Biographical sketches and records of the Ezra Olin family

Front matter

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Biographical Sketches and Records of THE

Preface

AT a picnic gathering at Gull Lake, Mich., on Wednesday t July, 28th, 1886, where several members of the Ezra Olin family were in attendance, the question of organizing an Olin Reunion was presented by W. W. Olin to the writer. After a little time passed in discussion, it was decided to call together the few friends there assembled, and present the subject for their consideration. A few chairs and benches were hastily arranged on the camp ground, a pressing invitation was personally given to each, and rather reluctantly, with little faith, the few friends seated themselves, when W. W. Olin stated the object of assembling. The more thought the subject received the more it was considered feasible, and a step in the right direction. The enthusiasm, which at first but three or four keenly felt, began to spread, and soon all entered quite heartily into the work. A temporary organization was effected by choosing G. R. C. Adams, President ; W. W. Olin, Secretary; W. W. Russell, Treasurer, and Geo. S. Nye, Historian. Other meetings were soon after called, committees were appointed, preparations made, and the first Olin Reunion was held at Gull Lake, Mich., October 1st, 1886, about 180 persons being present. At this meeting an invitation was given to hold the second Reunion the next year at Streetsboro', Ohio. O. F. Haymaker was elected President ; Elon Olin, Treasurer ; Geo. S. Nye, Historian ; W. W. Olin, Secretary ; and afterward C. R. Doolittle was elected Secretary for Ohio. The result and success of this meeting, where over 400 relatives were assembled, is seen in a pamphlet report printed by the Ohio friends. At that time a better organization was effected, a constitution and by-laws were adopted, and the present historian elected for "life" or "during good behavior." At this second meeting the New York cousins extended an invitation to hold the third Reunion in Perry, N. Y. The following officers were then chosen : President, Milo H. Olin ; Treasurer, William Olin ; Secretary, Mary J. Sheldon,— all of Perry. The third Reunion was held near the banks of Silver Lake, in New York, on Wednesday, September 19th, 1888.

The fourth Olin Reunion was held in Galesburgh, Mich., September 18th and 19th, 1889. President, W. W. Olin; Secretary, Mrs. Ida Adams ; Treasurer, Hiram Olin. A complete report of the meeting is recorded in pamphlet form, a few of which still remain in the hands of the historian.

The fifth annual Reunion was held in Kent, Ohio, October 1st and 2nd, 1890, with C. R. Doolittle, President; Elon Olin, Treasurer, and N. E. Olin, Secretary. The records of this meeting are also preserved in pamphlet form. At its conclusion the following named officers were elected : President, Milo H. Olin ; Treasurer, Albert E. Olin ; Secretary, Paris Bolton.

On October 1st and 2nd, 1891, an informal meeting was held in Bennington, Vt., some fifty members of the Ezra Olin branch being present, and were joined by several members of other branches of the Olin family — that of Giles being quite well represented. This meeting was more the result of an excursion conducted by members of Ezra Olin family than by any prearranged plan. A full printed report of this gathering is alsp in the hands of many of our friends.

The reader will now see why my name is connected with this work, and how it has been brought about. At first elected historian of the family, I was thus expected to look up its history, and gather its records, from which to condense a report to be read at the annual meetings. This work I became deeply interested in, and strove to make it successful. As it progressed, material accumulated with which the family history could be written. Encouraged by friends, sanctioned and assisted by the Olin family organization, further and patient research has brought to light the records and much of the history of our early ancestors, which with as much of the "life sketch" of the different members of our immediate kindred as could be obtained, compose the material for the following pages.

These "sketches" of living and departed friends, which of necessity must be brief, I have tried in my feeble way to write faithfully and impartially ; yet feel in many instances that my work is nearly a failure, as there was so little material to work from, my requests for such not being fully complied with, and in some cases not at all, which accounts for many omissions.

It has required much time and labor to arrange and correct the family records. When first received there were many errors among them. My earnest endeavor has been to correct each and every known error, yet, with all this precaution, mistakes may appear.

