William Herbert Olsten

William Herbert Olsten was born Nov 3, 1847 in Birmingham, Enlgand to Udo William and Sidonia Tresnelda Gillott Von Olsten. William was a veteran of post-Civil War peace times.

History

William received an early education from the Royal Gymnasium of Berlin, Germany, and earned a Degree of A.M. At 18, William began his study of medicine and surgery at universities in Bonn, Heidelberg, Leipzig, Vienna, and Berlin. He received a Degree of Medicine and Surgery in 1869.1

After some time working around Europe and around the world, William wanted to enlist in the German military as a surgeon, but was rejected. He moved to the United States in 1870, and enlisted in the U.S. Army as a surgeon post Civil War. He served until 1876, and worked as a civil practitioner in California, Arizona, and Nevada.1

In 1878, William moved to Richmond, becoming the city's first licensed Doctor. William was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sep 28, 1884. He married Lodicy Ann Griffin on Nov 27, 1884 in Logan, Utah.1

"I came from Nevada to Richmond, which is almost on the line of Utah and Idaho. That was in 1878, and the country around there was pretty lively at that time.

"We had several graveyards, and I used to tell the 'unfortunates' that they might be buried with their feet in Utah and their heads in Idaho—or the reverse—whichever suited, owing to our proximity to the state line. I resigned from the army two years before that, having been seven years in the service of Uncle Sam as an army surgeon."2

The Olsten family moved to Manit, Utah in 1884.1 About 1893, a younger Doctor approched William about a place to practice medicine. William directed the boy to Richmond. The boy was Dr. Herbert A. Adamson, who would serve as Richmond's second licensed Doctor for nearly 30 years.3

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