The Olsen Family Photograph Album was acquired by the Department of Archives and Special Collections, Loma Linda University Library, in December of 2013 from Ken Sanders Rare Books in Salt Lake City, Utah. The staff member there who began researching the album, hoped that there was a connection between Uriah Smith, whose photograph was in the album, and Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church. When his research revealed that Uriah Smith was not Mormon, but an important name in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist church, the album was offered to Loma Linda University for its Seventh-day Adventist historical collection. I was fortunate to have recently met the gentleman at an antiquarian book fair, and was pleased that he remembered me, Loma Linda University, and our Adventist history collections. The album is a perfect fit with our Adventist historical collections, which include other Olsen family collections.
The album was a birthday present from Edward Gunder Olsen to his wife, Elizabeth “Lizzy” E. Olsen on July 24, 1890, for her 33rd birthday. The 79 photographs present, mostly carte de visité and cabinet cards, are of members of the Olsen extended family, and individuals active in the Seventh-day Adventist work in Scandinavia. This album, while documenting E. G. and Elizabeth Olsen’s stay in Norway and Denmark, also contains a photographic history of the evangelistic efforts of Seventh-day Adventist Church among the Scandinavians, in Europe and in America.
Lori N. Curtis
Chair, Department of Archives and Special Collections
This collection, as well as other fascinating collections, can be viewed in the comfort of your own home. Just visit, cdm.llu.edu and see what you discover today!