O.L. Rapson

Oscar Luscher Rapson (November 3, 1883 – May 8, 1952) was a farmhand, hotel manager, and store owner.

Early Years
O.L. Rapson was born in Danville, Illinois, on November 3, 1883. O.L. Rapson was one of nine children, but his parents died early and he was raised by his aunt and uncle William and Sarah Riker. Sometime before 1910, Mr. Rapson moved to Wabash County, Illinois and began building his career. After various short term jobs, O.L. Rapson was hired by Frederick Hinde Zimmerman to work on the Hinde family farm in Wabash County, Illinois next to Hanging Rock and the Grand Rapids Dam. In fact, the 1910 federal census shows O.L. Rapson living in a small house next to Frederick Hinde Zimmerman near the Grand Rapids Dam.

Manager at the Grand Rapids Hotel
Frederick Hinde Zimmerman selected O.L. Rapson to be the first manager of the Grand Rapids Hotel probably sometime in 1921. Manager Rapson did an excellent job managing the hotel and was able to immediately attract people from across the country to visit the hotel. The restaurant at the Grand Rapids Hotel was under the supervision of manager O.L. Rapson and he frequently cooked special chicken dinners for guests. However, in 1924 Frederick Hinde Zimmerman died unexpectedly and manager Rapson was fired and Glenn Goodart was hired by Mr. Zimmerman's children. Not long after his replacement O.L. Rapson left Mount Carmel, Illinois and eventually settled in Texas.

After Hotel Management
After being fired from the Grand Rapids Hotel O.L. Rapson moved to Texas. In 1935, O.L. Rapson married his second wide Ida Christian Feller. After the marriage the couple operated a small store located on the outside of Marlin, Texas. The store sold gas, sandwiches, beer, groceries, and other items.

Additional Information
Mr. Rapson's grandchildren remember him as a kind man, who wore glasses, had thinning hair, like to drink beer in the evening, and always gave them pocket money.

Currently, there are no known surviving pictures of O.L. Rapson. Mr. Rapson is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Texas.