Gather ye round oh my sisters and brother and marvel ye at this tale of advancement, defeat, wives, ex-wives, pharmacy returns, free parking, world-wide business, technology, ludditism, glory, America’s Cup, stock market crashes, elevated subway trains, and dust. Something for everyone.
This blog is about a real life Horatio Alger – the real deal – my father Bernard Olcott. My Dad was a charming, funny, and lucky man.
What I like best about my Dad was his sense of humor and high regard for education. Oh yes, Dad had a funny bone. A big one. I struggle to fill it every day. Also, it must be appreciated that education was the key to his escape from an unhappy, dismal, and poor household. These are the family values and legacies – clearly deriving from my Dad – that I choose to pass along to my own children, the next generation of Olcotts. And they get it. Big time.
But back to the 35,000 feet high summary of my Dad’s life. He was born into a very modest Lithuanian immigrant family household in Jamaica, Queens on August 25, 1918. His father, né Mikas Arlauskas, left Varena in impoverished Lithuania in 1914 and arrived at Ellis Island, New York as “Michael Olcott.” As there is no record of his marriage in New York City, I believe he arrived already married to “Patricia Regas” (her real maiden name was Ragazhinskas). He joined the NYPD as a patrolman, and fathered 2 sons, Edward and Bernard (in that order).
After graduating from Jamaica High School, Bernard traveled to Palestine as a merchant mariner, graduated from Cooper Union with honors in Electrical Engineering, married society girls, divorced five times, wrote four or more patents, exchanged letters with Albert Einstein and Bernard Baruch, created a lucrative international business by way of his innovative patent annuity tax payment service, and then suffered terribly with dementia to the extent he lost a good deal of his personal fortune to theft. Bernard Olcott passed away in Palisades General Hospital in North Bergen, New Jersey on December 30, 2006.
As of this writing, June 7, 2018, the Estate of Bernard Olcott finally closed last month! 12 years! Ain’t that something?
His life story is of course of great interest to his own family – me, and my two sisters – but combine these different elements of amazing success together with the ravages of age, it is just possible that his story is of general import as well. Or at least evocative of the rascal in everyone’s family. If an immigrant’s son can make good like this, then maybe there is hope for all of us. And if he can lose so much of it, perhaps there is a cautionary tale here for which careful note should be made.
On these pages, I will try to make sense of it all.
My Dad and I, Summer 1984, on the Weehawken, NJ waterfront.
Copyright © 2015, 2016, 2017 by James B. Olcott
All posts, writing, images and information on The Bernard Olcott Story should be assumed to be copyrighted to James Olcott — except for many uncredited images which are public domain and much historical content which draws on Wikipedia as a resource. No part or parts are to be used and/or duplicated in any medium without written permission from the author. All rights reserved. Kindly ask my permission first, which is liberally granted, before you borrow from The Bernard Olcott Story.
The Bernard Olcott Story 
Hi James,
Great blog! When you write your book, add more detail about Olcott International and its industry.
By the way, my cousin is in the process of patenting his risk management software. It takes forever to go through the process. It has been in process for at least 3 years! I sent him the Olcott international link, as he is also filing international patents.
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Will do! I am slowly working my way to the present and will be adding more about Olcott International shortly.
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I have been enjoying reading all about James Olcott’s life growing up and travels with his father. The stories conjure up feelings of nostalgia and memories, like looking at old, sentimental faded photographs. My favorite quote is “A life lesson I have carried from my experiences in France is not to waste your time with the “nothing” people. Rather, endeavor to spend your time finding and being with the “all” people.” Great thought! I shall remember to find those “all” people. James Olcott’s blog is entertaining, well written and worth publishing as a memoir.
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…works outside of France, too, by the way! Thank you Maritza!!!
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Thank you James for publishing the Bernard Olcott story. A true story of an American dream becoming a reality. This well-documented saga, is, indeed, the real Horatio Alger!
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…and more to come! Thank you for your comment!
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I kind of stumbled into your site and see it just might be a lucky break! Pleased to meet you!
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Hope you guess my name! Likewise!!! (and welcome!)
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Likewise GP!
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[Name redacted] was the biggest theif, there was no dementia. He was of sound mind till the end.
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Bernard Olcott was diagnosed with dementia and declared a vulnerable adult in September 2006 by doctors at Palisades General Hospital. What do you know that they don’t?
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Very interesting blogs – particularly about the early years of the patent annuity service. I read the following with particular interest
“So Dad and Norman went their own ways; interestingly, Marks & Clerk did proceed to base their new operation – to be called Computer Patent Annuities (CPA) – right where Dad had pointed, St. Helier, Jersey.”
You may be aware that last week it was announced that CPA (now CPA Global and still headquartered in Jersey) had just been sold for £2.4 Billion. 🙂 From little acorns….
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Thank you Mark for your comment. I would be delighted to learn of any collaborating stories from the CPA side!
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Hello,
Could you please confirm when your partnership with CPA Global started?
As I understood right now you are a CPA Global company. IT is something recent? Nu On what services do you partener with?
Thank you.
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I came across this when looking up information about my Grandfather and Master Data. My grandfather was Robert B. Gerhardt. It made me think back on so many memories of my Grandfather, always traveling, being around computers, the trident gum although at home he also loved apple pie with Cheddar Cheese on top. I also remember him and as you said screaming matches that would take place in the little computer office his built himself in the garage of his house in Florida. My grandfather worked hard for his family, although not perfect by any means. I am curious if you ever met my Uncle as well Greg Gerhardt?
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Hi Jennifer! Thanks for dropping by. Yes, your Uncle was very much part of the team at Olcott International, although technically, he was part of “Bellwether Technologies.” Yep, screaming matches galore. Oy vey!!! Where is Greg today? I would love the opportunity to chat with him.
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Hello James quite the interesting life. I heard you were a giant among scholars at CMU.
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I remember you, roommate! How’re tricks? 😀
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Hello James how could you forget ! The best Radio Program to ever grace the air waves of Pittsburgh….. “LONG LIVE MIDNIGHT MANIA” ! Or the “GO BLLLL PROGRAM”. Always wondered how you are. Good to see you did good. As brief a time we spent together I credit you for very little. Only kidding you helped me smile and laugh when I was down and that’s worth millions. We will have to talk soon. Stay Well !
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Look forward. We had some fun. At least until the cops showed up. Be well!
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It was nice seeing a photo of my step grandfather. I stayed all summer with him and 2nd wife. My real last name is
Aleksynas shortened to Alexis. I loved
my grandfather. I remember his son bringing me a great toy fire engine at grandpa’s house from the Rockefeller
Yatch.
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Was Constance your Mom?
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