History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

O'Melia, James H. president of the J. H. O'Melia Lumber Co., and first vice president of the Oneida National Bank, both of Rhinelander, was born at Chase, Mich., Aug. 4, 1885, son of James and Anna (CLARK) O'MELIA. His parents were natives of Canada who came to this country from Michigan in 1889, and whose personal records in sufficient detail may be found on another page of this volume. It need only be said here that the mother, Mrs. Anna O'MELIA, died in September, 1920, and that the father, James, who was for many years prominently connected with the lumber industry, is now superintendent of the Oneida County Poor Farm. They had two sons and two daughters, the other son, Albert J., being now a prominent attorney in Rhinelander; one daughter, Margaret, married A. J. KETH and lives in Rhinelander, while the other Anna, is now Mrs. William J. SULLIVAN of Minneapolis. James H. O'MELIA was under four years of age when he came with his parents to Oneida County, Wis. For a number of years they resided at Hazelhurst, where he attended the common school, after which his education was continued in the high school in Ashland, where he was graduated with the class of 1902. He then entered the State University at Madison, taking the commercial course and graduating with the class of 1906. Having then a good intellectual equipment for business life, he came to Rhinelander and entered the employ of the Brown Bros. Lumber Co., and after being in their years for a short time, became a clerk in their sales department. In the fall of 1907 he went to Minneapolis to become city salesman for the S. H. Davis Lumber Co., in which position he remained until the fall of 1908. He then returned home and became a partner of Charles A. CONRO in the Conro Lumber Co. In 1914 he purchased the interests of Mr. CONRO and changed the name of the concern to the J. H. O'Melia Lumber Co., conducting a wholesale lumber business. Of this concern, as already mentioned, he is the president. Mr. O'MELIA has made himself a power in the business circles of this section, and his work has been for the betterment of the city and county. He was one of the organizers of the Oneida National Bank, of which he is first vice president, and he is always ready to aid any project that will promote the welfare of the community. A Catholic in religion and a Republican in politics, be belongs fraternally to Rhinelander Lodge, No. 598, B.P.O.E. On Sept. 11, 1911, Mr. O'MELIA was united in marriage, in Fond du Lac, Wis., to May MANION, daughter of Patrick and Mary (KILROY) MANION. Her father is now deceased but her mother is still residing in Fond du Lac. Mr. and Mrs. O'MELIA are the parents of four children, who were born as follows: Thomas, July 4, 1912; Jane, May 7, 1914; Robert, Jan. 3, 1917; and James, Jr., Sept. 17, 1919.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 276, History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others 1924, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.

You are our [an error occurred while processing this directive] Visitor --Thanks for Stopping By.

© Copyright: All files on this website are protected by the US Copyright Law, Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, they are not to be copied or altered in any way for commercial use. Individuals may copy the information for their personal use. WIGenWeb Oneida and Vilas County Coordinator Judy Groh.