Obituary of Richard Foster Brown
A Short Biography(2) of Daniel O'Kane
(From "Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton Counties" Published 1890 by the Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill.)
O'KANE, D.
The mercantile interests of Hall County, Neb., have been ably represented since March, 1880, by Mr. O'Kane, who has also been successfully engaged in grain-dealing. Upon first locating in the county, in January, 1880, he was the ticket agent at Alda for the Union Pacific Railroad, and held this position until he established his present business. He was born in Ogle County, Ill., in 1855, and was the fourth of nine children born to Joseph and Mary (Davy) O'Kane, natives, respectively, of Philadelphia, Pa., and Ireland, their union taking place in the State of Indiana. Soon after this event they settled in Illinois, and here the father was engaged in farming until 1874, when he moved to Nebraska, where he resided until his death in January, 1887, his wife dying in December, 1889. D. O'Kane received the advantages of the common schools of Ogle County in his boyhood, but in 1874 left his parents' home and settled in Dawson County, Neb., where he carried on stock-raising for some time. He then took up the study of telegraphy at Willow Island, and about 1876 became an operator and entered the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad, and during a service of thirteen years he only lost about five weeks. He has been engaged in general merchandising for a number of years, and as he carries a large and varied assortment of goods which he sells at very reasonable rates, he has obtained a large share of public patronage. He was married in Alda in January, 1882, to Miss Anna Mitchell, a native of Michigan and a daughter of Thomas Mitchell, who came to Nebraska in 1870. He is now a widower and makes his home with Mr. O'Kane. To the union above mentioned two interesting children have been born: Mabel and Josie. Mr. O'Kane casts his vote with the Democratic party, and has served as justice of the peace of Alda Township, and has been a delegate to differnt county conventions. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., Alda Lodge No. 165, and is a wide-awake and enterprising citizen, interested in all good works.
A Short Biography of David D. O'Kane
(From the "History of Hall County," Beuchler, Barr & Stough, © 1920)
DAVID D. O'KANE, postmaster and one of the substantial business men of Wood River, Nebraska, has been identified with affairs in Hall County since 1883 and has lived in the state since he was six years of age. From that time to the present seems a comparatively short period in the actual passage of time, but seemingly a century many have gone by when the progress and substantial development made in this part of the country is considered. In all this change Mr. O'Kane has been vitally interested and has borne a leading part.
David D. O'Kane was born at Polo, Illinois, December 8, 1868. His parents were Joseph and Mary (Davie) O'Kane, the father a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of Ireland. David D. was the youngest born of their family of eight children, the others being: Mary, deceased; James, deceased; John H., postmaster at Gothenburg, Nebraska; Daniel, employed in the postoffice at Wood River; Mrs. Elizabeth Sanders, who lives at Norfolk, Nebraska; Mrs. Josie Kelley, who resided in Omaha, and Mrs. Anna Worthing, who lives at Los Angeles, California.
In 1874 the parents of Mr. O'Kane moved to Dawson County, Nebraska, locating two and a half miles northwest of Willow Island. His father was a ranchman and had work for all his boys to do and it was not long before little David claimed recompense for herding his father's cattle. When the family reached their new home in Dawson County, they found no provision for comfortable family life like that they had enjoyed in Illinois. They had shipped lumber to this point from Clinton, but transportation was slow and delayed and they were forced to live in the school house as it was in this same building that Mr. O'Kane later attended school. He was about twelve years old when he was able to qualify as a sportsman. Game was plentiful and he kept the larder well supplied with deer meat, ducks and wild geese. He relates that droves of wild horses would gallop across the country and that it was great sport to chase them but it was difficult to catch any of the old ones and when the young colts were captured it was almost impossible to raise or break them for use on the farm.
When Mr. O'Kane was fifteen yars (sic) old he left the home ranch and went to Alda, Nebraska, where he learned the art of telegraphy, and in the fall of 1883 he came to Wood River as night operator. This pleasant little city has since been his settled home, although for some time he worked up and down the railroad line as telegrapher for short periods. A man of energy and enterprise, Mr. O'Kane was one of the early promoters of the now necessary telephone service. In 1902 he organized the Nebraska Telephone Company, with country lines working out of Wood River and has been its able manager ever since. He has given encouragement to many other laudable enterprises in the county and his fellow citizens know that they may safely invest if he gives support. He owns valuable real estate at Wood River which includes his comfortable residence and the brick building in which the post office is located.
On November 27, 1905, Mr. O'Kane married Miss Agnes Whalen, who was born in Illinois, a daughter of Thomas and Anna Whalen, who were the parents of four sons and three daughters: John, William, Frank, James, Mrs. Elizabeth L. Hoye, Mrs. Anna Dunn, and Mrs. Agnes O'Kane. Mr. and Mrs. O'Kane have the following children: Mary, a student in the Wood River high school; Leo David, a pupil in the fifth grade at school; Robert Harold, also doing well at school; Gretchen, has reached her fifth year, and Charlotte, at the charming age of two years. In politics Mr. O'Kane is a Democrat and in addition to serving for the past four years as postmaster, he has served several terms as village clerk. He has conducted an insurance business in connection with real estate handling for some time, for the past fifteen years having been active along many lines. He and family belong to the Roman Catholic church and he is a leading member of the Knights of Columbus. He was one of the founders and is a prominent factor in the Wood River Commercial Club.