O'Brien, Richard, (page 1310), farmer and stock-raiser, of Lake Township, is a
brother of John O'Brien, of Lake City, and like him, one of this county's
successful farmers. He was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, May, 1840,
and , like his brother, was reared and educated on the farm, where he remained
till the fall of 1863, when he came to Lake City, Minnesota, and at once
applied himself to labor at anything to earn an honest dollar, and so
continued two years. By this time economy and industry had rewarded him with
the necessary means to purchase one hundred and sixty acres of land in Lake
township, where he at once engaged in agricultural pursuits. Although Mr.
O'Brien was not among the early arrivals in this county who secured free homes
from the government, he is one of the successful landowners of the county,
having added to his first purchase till he is now the independent owner of
nine hundred and forty-seven acres of land in sections 14, 15, 22, 23 in Lake
township, six hundred acres of which is under cultivation, the remainder is
wild pasture and all under his own personal supervision. The products of his
farm is largely disposed of through the medium market stock (cattle and hogs),
of which he turns off yearly about eight hundred dollars' worth. He married
Margaret McShane, a native of Ireland, and by this union they have five
children, as follows: Edward, William, Thomas, Anna May and Lula. Family are
members of the Catholic church. His executive ability has been appreciated by
his fellow-citizens from the fact that he has held the office of chairman of
the town board for over ten years, with the exception of one term, when he
declined the nomination in order that his entire time might be given to his
farm and stock.
Odink, M. A., (page 1181), druggist, bookseller, stationer and dealer in paints,
oils, etc., Pembroke street, two doors south of Main, premises owned by Joseph
Odink, father of the M. A. Odink. The drug house fronts twenty-five feet on
Pembroke street, and extends fifty-eight feet to the rear. Business was
established in 1878 as Legge & Odink, became Toussaint & Odink, and M. A.
Odink in March, 1882. The prescription department is under charge of B. A.
Slade, a graduate of the Chemical and Pharmaceutical department of the
Illinois State University at Champaign. Business is good, and shows an
increase of fifteen per cent over corresponding period of 1882. Mr. M. A.
Odink is a native of Jackson county, Iowa; came to this county when six years
of age, his parents settling at Read's Landing. Young Odink attended school at
home, and then at high school in Winona, taking a final course at Bryant &
Stratton's Business College in Chicago, from which he graduated in 1870. He is
unmarried, and resides with his parents on Fourth street.
Ordway, Alonza, (page 1338 ~ not listed in the index), partner in business of his father as above noted
(Elijah Ordway), was born in Topsham, Vermont, January 20, 1857. He was
educated in the schools of this village, and has taught eight winters. On the
22d of February, 1883, he married Augusta Beier, who was born in Germany, and
is four years her husband's junior.
Ordway, Elijah, (page 1338 ~ not listed in the index), hardware merchant, Elgin, is a grandson of Benjamin
Ordway, of Vermont. The latter was one of a family of twenty-two children, of
whom all but two grew to maturity. Benjamin Ordway and Mary Dickerman, parents
of this subject, were, like himself, born in the town of Tunbridge, Vermont,
Elijah's birth dating February 27, 1834. He grew up on a farm in Orange
County, and has nearly always been a farmer. He came to Elgin in January,
1867, and has owned and tilled two farms in the township. In 1874 he removed
to the village and opened a hardware store, which he sold out soon, and it was
afterwards closed up. After the advent of the railroad, it became evident that
such a store would pay, and in the spring of 1881, in company with a son, he
again opened trade in this line. His store is located on Park street, east of
the depot, and is doing a good business. Mr. Ordway's religious faith if
Universalism, and he has always adhered to Democratic principles in public
policy. He has been five years supervisor of this town, serving two years as
Chairman of the Board. He has always been interested in the welfare of the
public schools, and to him is due much of the credit for the prosperity of the
Elgin schools. The present handsome school building in the village is a
monument to his public spirit and perseverance. In March, 1854, he was united
in marriage to a distant relative-Miss Rebecka Dickerman, born in Topsham,
Vermont. Of the four children given this couple, two are now living, both
residents in this village, viz: Benjamin S. and Alonza. Mary Jane died in
Vermont at the age of two years, and Stillman here, aged thirteen.
Oswald, H., (page 1223), proprietor of Commercial Hotel, corner of Main and Bailly
streets. This house, the property of Lucas Kuehn, was about one-half its
present size when Mr. Oswald took possession, in 1879, with the understanding
that it should be immediately enlarged and the whole put in first-class
condition. As it now stands, the hotel fronts one hundred and twenty feet on
Main street, seventy feet on Bailly, with ample office, billiard room, bar,
sample-rooms, kitchen, dining-rooms, parlors and family rooms on the first
floor, and well arranged guest rooms on the second; of these latter there are
thirty-two. The dining-room facing on Bailly street is 30x40 feet, and the
table and service such as befit a first-class hotel. The situation of the
house is pleasant, at the east end of the principal street of the city, with a
charming river view, and such gorgeous sunsets as the sun dips behind the
bluffs in the west, as are seldom seen in any land. All the appointments of
the house are first-class, and the popularity of the management is evidenced
by the fact that the house is always full, and cots a nightly necessity. A
good omnibus line runs to all the trains and day-boats, and travelers arriving
in the city at any hour find no difficulty in reaching the hotel. The business
of the house is thirty per cent in advance of corresponding period of 1882.
Mr. Oswald is a native of Saxony; came to America in 1866, and three years
later settled in Duluth, where he was engaged in tobacco manufacture. He was
living at Red Wing for three years, before coming to this city, in 1879, to
assume charge of the Commercial Hotel. Mr. Oswald married Miss Selma Beckert
the year before he left Europe for America. They have but one child living,
Brunhilda, born in this city October 5, 1882.