Oliver J. Olson & Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping, Lumber |
| Founded | 1930 in San Francisco, California, United States |
| Founder | Oliver John Olson |
| Fate | Acquired by Crown Zellerbach Corporation in 1975 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
| Products | Shipping services, Lumber distribution |
Oliver J. Olson & Company was established in 1930 in San Francisco, California by Oliver John Olson as a business specializing in shipping and lumber. Olson initially entered the lumber industry through a partnership with Andrew F. Mahony beginning in 1908, where he held the position of president at the Olson-Mahony Lumber Company. Born on January 20, 1872, in San Francisco, Olson later diversified into maritime shipping to enhance his lumber enterprise.
History
The origins of Oliver J. Olson Company trace back to 1916, and by 1917 it had secured a contract from the U.S. government to construct military barracks and other facilities during World War I. At that time, the company operated seven vessels and introduced the Florence Olson to its fleet. Family members were integral to the business, with Olson’s brothers and son overseeing ship operations.
Following World War I, the company broadened its service routes to include destinations such as Hawaii, Mexico, and the Panama Canal Zone, acquiring four more ships during this expansion. The firm navigated difficulties during the Great Depression by shifting focus toward passenger transportation and formally incorporated as Oliver J. Olson & Company in 1930.
During 1937, the company secured contracts from the U.S. government to support logistics for World War II efforts, acquiring ships including the 1918 steamer Point Bonita, which was renamed Oliver Olson. Leadership passed to Olson’s sons: Oliver Jr. took charge of the Richmond-San Rafael Ferry and its subsidiary Olson Ocean Towing Company; Edward Whitney (Whit) Olson assumed presidency of Oliver J. Olson & Company; George Olson became vice president; while William and Walter Olson also advanced within the organization.
The company extended its service routes to Los Angeles and San Diego and operated contract voyages to Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor. To accommodate increased demand, it purchased two steamers—Coquina and Corrales—from Matson Navigation’s reserve fleet for $75,000 each, renaming them Cynthia Olson and Barbara Olson. Both vessels were chartered under bareboat agreements with the Army Transport Service.
In 1975, ownership of Oliver J. Olson Company along with its subsidiaries was transferred to Crown Zellerbach Corporation based in San Francisco.
- Notable ships included: George L. Olson, Whitney Olson, Virginia Olson, Florence Olson, Oliver Olson, Cynthia Olson, and Barbara Olson.
Olson-Mahony Lumber Company
The Olson-Mahony Lumber Company was a timber distribution enterprise founded in San Francisco in 1908 by Oliver John Olson and Andrew F. Mahony. The firm leased a 12,000-square-foot area along with a seawall wharf at Stockton Street and the Embarcadero (currently Sue Bierman Park) for lumber storage, later adding a covered wharf facility for loading and unloading ships. Between 1908 and 1913, Olson-Mahony rapidly expanded its fleet from a single vessel to seven ships. It collaborated with E.K. Wood Lumber Company for lumber distribution.
Businessman Charles F. Van Damme (1881–1934) served as secretary of the company and co-founded the Richmond–San Rafael Ferry and Transportation Company alongside Olson and Mahony. This subsidiary inaugurated ferry service across San Pablo Bay in 1915 between Castro Point (Richmond) and San Quentin (Marin County). The initial ferry named Charles Van Damme was financed by Van Damme himself. In 1916, Olson acquired Mahony’s share in Olson-Mahony Lumber but both partners continued their joint involvement in the ferry company; their descendants maintained this partnership over time. Mahony later attempted to establish his own shipping firm but was unsuccessful and subsequently served as San Francisco police commissioner until his passing in 1933.
Van Damme State Park derives its name from Charles F. Van Damme, who purchased the land using funds from the ferry company; following his death in 1934, the area was incorporated into California State Parks. Born in Little River, California, in 1881, Van Damme was the son of John Van Damme, an early Mendocino settler.
Olson Ocean Towing Company
Olson Ocean Towing Company, a division of Oliver J. Olson & Company, focused on providing tugboat and barge transportation solutions. Among its fleet was the tug E. Whitney Olson Sr., constructed in 1965 by San Diego Marine Construction Company.
World War II
During World War II, Oliver J. Olson & Company operated under the name Oliver J. Olson Lines, contributing to the war effort by managing merchant vessels for the United States Shipping Board. The firm participated in charter shipping agreements with both the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration, overseeing operations of Liberty ships and Victory ships within the merchant fleet. While Oliver J. Olson & Company supplied the ship crews, the US Navy assigned United States Navy Armed Guard personnel to operate deck armaments and communications equipment.
SS Cynthia Olson
On December 6, 1941, the Japanese submarine I-26 torpedoed and sank the Cynthia Olson approximately 1,000 miles northeast of Hawaii. Captain Berthel Carlsen led the crew’s evacuation into lifeboats. The following day, survivors were located by submarine I-19, which provided limited provisions. Despite this, all 33 crew members along with two United States Army passengers disappeared thereafter. This incident was among the earliest merchant vessel casualties following America’s entry into World War II.
SS E. A. Bryan
The SS E. A. Bryan, managed by Oliver J. Olson & Company, suffered a catastrophic explosion while loading ammunition at Port Chicago, California on July 17, 1944. The blast resulted in the deaths of 320 individuals, including 31 merchant seamen from Oliver J. Olson and 13 US Navy Armed Guards aboard.
Execution of crew members, SS Jean Nicolet
The SS Jean Nicolet, a United States Merchant Navy vessel operated by Oliver J. Olson & Company, was attacked and torpedoed on July 2, 1944, near Ceylon by Japanese submarine I-8. Although most of the crew initially escaped in lifeboats, I-8 captured them aboard its deck and executed the majority. The submarine crew further assaulted survivors in the water and confiscated their possessions. Approximately 30 crew members were either stabbed or shot; those who survived were thrown overboard. A Catalina flying boat eventually spotted survivors, enabling their rescue after more than 30 hours adrift by the Royal Navy armed trawler HMS Hoxa.
Ships
- Key vessels owned or operated by Oliver J. Olson & Company:
- Howard Olson, acquired in 1946 for $116,000
- SS Barbara Olson (previously SS Corrales)
- SS Cynthia Olson (formerly SS Coquina)
- George L. Olson (ex-SS Ryder Hanify), which ran aground at Coos Bay, Oregon
- Whitney Olson
- Virginia Olson
- Florence Olson, held from 1917 to 1923; later sank in 1941 as SS Willapa off Oregon
- SS Oliver Olson (formerly Point Bonita)
- SS Westerner
- Annie Larson
- Liberty ships operated during World War II:
- Sebastian Cermeno – sunk by U-511 in the Indian Ocean on June 27, 1943
- E. A. Bryan – destroyed in Port Chicago explosion on July 17, 1944
- Don Marquis – lost following fire and collision near Papua New Guinea on September 9, 1944
- SS Samuel G. French
- SS Samuel Huntington – bombed and destroyed
- SS Jean Nicolet – torpedoed south of Maldives on July 2, 1944; majority of crew killed
- Victory ships operated:
- Catawba Victory
- Hunter Victory
- SS Drexel Victory – grounded near Columbia River in 1947; sank after salvage attempts
- Texarkana Victory
- Wake Forest Victory
- Xavier Victory
- Additional vessels:
- SS Paraiso (USS Malanao AG-44)