IOWA HISTORY PROJECT |
NORTHWESTERN
IOWA
ITS HISTORY AND TRADITION
VOLUME III
1804-1926
Among the veteran members of the bar of Palo Alto county stands Thomas O'Connor, who through the forty-four years of his active practice here has always commanded the fullest measure of public confidence and esteem, not only for his eminent legal attainments and his success as a lawyer, but also for his splendid personal character and his qualities as a citizen. Mr. O'Connor was born at North Bay, Oneida county, New York, on the 9th of September, 1856, and is a son of Lawrence and Ann (Flanagan) O'Connor, the former born in County Mead, Ireland, while the latter was a native of Oneida county, New York. The father came to the United States at the age of seventeen years, locating in Oneida county, where he later engaged in the building of canal boats, but the financial depression immediately following the close of the Civil war caused him to fall in business and in 1866 he came to Tama county, Iowa, where he resided to the time of his death.
Thomas O'Connor attended the public schools of his native state and at Toledo, Iowa where he graduated from high school. He then took up the study of law in the office of Struble& Kenney, of Toledo, and in 1880 was admitted to the Iowa bar. In the fall of 1882 he moved to Emmetsburg, where he has been in continuous practice to the present time He has been identified with much of the important litigation heard in the courts of this county, his legal ability and acumen having early been recognized. He has always enjoyed the reputation of being a sound and safe counselor, while in the trial of cases he is determined and persistent in the prosecution of his cause. A forceful and effective speaker, he is a strong pleader and has been remarkable successful throughout the years of his connection with the bar.
On September 25, 1882, Mr. O'Connor was married to Miss Mary C. Whiteley, of Toledo, Iowa, and they became the parents of six children, of whom three survive: Charles F., a farmer in Moody county, South Dakota; Mary, who is the wife of Ed E. Hodgkins, of Quincy, Illinois; and Leo J, a farmer, who lives in Emmetsburg. Mr. O'Connor is a member of Estherville Lodge, No. 528, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Columbus. He is a communicant of the Roman Catholic church.
ARCHIBALD F. O'DONOGHUE, M. D.
Dr. Archibald F. O'Donoghue, a member of one of the pioneer families of Iowa, is a prominent surgeon of Sioux City and ably follows in the professional footsteps of his father. He was born in Correctionville, Woodbury county, in October, 1895, and is a son of Dr. James H. and Janet (Fairburn) O'Donoghue, also natives of the Hawkeye state. His father was long identified with educational affairs, serving for fourteen years as superintendent of the public schools of Correctionville, and was then called to Storm Lake Iowa, where he filled a similar position until 1904. Meanwhile he had completed a course in medicine ad for twenty-one year has successfully followed that profession at Storm Lake. His father was educated at the University of Dublin and in 1875 emigrated from Ireland to the United States. He was chosen superintendent of the schools of Lake City, Iowa and also took up land at Twin Lakes, twenty miles distant. He walked to the latter places on a Monday during the winter of 1876 and while returning to Lake City four days later was caught in a blizzard, was blinded by the snow and perished in the storm His widow afterward became superintendent of schools in Calhoun county, Iowa, and filled that position for many years, doing much to advance the standards of education in that district. She has reached the venerable age of eighty-four years and is now the wife of the Rev. J. B. Trimble of Storm Lake. He was one of the founders of Morningside College and also gained prominence as a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church.
The public schools of Storm Lake afforded Dr. O'Donoghue his early educational advantages and he afterward completed a course in Buena Vista College. He next entered the State University of Iowa, from which he received the A. B. degree, and in 1918 won from that institution the degree of M. D. He spent two years in the University Hospital at Iowa City, working under Dr. Sreindler, and during the World war was a member of the Reserve Officers Corps. In June 1920, he located at Sioux City, where he has since resided, specializing in orthopedic surgery and fractures. He has acquired marked skill in this branch of the profession and enjoys a large practice, to which he gives his undivided attention.