That I have been more than five years in preparing this work, I think, speaks for the thorough manner of its preparation, and while permitting nothing to interfere with its final completion, doubt and discouragement many times stood ready to work defeat. It was then that the kindly advice or encouragement of some dear friend would dispel the dark clouds, and the work went cheerfully on again.

In justice to those who have rendered more than usual aid in supplying material for the pages following, I return thanks to Ezra Olin, Jr., Paris Olin, Almira Bolton, and Mary Jane Sheldon. The success of the work is greatly due to their kindly efforts. Now, kind friends, in your criticism of the "Sketches and Records of the Olin Family" please exercise charity ; consider that your historian has labored to preserve your name and record for those generations who shall flourish when we sleep in dust. He may have failed to give them in their true light and character, but would it not have been made better had you furnished a more complete "sketch" or synopsis of your life?

With love and gratitude to my many friends who have conferred upon me this great honor, and with a parting wish that in that grand Reunion above we may all assemble without an absent one, there to hear the Great Historian call our names, and read that record from the Book of Life — "Well done, thou good and faithful servant,"

Yours very respectfully,

GEO. S. NYE.

Galesburg, Mich., April, 1892.

Introduction

IN looking into the history of the Welsh people, from whom the Olins have descended, we find that the race which once occupied the whole island of Great Britain, were a light-haired and fair-complexioned people; active, bold and courageous, and when Julius Caesar invaded the island B. C. 55 in order to chastise the Britons for aiding a certain tribe in Gaul against the Roman power, he met with fierce opposition, insomuch that it was not until one hundred years afterwards before they undertook to proceed with vigor to subdue the country. This undertaking was met with desperate resistance by the native British princes, but finally the south half of Britain was conquered by Vespasian and made Roman provinces in the reign of Claudius, about A. D. 50. These remained in possession of the Romans until about 420, when the Saxons invaded South Britain and subdued it.

Druidism was the religion of the Britons at their conquest by the Romans, but the latter introduced Christianity and Roman literature into the country.

During the disturbances and wars which long agitated the island, many of the native inhabitants retired to the hills and mountain fortresses in the southwestern part, and for centuries maintained their personal characteristics and self-government.

Inspired by the love of liberty, they resisted all attempts at subjugation, and thus we find them in history, living under the government of their own native princes for a number of centuries.

Previous to the spring of 1282, the Welsh had been partially subdued by the English and were in a great measure under their subjection, but at this time the fancied security of the

7 English Government was disturbed by a national outbreak of the Welsh. The prince Llewellyn and his wife Eleanora, whom he had so much difficulty in obtaining, were the rulers. In the struggle that ensued it seemed to be one of much grief; for his wife had died shortly before the last struggle for Welsh independence had commenced. Llewellyn fell in a sudden skirmish at Builth, in the valley of the Wye; his head was sent to Edward, who placed it on the walls of the Tower of London crowned with an ivy wreath in mockery of a prediction of Merlin that when the English money should become circular, the Prince of Wales should be crowned in London.

For six months the last of the unfortunate prince's family held out against the invaders, but being betrayed he was imprisoned in the Castle of Rhuddlan and on the 30th of September, 1283, was arraigned as a traitor before a parliament summoned to meet at Shrewsbury and in the high street of the city, David, the brother of the prince, suffered the penalties of treason. Wales then became a part of the English government.

In preparing this work, it was a very slow and difficult matter to obtain reliable data and information concerning the first generations of the Olin family, who made their home in America. A result of the work in collecting those records, can be seen in the following pages which show the progress made and also the source from whence obtained.

At first, partially traditional, it finally became reliable, as the records are obtained from good authority. Regarding the appearance of the first Olin on American shores, the Vermont Historical Gazetteer records the following: "Joh?i Olin, the first of the name in America, settled in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, in 1678.

From a work entitled "The Genealogical Record of James Edmonds and his Wife, Cordela Spear," among whose ancestors were certain members of the Olin family, the following is taken:

"About the year 1690, John Olin, aged fourteen, was pressed on board a man-of-war on the coast of Wales. He deserted at Boston, married at Greenwich, Rhode Island, and had one daughter and three sons, John, Henry and Joseph." Also "John Olin came over as cabin boy in 1690, and deserted at Providence, Rhode Island, being fourteen years old. He was married about 1700. His son John raised four sons, and together with them went to Shaftsbury, Vermont, where he died. Joseph had children and died in Rhode Island."

