Patrick O'Reagan

PATRICK O'REAGAN. Few agriculturists in Cherokee County are more plasantly [sic] situated than is the subject of this sketch, who lives in section 17, township 34, range 22, in Neosho township. He has a large, handsome residence, surrounded by 320 acres of fertile farm land, and has helped to make Cherokee one of the banner counties of Kansas. He was born in County Kerry, Ireland, in 1846, and is a son of Michael and Johannah O'Reagan.

The father died when Patrick was quite young, leaving a wife and five small children,—Patrick, Mary, Michael, Bridget and Morton,—to be reared and cared for. Leaving the little ones in Ireland, Mrs. O'Reagan started bravely out to make a home for them across the sea, landing in Canada where she managed to get together sufficient means to send for her family. This was accomplished only by the greatest self-sacrifice, and by ceaseless toil, and her efforts in their behalf were unremitting until she had reared them to an age when they were able to care for themselves. Now, when upwards of 90 years of age, she makes her home with the subject of this sketch, and it is his privilege and pleasure to return, in part, the attention she formerly gave to him.

Patrick O'Reagan was a lad of 12 years when he left Ireland with his younger brothers and sisters, to sail for America. They were shipwrecked, and returned home, where they stayed for a year, and then started again for this country. Their destination was a point in Canada, about 30 miles below Toronto and there they remained for a period of five or six years, when Patrick ran away and went to Buffalo. Fearing they would find him there, he went to Pennsylvania, where he secured employment in Mteadville; three years later, in 1866, he went West to Des Moines, Iowa. There he was employed in a grocery store for four years, but the spring of 1870 found him ready to change his location once more, and he then came to Kansas. He bought a claim of unsurveyed land, said to be 160 acres in extent, in Labette County, which proved, when surveyed, to contain but 130 acres. He remained on this farm for 17 years. About five years ago he disposed of it, and settled in Cherokee County, where he owns a fine farm of 320 acres, in section 17, township 34, range 22, in Neosho township, including about four acres of Missouri Pacific Railway land. He has placed fine improvements on this land,—a handsome, commodious residence and roomy barn,—that add greatly to its value. He has been extensively engaged in the cattle business, but of recent years has devoted more attention to the raising of grain.

Mr. O'Reagan was married in Cherryvale, Kansas, January 3, 1892, to Nora Murphy, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, and a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Owens) Murphy. They have had the following children, namely: Johannah, who was born in 1893, and died at the age of three years; Patrick Thomas, born February 27, 1894; Michael Lawrence, born November 13, 1896; James Maurice, born March 11, 1898; Mary Theresa, born August 2, 1899; Francis Leland, born August 6, 1901; and Margaret Lenora, born November 12, 1903. In politics, Mr. O'Reagan has been a lifelong Republican, and in religion he and his wife are devout Catholics. A portrait of the subject of this sketch is shown on a preceding page.

History of Cherokee County Kansas and its representative citizens, ed. & comp. by Nathaniel Thompson Allison, 1904, transcribed by Lacey Myers, student from USD 508, Baxter Springs Middle School, Baxter Springs, Kansas,02/26/97.