O'Connor, John b. PA>MN
An Illustrated History of Nobles Countyby
A. Rose, c1908
Page 435-36
JOHN F. O'CONNOR, proprietor of the Leota Stock farm,
is one of the big farmers and stock raisers of Leota township,
[Nobles County, Minnesota], as well as one of the county's
pioneers.He owns 640 acres of land on sections 17, 18, 19
and 29, Leota, and a half section in Pembina county, North
Dakota.He breeds Belgium horses, Shorthorn cattle, Shropshire
sheep and Duroc-Jersey swine and has large herds of each.He
also buys and ships stock from Kenneth [Rock county, Minnesota].
Mr. O'Connor's life history is one of interest.He is the son of Robert
and Catherine (Foster) O'Connor, both deceased.The father was
born in County Kildare, Ireland.In 1848, being a colonel in the
rebel or insurgent army, he was forced to flee his natice country and
came to the United States.He and his half brother, Charles O'Connor,
now a noted criminal lawyer of New York City, were smuggled
aboard an American ship by an Aunt, who was the wife of the mayor
of Dublin, and made the trip in safety to the land of the free.The
English crown had confiscated 300,000 pounds of the estate of the
brothers, the estate now known as the Lord Pertarllton estate, located
in the town of Monasterevin, in the county of Kildare.
After arriving in the new world Robert O'Connor worked for a time in a
dry goods store in New York City, and later engaged in the real
estate business there.Leaving the metropolis, he went to western
Pennsylvania and engaged in the oil business, becoming a member
of the firm of O'Connor, McAllister and Hughes. The partners were
highly successful and became millionaires.Later their business was
cornered and they were forced out of business by a powerful oil
company - a company which developed into the all-powerful Standard
Oil company.Practically bankrupt, Rober O'Connor in 1868 moved west
and located in Fillmore county, Minnesota.There he made his home
with his son, John, until his death, which occured at the age of 56 years.
Our subject's mother was born near Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, in
1831. She died at the home of her son November 13, 1907.John is the
oldest of a famiily of six living children of these parents.The other children
are:
Mary
Sarah
Charles
Major
Agnes
[As this is worded "six living children" it is reasonable to assume that
there were more children who did not make it to adulthood.]
John O'Connor was born in Green county, Pennsylvania, on January 5,
1856.At the age of twelve years he moved with is parents to Fillmore
county, Minnesota, and there he resided on the farm until 1873.That
year he moved to Worthington [Nobles county, Minnesota], which was
his place of residence two years.During this time he was employed
by Daniel Shell as a stage driver on the mail route from Worthington
to Yankton, South Dakota, a distance of 104 miles.He was then
transferred to Luverne and ran a mail route out of that place until the
Omaha branch was built in Sioux Falls.
During the winter of 1876 Mr. O'Connor bought a homestead right
to the southeast cornver of section 18, Leota township, from William
Cahill, paying therefor a fur coat and fifteen dollars in cash.He did
not take possession of his claim until 1888.In the meantime he
was engaged in several different occupations.For some time he
worked at the carpenter trade in the new towns of Luverne [Rock
county] and Adrian [Nobles county], Minnsota.Then he took
employment with Chief Engineer Pard Brown and his assistant, T.P.
Healy, who had the contract to survey the line of the Northwestern
railroad from Tracy [Lyon county, Minnesota] to Pierre, South Dakota.
He left with the crew from Luverne on April 7, and did not see a white man,
with the exception of the members of the crew, until he reached Pierre
in November.
In 1894, when the Burlington road was builded [sic] through the
southwestern corner of Nobles county and the village of Ellsworth
was founded, Mr. O'Connor moved to that place, and for a time bought
grain there for Rice & Larrabee.He erected the first building in the
town, which was a grain flathouse, put up the firm with whom he took
employment.Later he became the grain buyer for H.E. Torrance.
In 1886 he went in to the grain and implement business in Ellsworth
for himself and was in business and lost almost his entire fortune.
He then, in 1888, moved onto his homestead claim, and has ever
since been engaged in farming.He has met with success and has
prospered to a flattering degree.
Mr. O'Connor was married at Currie [Murray county], MInnestoa,
February 20, 1888, to Jennie Oliver, who was born in Stillwater,
Minnesota, in 1866.She is the daughter of C.A. and Margaret
Oliver, natives of Boston.To Mr. and Mrs. O'Connor have been
born three children:
Robert
Harry
Margaret
Mr. and Mrs. O'Connor are members of the Catholic church of
Kenneth [Rock county], Minnesota, and he belongs to the M.W.A.
and K.P. lodges of Edgerton [Pipestone county], Minnesota.
During his long residence in Leota township Mr. O'Connor has
held many offices of assessor and justice of the peace.He also
served as a mamber of the board of directors of school district
No. 105.
**
Information courtesy of the Adrian Branch Library, Adrian,
Nobles county, [email protected]