Biography of Michael O'Hara, 1902, Baker Co. Oregon: Surnames: O'Hara.

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Transcribed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
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An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, pub. 1902
by Western Historical Pub. Co. of Chicago. page 279

Michael O'Hara

On August 8, 1843, there was born to Michael and Helen O'Hara the subject of
this sketch, the birth place being Ireland, and the parents of that
nationality. About 1846 Mr. O'Hara, with his family and earthly belongings,
bade farewell to friends and native scenes and embarked for the new world,
where he arrived in due time without accident, and he immediately settled in
New York state and there the subject of this sketch was reared and educated.
When the call came for men to defend the Union, though a youth not yet twenty,
he and his brother responded, enlisting in Company K., Thirteenth New York
Heavy Artillery, the year being 1863, and there they did faithful service
until hostilities ceased. They were detailed to serve on the army gunboat
Reno, and participated in numerous skirmished and did faithful and heavy
military duty until their honorable discharge at the close of the war, with
the date of the laying down of arms for his company being July, 1865.
Immediately following this he went to the great lakes and shipped as a sailor,
where he soon rose to rank of captain, having command of a vessel in 1872-3,
which was the schooner Cascade, and in 1876, of the schooner, Napoleon. In
1877 he left the waters and went to Texas, whence in 1882 he crossed the
plains with teams and visited the northeastern part of Oregon, settling for a
time near Milton. In 1884 he came to Baker county and here he has been since,
numbered as one of the thrifty and progressive miners of the county. His home
is near Weatherby and his time has been spent principally in the active
operations of the search for nature's treasure vaults, with the gratifying
result that he has today some of the valuable claims of the county, which
promise to become rich producers soon. Politically Mr. O'Hara is a Republican
and prominent of his community and is always active in the interests of good
government and law and order. He is serving the second term as justice of the
peace, where he has been placed by appreciative and discriminating people.
Fraternally he is associated with the G.A.R., U.S. Grant Post, No. 17, of
Huntington, being past commander and now adjutant; with the I.O.O.F., Burnt
River Lodge, No. 86; with the Eastern Gate Lodge, No. 40, Daughters of
Rebekah, of which last he is a charter member. Mr. O'Hara is highly respected
in the community where he lives and in the entire circle where he is known,
being a man of capabilities and integrity, and is dominated by a wisdom and
principles of truth that are commendable. Recently he has been selected to
fill the office of postmaster at Weatherby and in this capacity he is giving
entire satisfaction.