Frank M. O'Connell, popularly known in the business circles of yreka as Dr. O'Connell the druggist, has followed one line of business ever since he was seventeen years old. He beganlearning the drug trade as an all-round clerk, and his steady progress since then to positions of greater responsibility, to manager of a drug house and finally to ownership of his own establishment shows how well he has devoted himself to his life work and how fully he has acquired the confidence of the public in his reliability and high-class methods of doing business. He has been in business in Yreka for nearly fifteen years, and has also been an influential and public-spirited citizen and a hearty worker for the welfare of his community.

Mr. O'Connell was born in San Francisco, May 14, 1857, a son of James and Annie (Deegan) O'Connell, both of whom were natives of Ireland, the former of Limerick. His father, who died in San Francisco in 1901, was a pioneer to California in 1849, and was continuously in the wood and lumber business in San Francisco for thirty-five years, the last fifteen years of his life being spent in retirement. He was elected to the legislature during the early days of California, and was a well known and representative citizen. His wife died in 1892. The two surviving daughters of the family are Miss Helen A. and Miss Marian F., who are both teachers in Miss West's School for Girls in San Francisco.

Mr. O'Connell graduated from the Lincoln grammar school of San Francisco in 1870. He then entered the drug store at the corner of Sutter and Powell streets, owned by Henry B. Shaw, for whom he worked seven years and learned the business in all its details. He then accepted a position in the drug store of Pond and Lawson at Woodland, Yolo county, and in 1890 came to Yreka, Siskiyou county, as manager of the drug store of E. Autenrieth and Company, which position he held for six years. On March 13, 1896, he embarked in business for himself, and now conducts a prosperous and widely known establishment, with an extensive trade in all the surrounding country.

Mr. O'Connell is an active Democrat in local party affairs, and on July 10, 1903, was appointed coroner and public admiistrator to fill the unexpired term of John A. Fairchild. He is also president of the Yreka board of health. Fraternally he is council commander of the Woodmen of the World and is treasurer of Yreka Parlow, N. S. G. W.

Mr. O'Connell was married, August 15, 1886, in Woodland, California, to Miss Carrie L. Hadsall, who died in April, 1887, without issue. She was born in Bloomington, Illinois, a daughter of Frank Hadsall, and her brother, Charles F., is county clerk of Yolo county. On June 13, 1894, Mr. O'Connell married, in Yreka, Miss Georgie Oberlin, who was born in Yreka and is a daughter of William R. Oberlin, one of the pioneers of the county and now a retired merchant. He belonged to the family that founded Oberlin College in Ohio. There is one child of this marriage, Berenice, who is in school.

Source: History of the New California Its Resources and People, Volume I

The Lewis Publishing Company - 1905
Edited by Leigh H. Irvine