John D. Ourand was born in Maryland in 1834. His father, David Aurand, probably was born in Frederick County, Maryland; and his mother was also born in Maryland. The Ourands had two children: John and Thomas Walker Ourand, born on December 9, 1831. Later Thomas lived and died in Tiffin, Ohio, where he was a merchant and leading citizen for 38 years.

By the early 1860s, John D. Ourand was in California. He enlisted in the Union Army at San Francisco on June 15, 1864, and was assigned to Company I, California First Cavalry Regiment. Soon he was fighting Indians in Arizona, where he remained until the end of the Civil War. He mustered out of the Army at the Presidio in San Francisco on May 22, 1866. Conflicting sources state that he had achieved the rank of first sergeant or full first lieutenant.

TEXAS DICTATIONS (Grayson County.) 1887.
H. H. Bancroft Collection
Bancroft Library, University of California at Berkeley
Department of Texas
L. S. Hatch, Manager

Denison, Texas
July 5, 1887

Taken from John D. Ourand

Mr. Ourand was born in Frederick County, Maryland, Feb'y 22, 1834.

Parents old residents of Maryland. Father of French descent and mother Irish. Was born and raised in the United States. Parents died early and was raised by an uncle and did not have much education, as his uncle was a farmer and thought education was not needed. Remained with his uncle until 1840, then was anxious for something [other than] farm life and went to Georgetown and went to work for Dry Goods house, remaining there only 6 months and returned home. In 1857 went to Chicago and kept books for Harvey and Parker two (2) years. In 1860 went to Pike's Peak, Colorado, remaining only a short while, then to California and was mining and speculating there some time. While in California entered the Union Service. He then went to San Antonio, Texas, then Collier County, and farmed a few years and came in Denison in 1874. Since that time has been actively engaged in business and also largely interested in Denison Real Estate.

In 1882 built his residence, which is considered the handsomest in Denison. Married in 1878 at Fort Smith, Arkansas, and since has been living in Denison.

He was one of Denison's first settlers. Ourand has been reported serving as postmaster of Red River City on the Red River, on January 7–June 1 of 1874.

As a cavalry veteran, undoubtedly John Ourand knew a great deal about horses. It is perhaps worth noting that Denison's first mayor, Dr. L. S. Owings, had been governor of the Arizona Territory and operated an early stable in town. Owings brought with him to Denison his old friend, newspaperman Bredette C. Thomas, who had edited the Mesilla (AZ) Times and organized a regiment of Confederate cavalry in Mesilla during the Civil War. It seems likely that these men had much to talk about when they crossed paths in Denison.

Ourand purchased property at 109 West Main Street at auction in 1872 and put up a wooden structure, where he opened the Railroad Headquarters Saloon. The census taken June 1, 1880, listed John as a single male saloon keeper. He was living in his Main Street building, two doors from the Alamo Hotel. Living with John were five other single men classed as "boarders."

1880 was a big year for Ourand. In addition to the census, he married Jerdie or E. Birchfield (1857–1933) and made a visit to relatives in Washington, D. C. Jerdie was 23 years his junior; on June 15 that year, she was married but living with her widowed mother, Eliza Jane (Mrs. Robert) Birchfield (1822–1910).

In January of 1881, John and Jerdie had a daughter, Pearl (1881 - 1960).  In 1881 they also built a landmark home at 106 West Sears Street.  This was the only Italian Villa style house in Grayson County with John Schott as architect. (The Sunday Gazetteer, Sunday, February 10, 1884, pg.4)  Jerdie's mother, Eliza, lived there with them.

Ourand House
106 West Sears Street
Photograph by Mavis Ann Bryant, ca. 2000

That same year, John built the Ourand Hotel on the site of his bar at 109 West Main Street, and he opened his new Congress Hall Saloon on the first floor.  Upstairs were rooms for rent.
Ourand's Furnished Rooms : Clean beds a specialty, 190-1/2 W.Main Street.  Office second floor.  New phone 335.
This place is indeed very centrally located, just one block west of the depot, and offers superior accomodations in the way of well furnished rooms and clean beds.  Mr. J.D. Ourand, the manager, has been conducting the place since 1893, and has always received a good share of patronage from the general traveling public.  His prices are reasonable, and every courtesy and consideration is extended to patrons.  It is indeed a homelike place in which to stop. 

Source: “Denison, the Texas Gateway: A Busy, Progressive City with Golden Opportunities.” 16pp. Brochure. N.p.: N.d. [ca. 1908].