From one of the older members of the Gideon Olin family this traditional account was obtained: "The first one of the family in this country was a boy of Welsh birth who filled the responsible position of 'powder monkey' on board a man-ofwar, he deserted at Providence ran off into the woods and changed his name from Llewellyn to Olin."

From a member of Henry Olin's family, a brother to Ezra Olin, Sr., the following traditional account was received: "John Olin, the first of the name to arrive in this country, was a Welsh boy who had been pressed on board a British war vessel. On the arrival of the vessel in Boston harbor, he was permitted to stroll upon the streets, where he observed a man •driving a yoke of oxen hitched to a cart, and never having seen such a strange sight before, he begged permission, which was readily granted, to ride in this odd conveyance. For some unexplained reason his ride into the country was so prolonged that when he did return his vessel had sailed away without him

In a Genealogical Dictionary of New England, by Savage, on page 309 of Volume III, the following record appears: "Olin, Henry, Greenwich, son of John, of the same place, had, it is said — though his wife's name is not seen, nor the date of birth of either — Justin and Caleb, both of whom removed, before the Revolutionary War, to Vermont, and the latter, having seven sons, died in St. Lawrence County, N. Y. Of such infirm material few New England families are compelled to build.

"John, West Greenwich, Rhode Island, said to have come in 1678, in his youth from Wales, had by wife unknown, John Henry, and perhaps Justin and Joseph, but of the last two in the family, generally no account is rendered, nor is the date of marriage or death of father or either of the other sons given. '1 This may be explained by noticing in other records the place where the death of some of them occurred.

From a record now in possession of Mrs. Marsh, of Bennington, Vt., the following was copied. "John Spencer, Senior and his wife, Susannah emigrated from Wales, the names of their

9 children were: 1st John Spencer, Jr., 2d Michael, 3d Benjamin, 4th William. 5th Robert, 6th Abner, 7th Thomas, 8th Peleg and 9th Susannah, whom arried John Olin in 1708.

In an old Bible printed in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1729, and was owned and taken to Vermont from Rhode Island by the Giles Olin family, the following record appears:

John Olin and Susanna Pierce were married in East Greenwich, R. I., on the 8th day of December, A. D. 1734, by John Spencer, Justice.

Phcebe Olin, their eldest daughter, was born on Sunday at 12 o'clock, the 9th day of November, A. D. 1735.

Jonathan Olin, their eldest son, was born on Friday at 3 o'clock in the morning, on the 17th day of June, A. D. 1737.

John Olin, their second son, was born on Sunday at 9 o'clock in the morning, on the first day of July, A. D. 1739, and died the 7th day of April at 4 o'clock in the morn, 1740.

Joh?i Olin, their thirdson,was born on Thursday at 10 o'clock in the morn, on the 17th day of September, 1741.

Gideon Olin, their fourth son, was born on Saturday at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the 22nd day of October, A. D. 1743.

Giles Olin, their fifth son, was born on Saturday at 6 o'clock in the morning, on the 23rd day of March, 1745.

Barbara Olin, their second daughter, was born on Sunday evening, the 4th day of September, A. D. 1741.

That the generations previous to that of Ezra Olin, Sr., may be better classified, and easily understood, the chapters one two and three are introduced, and correspond with those generations in the ancestral line in their respective order.

Chapter I

John Olin, the first of his name and race in America, settled in the vicinity of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, about the year 1700. He was a native of Wales, and is said to have come to this country when but 14 years of age. We may never become familiar with the circumstances that attended him on his arrival here, or the object that induced him to leave home and native land, and seek one among strangers, in a new and strange country, which at that time was but little known.

