First Name:
John
Last Name:
Olsen
Type: Light Keeper
Born:
1859
Died:
1916
Place(s)
Place:
Title / Position:
Principal Lighthouse Keeper
Year Started:
1891
Year Departed:
1913
Begin Salary:
1000
End Salary:
1000
Title / Position:
Principal Lighthouse Keeper
Year Started:
1913
Year Departed:
1914
Begin Salary:
816
End Salary:
816
Title / Position:
Principal Lighthouse Keeper
Cause of Termination:
Died
Year Started:
1914
Year Departed:
1916
Begin Salary:
720
End Salary:
732
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Entered Date:
Aug 28, 2017
Swapped station assignments at the end of 1913 with George D. Jeffrey, Keeper of Oakland Harbor Lighthouse. The change was prompted by Keeper John Olsen being intoxicated on more than one occasion during his service at Los Angeles Harbor Lighthouse.
Keeper Olsen died on March 20, 1916, when he tried to jump onto the ferry Jeffrey, just after it had cast off from the pier at Oakland. Olsen's jump was short, and he hit his head on the end of the boat and fell into the water. The ferry stopped, picked up Olsen and took him across the bay, but he died before he could be taken to a hospital.