Biography of Judge M. L. Olmsted, Baker Co. Oregon: Surnames listed: Olmsted, East.

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Transcribed by: W. David Samuelsen
An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, pub. 
1902 by Western Historical Pub. Co. of Chicago. 

page 229

Judge M. L. OLMSTED

On September 29, 1842, our subject first saw the light in Tullahoma, 
Tennessee, where he remained until he was four years of age. He was still 
in his school when the call came for volunteers to defend the nation, and 
with the promptness born of true patriotism and praiseworthy valor, he 
immediately responded for three months' service, which extended itself 
to the end of the war, during all of which time he rendered valiant service 
under the banner that he bore, the flag of freedom. His entlistments were 
in the Seventy-eighth and One Hundred and Second New York. Following the 
war he served some in various Indian conflicts in all parts of the frontier. 
He reached the rank of brevet lieutenant colonel in the Civil war and was 
commander of a company of volunteers in the Bannock war. After the close 
of that war he was elected to the position of judge of the sixth judicial 
district, which at that time included the greater portion of eastern Oregon. 
He discharged the duties thus incumbent upon him with display of acument 
and probity and impartiality that commended him to the people in a very 
satisfactory manner. Since that time he has been devoting his energies to 
the practice of law in the various courts of his state, wherein he has
achieved a very gratifying success, while in political matters he is very 
active and influential, having been nominated as one o f the Bryan electors. 
He is interested in mining and handling timber products. Fraternally he is
affiliated with the A.O.U.W., and has been for twenty-four years, also with 
the Woodmen of the World and the Fraternal Union.

The marriage of Judge Olmsted and Miss Celia E. East, a member of one of 
the pioneer families of Iowa, was solemnized in Iowa on November 5, 1867, 
and to them have been born two sons, Percy N. and Harland H. The elder 
one is now a lieutenant in the navy, having inherited the military spirit 
and valor of his father, and is serving on the Brooklyn. He was the acting 
flag lieutenant of the south Atlantic squadron, from which post he was 
assigned to duty with Sampson's fleet during the Spanish war. He was in 
charge of the eight-inch battery on the Indiana during the great naval 
conflict off Santiago and received honorable mention in the details of 
the battle. One of his home papers in Baker City spoke as follows: 
"Leslie's Weekly of July 25 contains a picture of the gallant eight-inch 
gun crew of the Indiana as they appeared just after the sinking of 
Cervera's fleet, July 3. At the head of the line stands our Oregon boy, 
easily recognizable by his old time friends of Baker City." The May
number of the Century, also, in an article headed "The Story of the 
Captains" mentions the lieutenant in honorable action. That day's work 
is history and written by a thousand pens, the best the world affords, 
and all are familiar with it. Following this brilliant day he was assigned 
to the flagship, Brooklyn, at Cavite, Philippine Islands, later the vessel 
went to Taku, China, and is at the present time at Nagasaki, Japan, he 
having been in continuous service on it. His parents in Baker City have 
a fine collection that he has sent to them, which consists of relics, arms,
pictures, uniforms, coins of gold and silver melted and run together on the 
Spanish ships, and many other rare and interesting things. P. N. Olmsted 
was appointed by Congressman Binger Hermann to the U.S. Navy ACademy at 
Annapolis in 1887, and on June 2, 1893, he was graduated with credit from 
that institution, being commander of the Second Cadet Corps. Following this 
he was for two years on the protected cruiser, Philadelphia, in Honolulu,
then assigned to the navy yard at New York as instructor, then sent with 
the South American squadron in 1896, holding the position of acting flag 
lieutenant. In December, 1897, he was recalled from Montevideo and assigned
as artillery officer on the Iowa, and on February 15, 1898, he was given 
the position of division officer on the Indiana. Subsequent to this followed 
the brilliant service, as described above, which was attended with items of
bravery and acts of commendable skill that would far exceed the space we are 
allowed, and which it is a matter of regret that we can not further detail. 
The second son of Judge Olmsted is being instructed at Hill's Military
Academy in Portland and is giving promise of doing honor to the ancestors 
whose name he bears.  The Judge has been dentified with the history of 
eastern Oregon from an early day, having migrated to Canyon City in 1872, 
and to Baker City in 1886. He is esteemed by all that know his name, having 
ever been an exemplification of those principles of uprightness, truth and 
integrity that make the substantial citizen and worthy man.
--End--