to say that a common
lady friend, Fawn Nebeker, was visiting her.
I responded by calling Noel Condie and we double-dated that
evening. The most I remember is how
jealous I was of Noel. Courtship
followed—of course, our common missionary experiences had a lot to do with
things. It was such that I could hardly
wait the time it took to get from my house to her house. We were married July 5, 1940 and her name
became Velda Baird Olson. She has
remained sweetheart and wife through sickness and health, harship and sorrow, and
produced 4 sons and 2 daughters, all of whom are a credit to society and to the
Church. They get their good looks form
her. Their love of home life, community,
church , neighbors, and friends comes from associations in the good community
of Glencoe and Mink Creek.
My children
are all different, but devoted to us as parents. Nathan, the elder is tall, of good physique,
very outspoken and not afraid to censor.
He is married to a lovely, talented girl, Patricia Fait. They are at present on assignment in the US
Air Force at Tehran, Iran ahd have a beautiful daughter, Mary LuAnn. Nate is stalwart in the Church, served a
mission to New Zealand, and has held many responsible positions in the Church
as they have filled assignments in the Air Force.
Jimmie D.,
who is more quiet than Nate, is married to Anna Beth Stocks. They are now living in a new home build on
the ranch. Their children are Jerald
Gustaf, Lydia Ann and Michael Aaron.
Jimmie served a mission to the Western States. Now in the insurance business, he has held
many positions in the Church also. He is
presently serving as president of the 8th Quorum of Seventies and
President of the Preston North Stake Mission.
RaNae, who
is dedicated to doing things right, does everything well. She is married to Dr. Douglas Mellor and at
present is living in Sunnyvale, California.
Stalwart in the Church, they are raising a family of four in harmony
with the teachings of the Church. They
are: Jennifer, Pauline, Nathan, and
Curtis.
Jeffrey
“E”, who moves so fast, is very neat in everything he does. Serving in the Cumorah Mission, he was in the
pageant twice. He is married to
Jacqueline Davis from Samaria, Idaho, and they have one son, Andrew Lane. Jeff fulfills all of his assignments well.
Kevin who
is tall looks like his Grandfather Baird.
He resent anything said about anyone unless it is complimentary. He played center on Preston High’s basketball
team and went to the state tournaments.
He has fulfilled a mission to Michigan and Indiana. With a superior knowledge of the Gospel, he
responds well to church callings. At
present, he is handling adversity in health very well. He is as yet unmarried.
Millie, a
beautiful girl, looks like her mother and my mother. She is devoted to parents and family and can
do anything she sets her mind to.
Married to Ron Mower and living in Pocatello, Idaho they are both active
in the church.
Life would
be so much more simple if one didn’t have to eat. I took over the family farm, purchasing it
form Father who lived with us for 13 years.
Cows and chickens provided a good living until 1955. When raising chickens and selling eggs was no
longer profitable, I jobbed at various places until 1961 when I started with
Utah Power and Light Co. I now operate
at Oneida Station.
My church
service has been varied. I have served
as Sunday School Sup’t ass’t, MIA assistant, 2nd and 1st
Counselors and then Bishop of Glencoe Ward, Stake MIA assistant, Bishop of Mink
Creek Ward, High Councilman in the Oneida Stake, Stake Sup’t of MIA and a
counselor to Nathaniel Keller in the Mink Creek Bishopric.
I have
known personally many authorities of the Church, including President Heber J.
Grant, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, Harold B. Lee, Joseph F. Merrill,
Charles A. Callas, Stephen L. Richards, LeGrand Richards, Elray L.
Christiansen, Ezra Taft Benson, and Richard L. Evans. All measure up and exceed my expectations.
I have been
to the birthplace of the Church in this dispensation. I have heart two people give testimony of the
truthfulness of the Book of Mormon because they heard Martin Harris give his
last public testimony and deathbed testimony of its truth.
Soneone
said that it is a well-adjusted person who can say, “This is the best time of
my life.” I look forward to the years
ahead. May they be as rewarding as the
years past.
BRIEF LIFE SKETCH OF
VELDA BAIRD OLSON
Velda Baird
was born in Lewiston, Utah, November 23, 1915, the third of six children of
Lawrence and Millie Smith Baird. She
lived in Lewiston all her unmarried years with the exception of seven years
when as a youong child her family lived in Fairview, Idaho. The returned to Lewiston in 1925. She received her education in grade schools
in Fairview and Lewiston and graduated from North Cache High School in 1933.
She served
as a missionary in the Spanish-American mission from 1936 to 1938. On July 5, 1940 she married Delmer Lehi Olson
in the Logan Temple. They have six
children: Nathan “B”, Jimmie Delmer,
RaNae O. Mellor, Jeffrey “E”, Charles Kevin, and Millie O. Mower.
Velda has
been active in all church organizations and activities. She has served as Relief Society President at
three different times –once in the Glencoe Ward and twice in the Mink Creek
Ward. She was a counselor in the Oneida
Stake Relief Society presidency for five years, served as stake Laurel leader
in the APA and held many other offices.
She has supported and sustained her husband in all his church callings
such as a member of bishoprics, Bishop, Stake MIA leader, etc.
Her great
loves of this life are the Gospel, her husband, home, children and
grandchildren, all of which have been a credit to her.
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