William J. Olcott
Encyclopedia
William James Olcott was an American football
player and mining and railroad executive in the Mesabi Range
. He played college football
for the University of Michigan
from 1881 to 1883 and was captain of the 1882 and 1883 teams. After receiving his degree, he worked in the iron ore mining industry for more than 40 years. He was president of the Oliver Iron Mining Company from 1909 to 1928 and president of the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway
from 1901 to 1909.
, in 1862, the son of Harlow and Elizabeth Olcott. He moved with his family to Michigan's Upper Peninsula and attended school in Marquette, Michigan
.
where he studied chemistry and mining. He played on the Michigan Wolverines football
team, was the starting "three-quarter back" from 1881 to 1883 and served as captain of the 1882
and 1883 team
s.
, where he worked in the mining business. In 1885, he was employed as an assistant engineer to the Chapin Mine on the Menominee Range.
In 1890, he was reported to be living in Ironwood, Michigan
, and working as an assistant superintendent of five mines at a salary of $3,600. Olcott later moved to Duluth, Minnesota
, where he lived for three decades.
He became superintendent of the Lake Superior Consolidated Mines on the Mesabi Range
. In 1897, he was appointed first vice president of the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway
and in 1901 became the company's president. He served as the railroad's president from 1901 to 1909.
In 1905, Olcott was promoted to the position of vice president of the Oliver Iron Mining Company; he had previously been the general manager of the company. In 1909, he was appointed as the company's president. The Oliver Iron Mining Company was at the time the subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation responsible for the company's iron ore mining operations. He testified in 1913 in a government suit seeking to break up the steel company. Olcott had 40,000 men working for him and reported directly to John D. Rockefeller
. Rockefeller and his family stayed at the Olcott's home in 1928.
. In 1904, Olcott and his wife built a 10,000 square foot Georgian Colonial mansion for their family in Duluth. The house was built at a cost of $140,000 and had an estate covering five city blocks surrounded by a brick and wrought iron wall. The Olcotts had two daughters who they raised in the house. The Olcott family donated the house to Duluth Teachers College in 1939, where it housed a music school.
In 1925, Olcott and his wife established the "Olcott Lodge", a rest lodge for wives of the Oliver Iron Mining Company at Half Moon Lake
in the Mesabi Range. At the time, a newspaper account noted: "The lodge itself is a charming place, and the surroundings of lake and forest attractive and restful. The Olcotts not only have caused the beautiful lodge to be built and completely furnished and equipped, but they defray all costs of maintenance, with a competent and experienced woman in charge." In 1931, the camp was turned over to the Girl Scouts and has been operated since that time as the Fannie Bailey Olcott Girl Scout Camp.
Olcott retired as president of the Oliver Iron Mining Co. in 1928 and traveled extensively in the seven years following his retirement, including a year in Europe and trips to Florida and California.
In April 1935, Olcott died while visiting his daughter, Mrs. Torrey Ford, in Pasadena, California
. He died from pneumonia following a stroke suffered several weeks earlier. He was 73 years old at the time of his death.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and mining and railroad executive in the Mesabi Range
Mesabi Range
The Mesabi Iron Range is a vast deposit of iron ore and the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the Iron Range of Minnesota. Discovered in 1866, it is the chief deposit of iron ore in the United States. The deposit is located in northeast Minnesota, largely in...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1881 to 1883 and was captain of the 1882 and 1883 teams. After receiving his degree, he worked in the iron ore mining industry for more than 40 years. He was president of the Oliver Iron Mining Company from 1909 to 1928 and president of the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway
Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway
The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway is a railroad operating in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin that hauls iron ore and later taconite to the Great Lakes ports of Duluth and Two Harbors, Minnesota...
from 1901 to 1909.
Early years
Olcott was born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, in 1862, the son of Harlow and Elizabeth Olcott. He moved with his family to Michigan's Upper Peninsula and attended school in Marquette, Michigan
Marquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
.
University of Michigan
He subsequently attended the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where he studied chemistry and mining. He played on the Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
team, was the starting "three-quarter back" from 1881 to 1883 and served as captain of the 1882
1882 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1882 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1882 college football season. The team played no outside games. The captain of the 1882 team was William J. Olcott.-Varsity letter winners:...
and 1883 team
1883 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1883 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1883 college football season. The Wolverines played their home games at Ann Arbor Fairgrounds.-Schedule:-Roster:...
s.
Mining and railroad career
Olcott graduated from Michigan in 1884. After receiving his degree, Olcott returned to Michigan's Upper PeninsulaUpper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
, where he worked in the mining business. In 1885, he was employed as an assistant engineer to the Chapin Mine on the Menominee Range.
In 1890, he was reported to be living in Ironwood, Michigan
Ironwood, Michigan
Ironwood is a city in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan, about south of Lake Superior. The population was 6,293 at the 2000 census. The city is on US 2 and is situated opposite the Montreal River from Hurley, Wisconsin. It is the westernmost city in Michigan, situated on the same line...
, and working as an assistant superintendent of five mines at a salary of $3,600. Olcott later moved to Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, where he lived for three decades.
He became superintendent of the Lake Superior Consolidated Mines on the Mesabi Range
Mesabi Range
The Mesabi Iron Range is a vast deposit of iron ore and the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the Iron Range of Minnesota. Discovered in 1866, it is the chief deposit of iron ore in the United States. The deposit is located in northeast Minnesota, largely in...
. In 1897, he was appointed first vice president of the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway
Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway
The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway is a railroad operating in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin that hauls iron ore and later taconite to the Great Lakes ports of Duluth and Two Harbors, Minnesota...
and in 1901 became the company's president. He served as the railroad's president from 1901 to 1909.
In 1905, Olcott was promoted to the position of vice president of the Oliver Iron Mining Company; he had previously been the general manager of the company. In 1909, he was appointed as the company's president. The Oliver Iron Mining Company was at the time the subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation responsible for the company's iron ore mining operations. He testified in 1913 in a government suit seeking to break up the steel company. Olcott had 40,000 men working for him and reported directly to John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
. Rockefeller and his family stayed at the Olcott's home in 1928.
Family and later years
On December 26, 1887, Olcott married Fannie Bailey of Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. In 1904, Olcott and his wife built a 10,000 square foot Georgian Colonial mansion for their family in Duluth. The house was built at a cost of $140,000 and had an estate covering five city blocks surrounded by a brick and wrought iron wall. The Olcotts had two daughters who they raised in the house. The Olcott family donated the house to Duluth Teachers College in 1939, where it housed a music school.
In 1925, Olcott and his wife established the "Olcott Lodge", a rest lodge for wives of the Oliver Iron Mining Company at Half Moon Lake
Half Moon Lake
-Recreation:This lake, located in Polk County, Wisconsin , is home to many different varieties of panfish and sport fish , which make it a popular destination for fishermen...
in the Mesabi Range. At the time, a newspaper account noted: "The lodge itself is a charming place, and the surroundings of lake and forest attractive and restful. The Olcotts not only have caused the beautiful lodge to be built and completely furnished and equipped, but they defray all costs of maintenance, with a competent and experienced woman in charge." In 1931, the camp was turned over to the Girl Scouts and has been operated since that time as the Fannie Bailey Olcott Girl Scout Camp.
Olcott retired as president of the Oliver Iron Mining Co. in 1928 and traveled extensively in the seven years following his retirement, including a year in Europe and trips to Florida and California.
In April 1935, Olcott died while visiting his daughter, Mrs. Torrey Ford, in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. He died from pneumonia following a stroke suffered several weeks earlier. He was 73 years old at the time of his death.