Michael O. Doherty was the 5th born son of James and Anne Doherty. Born in the County Donegal,Ireland on August 6th 1866 in the town of Carrick. Michael is the Dapper gent on the left in the photo above.

In Ireland the first born son inherits the land and commerce of their father. All of the others either work for their older brother, or move on. Well, due to the potato famon I guess that tradition was broken in this family because Patirck Kelly Doherty, Michaels older brother actually was the first to move to the United states. Michael made the move to the United States on the "Ethiopia" which sailed out of Moville, County Donegal, Ireland. The vessel arrived in the Port of New York on March 31, 1887. He was listed on the ship manifest as 20 years old, a laborer, a steerage passenger with one suitcase.

Michael must have left New York City and headed directly to Mississippi to join his brothers who were already located there.

He married Mary Alice Ward in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on December 27, 1887. It was the first Catholic wedding in Hattiesburg. At that time, the closest Catholic Church was in Paulding Mississippi. His wedding was held under the oak trees where the Hattiesburg Police Department now stands.

Mike and other Irish emigrants in Hattiesburg met at Breland's Boarding House on Court Street for social activities. There he met Mary Alice Ward and they were later married.

Mike Doherty purchased one acre of land for $15.00 from Elijah Covington Ward, his father-in-law, on October 13, 1888. Elijah Ward sold another acre of land on October 30, 1888 to another son-in-law, Patrick McGinley, photographed along with Michael O. Doherty above.

On January 1, 1889 Mike sold for $95.00 the one acre of land he had purchased from his father in law. Perhaps the profit that he made from this land transaction gave him the incentive to buy and sell real estate. In any case, during the remainder of his life, Mike Doherty was involved in thrity to forty land transactions.

Mike purchased his second piece of land on February 16, 1889 from H.D. Breland for $20.00. He sold one half of this property to H.D. Roberts for $200.00 on September 10, 1891. The other half he sold to John W. Berry on August 15, 1892 for $200.00.

Mike Doherty was an avid fight fan. He, along with some of his Irish buddies, helped build the boxing ring for the Sullivan-Kilrain bare knuckled heavyweight championship fight that was held at Richburg on July 8, 1889. This was the last Barenuckled Heaveyweight Championship held, leagally in the United States. The fight was originally slated to be held in the North but was outlawed, then was rescheduled for New Orleans, LA, but again was outlawed. Mike Doherty, the Irish born fight fan and others from the Hattiesburg Law and Order brotherhood invited Sullivan and Kilrain to small area outside the city limits of Hattiesburg. Michael built a seat in a large tree near the ring where he had a birds eye view of the fight. It is alledged that he was offered $50.00 for the seat by another spectator. Now, Pat McGinley worked the gate at the fight and Mike could have had a ring side seat if he sold his premium seat. However, Mike watched the fight in comfort, in that very seat he built. John L. Sullivan won the fight which lasted 75 rounds. It was the last bare knuckled professional heavyweight championship fight in the United States.

By 1890 Hattiesburg's population had increased to 1,172. Police protection was provided by a town marshal, and a volunteer fire comany handled fire protection. Mike Doherty and his brother were two of the first Hattiesburg Police Officers. In a statement written by Father Fahey of Sacred Heart Parish, in 1940, it is said that Mike once, while on patrol, found a man that was intoxicated hanging onto a lightpole for stability. Mike tapped the gentleman on the shoulder with his night stick and told him he better move along before a police officer came by and arrested him.