Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Wednesday, December 09, 2009 at 06:43:00 :
Marin Journal
Thursday, December 28, 1916
Page 4
DIED - In San Rafael, California, Saturday, December 23, Stephen Horatio Olmsted, beloved brother of John A. Olmsted and J. Emmett Olmsted of Petaluma, C. Clay Olmsted of San Rafael and Mrs. Chloe Eleanor (Olmsted) Irwin of Gallipolis, Ohio; aged 58 years, 10 months and 17 days.
The funeral was held at 1 o’clock Sunday, under the auspices of the Masonic Lodge at Sawyer’s Parlors.
Preceding the eloquent remarks of Rev. Lynn T. White, a personal and longstanding friend of the deceased, the impressive ceremonies of the Masonic order were held.
Rev. White said:
“The Editor has laid down his pen forever. His work is done. After suffering quietly and uncomplainingly for years he has passed into the Great Beyond. Every piece of music has its keynote, every poem its theme. The dominant characteristic in the life of Stephen Olmsted was self-effacement. Given a duty to perform, he applied himself to (illegible) faithfully (illegible) until the object for which he labored was accomplished. Then he modestly, quietly stepped aside. He sought no glory, no personal gain. He labored incessantly for truth and justice and decently.
“He commanded the highest respect among his fellow citizens, notwithstanding his pronounced convictions on matters of public policy. Among the ‘enemy’ were his dearest friends. Enemies he had not.
“Although offered over and over again a place in the family circle where he would have received all the care and attention of a good home, he lived a lonely life. He preferred suffering in silence with a true Christian fortitude to imposing even the slightest amount of trouble or work or worry upon others.”
Pallbearers were: Dr. G. G. Vandelip, representing the Blue Lodge; Prof. J. B. Davidson, the Royal Arch, and George Murray, the Eastern Star; Dr. N. S. Halsey, J. A. Saunders and John Saxe represented the B. P. O. E.
The pallbearers officiating at the interment were from the Knights Templar Commandery of Petaluma.
The funeral cortege proceeded to Petaluma following the services in the Parlors, many of the lodge brethren accompanying by automobile to the cemetery in that city, where interment was made.
Stephen Horatio Olmsted was the oldest son of the late Jesse Doud Olmsted and was born Feb. 6, 1858, at Beaver Dam, Ohio. He married Oct. 25, 1887, at Middleport, Ohio, Miss Mary Colorado Graham, daughter of Ira and Luck Graham. She was in poor health and they moved to San Diego, California, on account of her health. She died in that city July 6, 1890.
Stephen Horatio Olmsted went to Monroe county, Ohio, with his father, and while a school boy entered the office of the Monroe Gazette at Woodsfield, Ohio, to learn the printer’s trade. Later, in 1875, he went to Quaker City, Ohio, and was associated with his father in the publishing of the Quaker City Independent, which they established. He was educated in the public schools and at the Normal school at Valpariso, Indiana, and took a trip to the west in 1879; taught one term of school near Beatrice, Nebraska. After visiting Colorado Springs, Colorado, for a short time, he returned to Ohio, and in 1881 purchased the Gallipolis Ledger and changed its name to the Gallia Tribune. About one year later his father’s family moved to Gallipolis and was associated with him in the newspaper.
Again in 1886 he took another trip to the west expecting to be gone only a few weeks, but while at Missouri Valley, Iowa, he was induced to lease the News of that city and publish it for one year, afterwards going to Hastings, Nebraska, where he remained for a few months and was induced to go to a new town of Hendley, Nebraska, as the town agent, and establish a newspaper there known as the Hendley Rustler. The town did not prosper and he went to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he remained for while, removing to Denver, and there established a weekly paper known as the North Side Chief. After a year or so, on account of his wife’s health, he left this paper in the hands of his brother, James Emmett, and went to San Diego, California, arriving there on his birthday, Feb. 6, 1890. He remained there, engaging in the job printing business until the spring of 1898, and in connection with his brother, C. C., purchased the Marin Journal, at San Rafael.
Deceased had been a member of the California Press Association since 1898, and for the past ten years had been a member of the executive committee of t hat organization. During his career he always took an interest in political affairs as a Republican and served on campaign committees and as a delegate to State conventions in four different states – Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska and California.
He served three times as a member of the San Diego City council and after moving to San Rafael, was elected a member of the Legislature for two terms – in 1903 and 1905, serving two terms and during an extra session in 1906. He was supervisor of the United States Census for northern California in 1900, having charge of the work in twenty counties.
At an early age he joined the Masonic Lodge at Galipolis, Ohio, and served as master of Silver Gate Lodge at San Diego, California, and was in 1904 commander of Mount Olivet Commandery, Knights Templar, at Petaluma, and had been secretary of Marin Chapter No. 102, Royal Arch Mason s, since its institution in 1908.
Deceased was a member of the San Rafael Lodge of Druids, a charter member of San Rafael Typographical Union and secretary of the City Planning Commission.
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