Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 471.
 
CORNELIUS D. O'LEARY

     resides about six miles east of Grass Valley, where he rents an estate of
sixteen hundred acres. He owns about thirty head of horses and seven head of
mules, all good graded stock, and is one of the leading wheat producers of the
county. In addition to this, Mr. O'Leary owns and operates a large steam
threshing outfit, being especially skillful in that line of enterprise. He was
born in Michigan, on May 2, 1866. Dennis O'Leary, his father, was born in county
Cork, Ireland. He received a splendid education and then came to the United
States to seek his fortune. His father, the grandfather of our subject, was a
large land owner and Dennis was a younger son and began life for himself when he
landed in Michigan and took up logging. He was more or less engaged in that
business until his death on February 25, 1885, at Lapier, Michigan. He was then
aged fifty-six and met his death by being crushed under a fallen tree. He had
become influential and well-to-do and was known far and near as a devout
Catholic and an excellent man. Upon his death, the estate dwindled down and in
1888, his widow, Elizabeth (Wilson) O'Leary, a native of New York, died. Our
subject began working for himself when sixteen and followed lumbering until
twenty-four. Then he came to Oregon and remained in Portland and Seattle, about
two years. In 1891, he came to Sherman county, without capital, and worked out
for several years. In 1896, he took a homestead and bought a quarter section and
remained on the same for three years, raising sheep. Then he sold the entire
property and rents the estate above mentioned.
     On December 11, 1902, at The Dalles, Oregon, Mr. O'Leary married Bertha
Sigman, the daughter of Richard Sigman, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work.
Our subject has two brothers; William, near Boise, Idaho; Frank, in Lapier,
Michigan; and one sister, Ellen, the wife of John Conrad, in Flint, Michigan.
Our subject's mother was of Scotch ancestry and married in Lapier; Michigan,
where also she died. To Mr. and Mrs. O'Leary one child has been born; Margaret
Ellen. Mr. O'Leary is a very active man in political matters and is allied with
the Democratic party. He has been a delegate to every county convention since
coming here, and for eight years was on the state central committee. He has also
been a delegate to three state conventions, and is as active as his business
will permit. Although keenly interested in this realm, he never aspires to
office, but has labored constantly for others. Mr. O'Leary personally is a
genial, public-spirited man, generous and progressive. His qualities have won
him many friends and he stands among the prominent farmers of the community
today.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2010 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.