In June, 1920, Dr. O'Donoghue was united in marriage to Miss Helen Dougherty, a daughter of Dr. T. E. and Mary (Biggs) Dougherty, the latter born in Iowa. Dr. Dougherty is a native of Canada and for forty years has engaged in the practice of dentistry at Guthrie Center, Iowa, rendering valuable service to the residents of that locality. Dr. and Mrs. O'Donoghue have one child, Janet, born January 16, 1925. The Doctor is liberal in his political views, supporting the candidate whom he considers best qualified for office irrespective of party ties. He belongs to the American Legion and the Sioux City Country Club. He is affiliated with the Woodbury County, Iowa State and Sioux Valley Medical Societies the American Medical Association, and the F. A. C. S. and is serving on the staffs of the Methodist Episcopal, Lutheran and St. Joseph's Hospitals. Dr. O'Dooghue stands practically on the threshold of his career and his ambition, talent and devotion to duty insure his continuous progress in his chosen vocation.
On the roster of those who have been prominently identified with the development and up building of the town of Graettinger, Palo Alto county, the name of the late H. N. Osher merit's a place of honor. For many years he was a resident of this place and in the early epoch of her development as well as in later years his energies were effectively directed along normal lines of industry and business enterprise through which he made distinct contribution to the progress of this favored locality. His life was one of signal integrity and usefulness and such was his relation to the business and civic affairs of the community that a record of his useful and honorable career should be preserved in the permanent annals of his section of the state.
H. N. Osher was a native of Wisconsin his birth occurring near Madison in August 1862, while his death occurred on the 3d of May, 1921 in the fifty-ninth year of his age. He attended the district schools of Wisconsin to his tenth year, when the family moved to Iowa, settling on a farm in Emmet county. There he spent the summers working on the farm and during the winter months attended the neighborhood school, and while still in his teens he taught school for two years. He then became a helper in the railroad station at Livermore, where he learned telegraphy and eventually was appointed night operator. About 1885 he was appointed station agent at Graettinger, in which capacity he served for three years. During this time he persuaded the railroad company to permit him to put in a small stock of groceries at the station, a venture which proved so successful that in 1888 he found it advisable to give his entire attention to the store. To this end he resigned as station agent and established the store which has carried his name continuously since and which he personally directed most successfully for thirty-three years. Simultaneously with the founding of the mercantile business, he also engaged in the grain and coal business, which he conducted until 1905, when his mercantile business had grown to such proportions as to demand his full time and attention, so he sold the elevator to the Farmers Cooperative Company. Mr. Osher was a man of remarkably sound judgment in business matters, was progressive in his ideas, while his methods were such as to gain for him the universal confidence and esteem of all who had business dealings with him. In all that constitutes true manhood and good citizenship he was a notable example and he honored the community in which he lived.
About 1886 Mr. Osher was united in marriage to Miss Sophia Jensen, of Ringsted, Iowa, and to this union were born eight children, six daughters and two sons, of whom the following survive: Lydia, who is the wife of Dr. F. W. Englund of Muscarine, Iowa; Mabel, the wife of A. H. Henningsen, present manager of the Osher department store; Esther, the wife of Ernest Jensen, a banker at Long Rock, Iowa; Ruth, the wife of R. W. Schooley, of St. Louis, Missouri; and Norman W., who graduated, with the degree of Bachelor of Science, from Northwestern University in 1924 and is now a student in the medical school of that institution.
A. H. Henningsen was born in Emmetsburg, Iowa, on August 12, 1895, and is the son of Chris and Sena (Beck) Henningsen, who are now retired and are living in Graettinger. He was educated in the public schools of Emmesburg, following which he had one year at the University of Nebraska In 1914 he came into the store of Mr. Osher as a general utility boy and clerk, remaining there two years, and in the fall of 1916 established a clothing and men's furnishing store at Titouke, Iowa. In the summer of 1917 he sold that business and enlisted in the United States army, joining Company G, Thirteenth Infantry Regiment. His regiment was sent to the Mexican border and was kept there until March 1919. He became a sergeant of his company and was honorably discharged on March 17, 1919. He then returned to Graettinger and again entered the employ of Mr. Osher, remaining with the business continuously since. On the death of Mr. Osher, in 1921 Mr. Henningsen was made manager, which position he still fills ad is conducting the store along the same lines and on the same high standard of commercial ethics followed so many years by the founder of the business.
On May 8, 1920, Mr. Henningsen was united in marriage to Miss Mabel Osher, and they are the parents of a daughter, Doris Faye. Mr. Henningsen is a member of Earnest Lodge, No. 399 A. F. & A. M., of Emmetsburg, and John Nelson Post, No. 142, American Legion, at Graettinger. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a man of sterling character, is genial and friendly in his social relations and has attained well deserved popularity throughout the community.
Northwestern Iowa Table of Contents