Profile Text
Birth Name: Merlin Jay Olsen
Date of Birth: September 15, 1940
Place of Birth: Logan, Utah, U.S.
Date of Death: March 11, 2010
Place of Death: Duarte, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: * father – Danish * mother – English
Merlin Olsen was an American professional football player, announcer, and actor. A defensive tackle, he played for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He starred on the shows Little House on the Prairie , Father Murphy , and Fathers and Sons , and in the films The Undefeated (1969), One More Train to Rob , Something Big , and Mitchell (1975). He was 6′5″.
He was the son of Merle, who was involved in elementary education, and Lynn Jay Olsen, a professor at Utah State University. His nephew was professional football player Hans Olsen. Merlin was married to Susan Wakley, with whom he had three children. He was LDS (Mormon).
Merlin’s paternal grandfather was James Andrew Olsen (the son of Anders Christian Olsen and Maren Marie Kjerstine/Kjerstina Nielsen). James was born in Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. Anders was Danish. Marne was born in Ephraim, the daughter of Jens “James” Nielsen and Anna Christena Andersen Nielsen, who were Dnish, with Jens being from Engager, Boddum, Thisted, and Anna being from Vennebjerg, Hjørring, Denma.
Merlin’s paternal grandmother was Katie Christensen (the daughter of Hans Peter Christensen and Laura Hansene/Hansine Petrine Madsen). Katie was born in Central Valley, Sevier County, Utah, to Danish parents. Laura was the daughter of Hans Madsen and Karen Petrine Frederiksen.
Merlin’s maternal grandfather was Orrin Orlando Barrus (the son of Benjamin Franklin Barrus and Lovina/Lovinia Ann Steele). Orrin was born in Grantsville, Tooele County, Utah, and had considerable Colonial American ancestry, particularly rooted in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Benjamin was the son of Emery Barrus and Hulda Abigail Nickerson. Lovina was the daughter of Samuel Hamblin Steele and Elvira Salome “Saloma” Thayer.
Merlin’s maternal grandmother was Mary Elizabeth Clark (the daughter of Timothy Baldwin Clark and Lucy Augusta Rice). Mary Elizabeth was born in Farmington, Davis County, Utah, and had considerable Colonial American ancestry, particularly rooted in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Timothy was born in Winter Quarters/Florence, Douglas County, Nebraska, the son of Ezra Thompson Clark and Mary Stevenson, who was English. Lucy was born in Farmington, Davis County, Utah, the daughter of William Kelsey Rice and Lucy Witter Geer.
Source: Genealogy of Merlin Olsen – https://www.findagrave.com