Frank O'Neil 

1874-1946

    Frank O'Neil was born in 1874 in Detroit. He had three brothers, George who carried mail in Engadine, Jack who worked in Detroit, and Bill who went in the armed services.  As a child, Frank worked at the grindstone quarry and got an allowance.  He went to school until the fourth grade and then stopped.  

    The clothes that were popular during Frank's time were regular farmer and woodsman clothes.  He only got in trouble once, when he was drinking, and he went and slept with the horses. After that he did not like drinking any longer, so when his kids went to dances he stayed up to make sure they were in good condition when they arrived home.

    He liked to play baseball and was a Detroit Tigers' fan. In his spare time he did farm work. He got married when he was twenty-eight years old at St. Ignace.  He had eleven children during his forty-four years of marrige. His jobs were being a farmer and a teamster. His favorite memories were of horses.  What was better about the good old days for Frank was buggy riding. He lived in Engadine until he died at seventy-two of old age.

Katie Kerridge

Fifth Grade

Engadine Elementary School

Thank you to Frank and Evelyn O'Neil who were the son and daughter-in-law of the original Frank O'Neil and to Ruth and Vern Johnson.  Vern is Frank's grandson.