Hiram L. Omealy Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 751-752

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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HIRAM L. OMEALY. An honorable position among the farmers of Badger 
township, Davison county, is willingly accorded this gentleman by his 
associates. The name, as it is often written, "O'Mealy," shows Irish 
origin, and, in fact, the father, Nicholas L. Omealy, was a native of 
the Emerald Isle, although most of his life was spent in America, where 
he plied the trade of contractor, carpenter and mason. He died in 1878, 
in his seventy-second year, and his wife, whose maiden name was Lucy 
Fuller, was of English extraction, and died in 1848, when she was but 
thirty-two years of age. They were the parents of a family of eight 
children, five sons and three daughters, and the subject of our sketch 
is the sixth in the order of birth. 

Mr. Omealy was born October 22, 1841, and the place of his nativity is 
Orleans, Jefferson county, New York. When he was but eleven years of 
age, he went to Jefferson county, Wisconsin, whither his father with 
his second wife had preceded him about two years. Our subject remained 
at home but very little, however, and began the battle of life on his 
own responsibility while yet in his boyhood, working at farm work and 
other odd jobs. October 8, 1863, he enlisted in the Thirteenth 
Wisconsin Light Artillery, and served most of his time on a post 
battery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was mustered out a corporal at 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July, 1865. After the close of hostilities he 
returned to Jefferson county, Wisconsin, and worked rented land, and 
during the autumns he operated a threshing machine. In 1870 he removed 
to Richland county, Wisconsin, where he farmed for about ten years, and 
then for a short time made his residence in Emmet county, Iowa. During 
this time, in 1881, he visited Dakota and filed a claim to the 
northwest quarter of section 22, and the southwest quarter of section 
15, Badger township, and the following year he moved to his new farm 
with his family and household effects and began to make permanent 
improvements. His first building was a frame shanty, 12 x 12 feet, and 
in this he made his home for the first few years of his residence in 
Dakota. This building is still standing as a relic of pioneer life, and 
is a striking contrast to the more modern and comfortably appointed 
residence which now adorns his farm. As are the majority of the well 
improved farms of Davison county, Mr. Omealy's farm is supplied with an 
abundance of artesian water, and to add to the home comforts of the 
surroundings, it has been supplied with a thrifty grove of ash, box-
elder and black walnut, and also a fine orchard of shrubs and fruit 
trees. In politics our subject is a Republican, and has become quite 
prominent in the local affairs of that organization. He has served both 
as a member and as chairman of the township board of supervisors. He is 
a consistent member of the Congregational church, and has served the 
society in which he holds his membership in the capacity of trustee. 

Mr. Omealy has been twice married. His first marriage occurred in 1870, 
when Miss Burzinah Van Denburg became his wife. To this union were born 
two children, a son and a daughter, Minnie, deceased, and Burton A., a 
graduate of the Omaha Business College. Mrs. Omealy died in 1893, and 
in 1898 our subject was united in marriage to Mrs. Rose Pruner, who is 
a native of Michigan. She was the mother of a daughter, Retta Belle, by 
her former marriage with Lonzo H. Pruner.