About Patrick Edward O'Hair

John and Rosanna emigrated from Scotland to New York City in 1848, accompanied by their seven sons, Peter, John, James, William, Phillip, Michael, and Henry.  Their daughters, Rosanna and Mary Agatha, were born in 1849 and 1851, respectively, possibly in Utica, New York.  The O'Hair family later moved from New York to Michigan, then to Illinois, then Iowa, where Patrick Edward was born in 1856.

John O'Hair reportedly worked as a farmer, horse breeder, and hotel keeper.   He died sometime after 1870.  Patrick Edward O'Hair may have moved with his family from Iowa to California in 1874.  Census records indicate that Rosanna and all of her children, except James, were living in Colusa and Butte counties, California in the 1880's.  The sons of John O'Hair were working as farmers, laborers, or merchants. Rosanna Murphy O'Hair died in Chico, California on February 18, 1888.

Patrick farmed until 1880, when he entered the hardware business with Farrell & Company in Chico, California. In 1881, he met Cora Anna Allen (1862 - 1931), a local school teacher. Patrick and Cora were married on November 8, 1882, in Chico, Butte County, California. See letters from Patrick to Cora by clicking here.

Right: Donald and Neil O'Hair at their father's store in 1905.

Left: Patrice, Ethel, and Cora O'Hair, about 1905.

The San Francisco earthquake of April 18, 1906 destroyed both Patrick's home and business.   Both were located in the South of Market neighborhood that was destroyed by earthquake and fire. P.E.'s insurance did not cover the damages.  However, accounting records indicate that Patrick was back in business several months after the earthquake.  In 1907, the O'Hair family was residing at 1328 Scott Street and Patrick was employed at the O'Hair and Proctor Company.  Cyril, Patrick and Cora Anna's youngest son, died that year at the age of 13.  At this time, their oldest son, Donald, was employed as a clerk, and second son, Justin Neil, was a plumber.

The massive construction that was required in San Francisco following the earthquake provided Patrick and his business partners the opportunity to expand their hardware store into a plumbing supply business.  By 1908, Patrick and his sons Donald and Neil were working at 1964 Post Street for the D.L. & P.E. O'Hair and H. Proctor Company, a plumbing supply business. By the following year, the company was called P.E. O'Hair and Company.

Cora Anna O'Hair, Hattie Hunter, Patrice O'Hair, Pearl Sanderson, Donald L. O'Hair, P.E. O'Hair, and Cora Josephine O'Hair
Capitola, California, about 1908

In about 1914, Justin Neil O'Hair married Edythe Hall and Edythe moved into the O'Hair family home on 7th Avenue.  Justin and Eythe's only child, Patrice Edith O'Hair, was born in San Francisco in 1916.  At the time of the 1920 census, Patrick and Cora Anna were still living at 1257 7th Avenue along with their three daughters, Patrice and Cora Josephine (both unmarried), and Ethel Marie Bowman, her husband, Fritz, and their children Carl, Robert and Fritzi Beth Bowman.

P.E. O'Hair, in about 1920

After several years of legal review, the business was determined to be a partnership that included Cora Anna and all her living children.  Ownership of the company was divided amongst P.E.'s heirs, who managed the business until the 1960's, when the next generation began managing the company. P.E. O'Hair & Co. would continue to operate as a family-owned business for nearly seventy years after P.E.'s death.