History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

Camp & Brooks. He opened an office for himself in November,
1877, and has succeeded in building up a very fair practice. He
is Democratic in politics, and in November, 1878, was elected on
that ticket as Circuit Court Commissioner, being re-elected in 1880.
He was married May 6, 1879, to Mary J. Redmond, wlho was born
at Utica, N. Y., Nov. 3, 1856. Mr. Nolan and wife are members
of the Roman Catholic Church.
John O'Brien,, of O'Brien & Millard, wholesale and retail dealers
in wines and liquors, was born in Canada, Nov. 1, 1832, and is a
son of Morgan and Catherine (Reardon) O'Brien, natives of Ireland.
Mr. O'Brien was reared on a farm, and when 18 years of age, came
to Saginaw county, intending to purchase a farm. He looked over
a goodly portion of the land, but was not suited, and then went to
Genesee county, where he purchased a farm, and remained until
1858. In that year he returned to East Saginaw, and was proprietor
of a public tavern on Water street, until 1865. He then erected a
frame building on Genesee ave., which he stocked with groceries,
but was burned out two years later, sustaining a heavy loss, as
nothing was insured. He subsequently opened a wholesale and
retail liquor house on Genesee ave., and a few years later erected a
two-story brick on Franklin street, which the firm now occupies.
In 1863, C. C. Millard was admitted into full partnership, and the
firm has since been known as O'Brien & Millard. Mr. O'Brien was
married in June, 1856, to Sarah Cashin, a native of Ireland. Two
children are living-John J. and Fred W. Seven children are deceased. Mrs. O'Brien is a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
John O'Donnell, a leading merchant of South Saginaw, was born in
Stranorler, county of Donegal, Ireland, in the year 1836. He came
to near Tiffin, Ohio, in 1848, where he clerked in a store for seven
dollars a month, and in six years from that time he owned a halfinterest in the store. HIe came to South Saginaw in 1865, and established a general store on Washington avenue near Mackinaw street.
He afterward erected one of the finest frame blocks in Saginaw
Valley, 65x40 feet, and in 1880 built an addition to it 40 feet in the
rear. This is on Washington avenue above Mackinaw street,
where he keeps afull line of groceries, provisions, grain and feed,
dry-goods, clothing and boots and shoes. The annual sales of this
firm amount to $45,000, and this is largely from the country. Mr.
O'Donnell was married in 1866 to Miss Martha O'Donnell, by
whom he had 8 children, 5 living-James, John, Francis, Rose M.
and Mattie. Mrs. O'Donnell died Jan. 9, 1881. Mr. O'Donnell's
portrait appears on page 513.
Patrick A. O'Donnell, lumberman and dealer in real estate, East
Saginaw, was born in Ireland, March 17, 1840. He came to Rochester, New York, in 1854, and to East Saginaw in 1855, arriving
here on the 15th of November. In those days tamarack poles were
used for sidewalks in East Saginaw, and the greater portion of the
present city was a wilderness. Where the Everett House now
stands was a dense forest. Mr. O'Donnell immediately engaged in
the lumber business, in which he has been employed ever since. He