Samuel Geer Olin

Samuel Geer Olin was born on August 19, 1877 in Griswold, Hartford County, Connecticut. He was the son of Dwight Baldwin Olin and Louise Adelaide Geer.

By the year 1870 Sam Olin's Uncle Albert had become an engineer on the railroad, and his father Dwight was a fireman for the railroad. They both lived with their father Elisha Olin in Griswold, Hartford County, Connecticut. By 1880 Sam's father Dwight had moved with his family to Paxton, Ross County, Ohio where he was now a railroad engineer himself. By 1900 Dwight had moved to San Fernando, Los Angles, California, where it is believed Dwight retired from the railroad and returned to the trade of his father, a farmer. Sam and his older brother also later became engineers for the railroad and most likely started their careers in San Fernando. San Fernando was considered at that time "the gateway to the north" and was an important point in the rail system. Ultimately the rail system was connected to Bakersfield with a nearly 7,000-foot tunnel near the Fremont pass.

By 1905 Sam Olin had moved to Bakersfield, California, where on October 18, 1905 he married Martha Alice Kincaid. He obviously returned to San Fernando briefly as his first child, Everett Samuel Olin was born in San Fernando on March 07, 1907. In the 1910 Census Samuel Geer Olin was listed as a railroad engineer, and living in Bakersfield. Sam and Martha had their second son, Robert on January 04, 1909

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On Sam's 1918 draft registration card he listed his occupation as a Locomotive Engineer, for ATSF railroad, living in Bakersfield. Sam is listed still in the 1920 census as a railroad engineer, in Bakersfield. The 1930 Census shows Sam living in Taft, California, age 55, and occupation "Meter Reader". We believe Sam and Martha moved to Taft in 1929.

Samuel, known as Sam to his friends and family was an avid sportsman who loved hunting and fishing.

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Given the economic situation brought on by the great depression there was little money to travel to some of the more quality fishing spots of the Western states. He is known to have favored the Feather River in Northern California. However he also fished in Klamath, California and at Bass Lake. According to his granddaughter, Roberta, he had entered a fly casting contest and came in second. Dissatisfied with the performance of his rod he set out to build a rod that would allow him to cast more accurately. This story has some confirmation, an old newspaper clipping was found among the family memorabilia describing a fly casting contest in Taft in which Sam came in second. (Waiting for a copy to arrive)

In another newspaper clipping we learn a number of facts about Sam and his rods. Most classic bamboo fly rod experts have long believed Sam adopted a method of twisting the bamboo strips during construction from Fred Divine who in 1892 patented the idea. (Patent #476,370). I disagree; I believe he came up with the idea entirely on his own. Fred Divine produced rods on the East Coast, Sam Olin produced rods on the west coast. Fred Divine's twist was subtle, about 1 and 1/2 complete turns over the length of the rod. Sam according to the newspaper clipping applied for a Patent for his method of twisting the cane only to find a Patent had already been issued to Fred Divine. Sam's twisted cane was markedly different approximately 6 to 8 complete turns over the length of the rod.

The newspaper clipping indicates Sam sold his rods for a price of $75.00, a considerable amount of money during the depression years.

Attempt to identify the source and date of the article:

"The twisted Tonkin cane rod was first patented by Devine about 20 years ago."

Fred Divine patented the twisted rod in 1892, patent number #476,370. Twenty years later would be about 1912. This statement cannot be accurate as in 1912 Sam Olin was 35 years old and living in Bakersfield, employed as a railroad engineer in 1920. His 1917 draft registration shows he was living in Bakersfield and an employee of the AT&SF railroad. Sam did not move to Taft until about 1929.

"This was learned by Olin when he applied for a patent on his rod eight years ago."

"Olin's son Bob, has inherited his father's gift of craftsmanship with wood-working tools. He is a cabinet maker."

In the 1930 census "Bob" (Robert Webster Olin) was age 21 and still living in his father's home. Under occupation it says none. Bob was married by 1933 and not living with Sam.

I place this article as being written between 1930 and 1932. The article was almost certainly the product of the "Midway Driller" the local and only Taft newspaper since about 1915

In about 1946 Sam was diagnosed with a case of terminal emphysema. About 1950 he and his wife rented a house in Morro Bay, California. After a period of about three years he was admitted to a hospital in San Luis Obispo, California where on February 05, 1953 he passed away.

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