Of his personal appearance tradition tells us that " he was of medium stature," and had "red hair." Like the great majority of his posterity, he was a " tiller of the soil." He selected his home near the headwaters of the beautiful Narragansett, and in sight of its surrounding groves and pleasant prospects he lived and reared his family. He was married in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, to Susanah Spencer, October 4, 1708, by Thomas Fry, Justice. She was a daughter of John and Susanah Spencer, who emigrated from Wales. The genealogy of two of their children, John and Henry, come down to us with unvarying accuracy. How many other children they had is not known for a certainty, or that he was ever married more than once.

John Olin the first, died at Newport, Rhode Island, June 10, 1725, aged 61 years, which makes his birth occur in the year 1664.

CMAPTBR I I.

John Olin, Esq., son of John Olin ist, and Susannah Spencer, was born in Rhode Island, in the year 17 14.

In the autumn of 1891, when the historian of the Ezra Olin family applied to the town clerk of East Greenwich, for the purpose of searching the old records for any information concerning the Olin family of nearly two hundred years ago, the clerk replied to his request by saying, " You'll have a hard job of it." It was true, however, as these old records required considerable study before becoming familiar with the old forms and peculiar wording.

The first appearance of the Olin name, was found in a record of a " town meeting and day of election for choosing town officers, for the year ensuing, held at court house in East Greenwich, in County of Kent, and the last Tuesday of May, it being the 26th day of said month, 1752." The name of John Olin, Esq., appears in the list of voters which follows.

His name appears with others on the town records to a protest in disposing of some privileges to certain residents of the town, they believing that such a disposition would greatly discommode the inhabitants of said town.

At a town meeting held May 29, 1753, the name of John Olin, Esq., appears on record as voting with others; his name here occurs as an officer, that of overseer of the poor. On May 27, 1755, he was chosen one of the pound keepers.

" County of Kent and Colony of Rhode Island. At a town meeting held in the Court House in East Greenwich, August 29, 1758, Jonathan Olin with others, was admitted a freeman of the town."

"January 28," 1760. " The Town Council Have Nominated, Constituted and Appointed, John Olin, of East Greenwich, aforesaid, yeoman, and Brother-in-law to the said Intestator, whole and sole administrator to, all and singular, the goods, chattels and credits, that did of right belong to the said Benjamin Carpenter, at the time of his death. * * * The above papers were signed and sealed, the 28th day of January, and in the Thirty-third year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the 2nd, King of Great Britian, and so forth. uAnno Domini 1760."

John Olin, Esq., was married in East Greenwich, R. I., December 8, 1734, to Susannah Pierce, daughter of Jeremiah Pierce. They live in Rhode Island, where they reared their family, but later in life they removed to Shaftsbury, Vermont, where their four sons were living. The following is the family record of this couple:

1. Phcebe Olin, born November 9, 1735.

2. Jonathan Olin, Esq., born June 28, 1737; died January 9, 1826.

Anna Olin, wife of Jonathan Olin, died November 28, 181 1, aged 75 years 7 months.

3. John Olin 1st, born July 1, 1739; died April 7, 1740, aged 9 months.

4. John Olin 2nd, born September 17, 1741.

5. Gideon Olin, born October 22, 1743; died January 21, 1823.

Patience Dwinnell, first wife of Gideon Olin, died January 30, 1801, aged 58 years.

13 Lydia Pope, second wife of Gideon Olin, was the mother of five children, viz: Benjamin, Esther, Nathaniel, Abram and Job S.

6. Giles Olin, born March 23, 1745; died September 1, 1835.

Anna Reynolds, wife of Giles Olin, died February 23, 1838, aged 88 years.

7. Barbara Olin, born September 4, 1748. During the struggle for independence some of this

family took an active part, and were raised to the rank of officers in the American army. They .all lived to see their country free and independent, the forest where the red man so long had roamed, vanish before the ax of the white settler, and peace and prosperity perched on those banners so lately stained with patriot blood.

John Olin, Esq., died January, 1797, aged 83 years.

Susannah Olin, his wife, died February, 1802, aged 87 years.

Their graves were visited by the writer at the time he was in Vermont collecting these items. They are marked by plain marble slabs, and are easily found, as they occupy an open space a little north and east of the old church which stands on the south side of the cemetery at Shaftsbury Center.