On the 1st of March, 1897, John O'Donnell was appointed to his present
position as collector of the port of Ottawa, and entered upon the discharge
of the responsible duties which devolve upon him in this capacity. He is
popular and highly esteemed by all who know him, and he is faithful, prompt
and courteous as an official.
For over half a century Jerry
O'Donnell, the father of our subject, was a resident of Ottawa, and for many
years was in the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad
Company. For his wife he chose Miss Johanna White, and to them were born
seven children — four sons and three daughters. The family have been
numbered among the substantial citizens of Ottawa during the greater part of
the existence of the town, and have been noted for a worthy public spirit
and patriotism. Jerry O'Donnell died September 13, 1899, aged seventy-two
years.
The birth of John O'Donnell occurred in 1865, in Ottawa, and
when he was a lad he acquired a practical business education in the common
schools of this place. When he had arrived at years of maturity he went to
Chicago, and for some time was employed as a conductor on a street car. He
became one of the most popular conductors on the road, and the courtesy
which has ever been one of his marked traits was particularly grateful to
those who journeyed to and from the commercial center. At length, returning
to Ottawa, he took a position in the Ottawa Bottle & Flint Glass Company's
works, of which concern he was a shipping clerk for ten years. Afterward he
was made the assistant manager, which position he held until the company
went out of business in 1895.
In 1889 Mr. O'Donnell wedded Miss
Minnie Kennedy, a daughter of Captain and Mrs. Julia Kennedy, the former now
deceased. Two sons bless the happy home of our subject and wife, their names
being respectively Leo and George. Politically Mr. O'Donnell is associated
with the Republican party, and in the fraternities he is the second
lieutenant of the uniformed rank Knights of Pythias.
Extracted 13 May 2019 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 609-610.
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