Van Olinda, O. S. (Oliver Scott), 1868-1954

Oliver Scott Van Olinda (1868-1954) was a career newspaperman who learned to set type at the age of 17. In 1891 Van Olinda moved to Vashon Island, Washington, where he started his first newspaper, The Island Home. The paper, lacking advertisers, was supported solely by a faithful readership of paid subscribers. In succeeding years, Van Olinda published and edited a number of papers: The Vashon Island Press (1895-1897); The Stanwood Press, a Snohomish County paper; The Island Times (1900-1909), a Coupeville paper; and The Vashon Island News-Record. Van Olinda served for 18 years as historian of the Vashon-Maury Pioneer Society. He was an adept writer, producing many lively stories of Puget Sound pioneer life for both adults and children. His children's stories were created for his grandchildren, and each was specially bound and contained hand-drawn pictures. In 1935 Van Olinda published a book of local history, History of Vashon-Maury Island.

From the description of Oliver S. Van Olinda papers, 1895-1950. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 74814524

Born in La Salle County, Illinois, in 1868, Oliver S. Van Olinda settled in Vashon Island, Washington, in August, 1891. A career newspaperman, Van Olinda published a number of papers in the Puget Sound region, including the Island Home; the Vashon Island Press; the Stanwood Press, a Snohomish County paper; the Island County Times, a Coupeville paper; and the Vashon Island News-Record. Van Olinda served for 18 years years as historian of the Vashon-Maury Pioneer Society, and in 1935 he published a book of local history, History of Vashon-Maury Island.

From the description of Oliver S. Van Olinda photographs and ephemera, 1884-1946 (bulk 1890-1919) [graphic]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 52987657

Oliver Scott Van Olinda, a career newspaperman and early resident of the Pacific Northwest, was born in La Salle County, Illinois, in 1868. In 1884 he traveled with his family in a covered wagon from Bedford, Iowa, to Sidney, Nebraska, where he learned to set type at the Redington Press at age 17. Van Olinda moved from Nebraska to Vashon Island, Washington, in August 1891. His father, Elmer Eugene, sister Mattie, and brother Charles also relocated to Vashon Island. Later another sister, Jessie, was born. Eventually Van Olinda married Vashon resident Ida M. Anderson, with whom he had two children, Myrtle and Andrew Eugene.

Van Olinda and his father ran numerous businesses on the island, including the Island Home newspaper, published from 1895-1897, and the Vashon Island News-Record . His brother Charles served as the first postmaster on Vashon Island, opening the Portage Post Office on May 18, 1903. For three years Oliver S. Van Olinda published another weekly paper, the Stanwood Press, in Stanwood, Snohomish County. Starting about 1900, he also maintained a house on Whidbey Island, where he was the editor of the Island County Times, a Coupeville newspaper. In addition to his newspaper work, Van Olinda managed a commercial wireless station in Olympia for a short while and served for 18 years as historian of the Vashon-Maury Pioneer Society. He was an adept writer whose lively stories of Puget Sound pioneer life for both adults and children included the book History of Vashon-Maury Island, published in 1935.

From the guide to the Oliver S. Van Olinda photographs and ephemera, 1884-1946, 1890-1919, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)

Oliver Scott Van Olinda (1868-1954) was a career newspaperman who learned to set type at the Redington Press (Nebraska) at the age of 17. In 1891 Van Olinda moved to Vashon Island, Washington, where he started his first newspaper, The Island Home . The paper, lacking advertisers, was supported solely by a faithful readership of paid subscribers. In succeeding years, Van Olinda published and edited a number of papers: The Vashon Island Press (1895-1897); The Stanwood Press, a Snohomish County paper; The Island Times (1900-1909), a Coupeville paper; and The Vashon Island News-Record .

Van Olinda served for 18 years as historian of the Vashon-Maury Pioneer Society. He was an adept writer, producing many lively stories of Puget Sound pioneer life for both adults and children. His children's stories were created for his grandchildren, and each was specially bound and contained hand-drawn pictures. In 1935 Van Olinda published a book of local history, History of Vashon-Maury Island .

From the guide to the Oliver S. Van Olinda papers, 1895-1950, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)