James Olsen
Paris Post, Friday, 9 October 1908, page 1
Ovid-Sept. 29-James Olsen, our talented young townsman, met with a serious mishap the 29th last. While riding at full speed to head off a band of mustangs which he was driving, the animal he was on stumbled and fell in a nest of cobblestones on the string town highway.
Between the horse and the stones James was painfully mangled. Though many are the wounds and scars he received in the catastrophe, yet none are considered in a great degree grave or dangerous. However, it will be many days before he regains his usual boxing and wrestling ability.
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Paris Post, Thursday, 14 July 1938, page 1
James Olsen, son of Mrs. Orson Olsen, is erecting a new modern
home at Ovid. His uncle, Nathan VanNoy of Preston is doing the construction work
and Charles Sorenson is in charge of ground work.
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News Examiner, Thursday, 29 October 1981, page 1
James Olsen, 71, well known church and civic leader in the Bear Lake Valley for many years, died on October 23 in a St George Utah hospital. Olsen was the mayor of Montpelier for 8 years. He was president of the Montpelier Lions Club, Chairman of the Bear Lake County Fair Board, Chairman of the Bear Lake County Republican Central Committee, Member of the Ovid School District Board and a member of the 1st Board of Directors of the county school reorganization committee, Director of Horse and Cattle Association, the Liberty Ovid Irrigation and Director of the Cache National Forest Organization.
He was the 1961 Grand Marshall of the Bear Lake County Fair Parade. Olsen was engaged in cattle ranching with his brother, Joe, in Bear Lake and Nampa. He was part owner of Tri-State Inc. and the radio station KVSI in Montpelier. He was involved in music and had sung with his wife in various quarters and choral groups. He served in numerous ward and stake organizations in the Bear Lake and Montpelier stakes. He served as bishop of Ovid Ward for over 8 years. He and his wife served a mission in Georgia and were former officiators in the Logan Temple.
Although a life long resident of Bear Lake Valley, he and his wife spent the last five winters in St George. James Olsen was born September 7, 1910 at Ovid to Orson Hyrum Olsen and Zelnora VanNoy. He married Janette Parker on August 2, 1935 and the marriage was later solemnized in the Logan LDS Temple.
Survivors include his widow of Montpelier; four sons, Gary Olsen, Pleasant? California; ---- Olsen, St George; Charles Ray Olsen, Idaho Falls; and Michael Olsen, Moreland; a daughter Mrs. Robert (Bonnie Lee) Burch, Provo Utah; a brother William C Olsen, Salt Lake City; three sisters, a twin, Mrs. William (Jamie) Stalder, Fish Haven; Mrs. Burgetta Christiansen, Grace; and Mrs. Emma Bruce, Soda Springs, and 14 grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on October 27 at the Montpelier Stake Center.