James O'Leary

JAMES O'LEARY has been an important citizen of Herndon for a number of years, and has lived in Rawlins County since early childhood. He is manager of the Foster Lumber Company at Herndon, also has a large farm near there, and is interested in the local bank and all other worthy enterprises that should enlist the interest of the public spirited citizens.

Mr. O'Leary was born in Warren County, Illinois, July 11, 1879. His grandfather, Thomas O'Leary, was born in County Limerick, Ireland, and brought his family to the United States and settled in Warren County, Illinois, in 1864. He was a farmer there and died in 1882. William O'Leary, father of James, was born in County Limerick, Ireland, in 1848, and was sixteen years old when he came to America with his parents. He grew up in Warren County, Illinois, and spent all his active life as a farmer. In 1885 he moved out to Western Kansas and took up a quarter section homestead in Rawlins County. He developed that homestead into a good farm and lived there until he died in 1909. William O'Leary was frequently honored with township offices. He began voting as a democrat, but in later life was a republican. He was a devout and faithful member of the Catholic Church, and all his children grew up in that faith. The maiden name of his wife was Nora O'Neill. She was born in County Kilkenney, Ireland, in 1848, and is still living in Kansas. Of her seven children James O'Leary is the second; Nannie is unmarried and lives in Herndon; Julia married Michael A. Zwickl, a grain buyer at Herndon, and they have three children, Edwin born May 30, 1912, Madeline, born July 17, 1914, and Leo, born March 5, 1918; Thomas O'Leary is a lumberman at Herndon; William was a railroad man and was killed by a train at the age of twenty-eight; Michael is manager of a lumber yard at Fleming, Colorado; Edward who was a resident of Denver, Colorado, but is now in the United States navy and when last reported was in Chinese waters.

James O'Leary has lived in Rawlins County since he was six years of age. He attended the rural schools here, and was on his father's farm to the age of twenty-one. He gained his first experience in the lumber business as a yard man in Colorado Springs. He worked there three years and in 1903 went with the Foster Lumber Company at Herndon, and for a number of years has been the successful manager of their extensive yard. Mr. O'Leary built in 1917 one of the best and most modern homes in Herndon. He gives much attention to his fine farm of 400 acres, which he devotes to the raising of wheat and livestock. He is also a stockholder in the State Bank at Herndon.

Politically Mr. O'Leary is a republican. He is an active member of the Catholic Church at Herndon, is a third degree Knight of Columbus, and member of Herndon Council No. 1845 of that order, and is also a past master workman of Herndon Lodge No. 374, Ancient Order of United Workmen. On September 3, 1917, at Herndon, he married Miss Elizabeth Green, daughter of John and Theresa (Arbeiter) Green. Her parents live in Herndon, being retired farmers. Her father settled in Rawlins County in 1884.

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